The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-10-12
THE PATIENT BUFFALO.

der American rule III WOulu Uo LII
creased tenfold within five years. Thus
in the sugar industry the taxation is SO
heavy and SO unwisely apportioned that
it does not pay to cultivate the cane
nor to use the latest machinery, as In
Cuba. Yet the islands export upon an
average 1906 tons year to the
United States and Europe and nearly
twice as much to China and Japan. So
cheap is labor and so rich the harvest
that with all the taxation and other
obstacles fair quality of sugar is pro-
duced and sold for about $40 cents
pound Under American rule there
would be no export tax, there would be
modern "batteries' at every sugar
plantation, and a good quality could be
delivered on board ship for scarcely
more than cent pound, figure SO
low that it would give the Philippine
planters the natural monopoly of the
markets of the world Of the land
available for sugar cane raising but a
small portion has thus far been put in
to cultivation. The present plantation
area could be increased eightfoid, and
the output per acre threefold, Sc that
the sugar industry of the Philippines
could be easily made into one Of the
greatest trafTics.
It is the same with regard to hemp.
The fame of the MANILA hemp is de-
served. The plant thrives there better
than anywhere else SO far as ropemak-
ing is concerned Under Spanish ad-
minlstratiou the cultivation is barbar-
Gus, and the use of improved methods
and machinery is practically prohibited
by both taxation and public policy.
Nevertheless the hemp trade grows from
year to year. The average export is
$50, 1000 bales, of which roughly speak
ing 40 per cent goes to the United
States, 3S per cent to Great Britain and
the remainder to Europe, Australia,
China and Japan. There is an export
tax upon hemp just as large as the COM
merce will bear. Under American rule,
with scientific cultivation and labor
saving inventions, the output could be
quickly doubled, the cost diminished
and the hemp market as well as the
rope market controlled from Manila.
Another giant industry is scarcely
known to the American people, and
that is the trade in tobacco. cigars and
cigarettes. Very little comes to the
United States. The annual production
is about $12, 900, 600. Enormous guam
titles are sent to Great Britain, the con-
tinent of Europe, China, Japan, India
and Australia The official output Of
cigars exported from the Philippines in
1897 was over $50, 900, 900, 600, and of
tobacco more than 300, 900 quintals.
a fourth industry is the raising of
coffee. The Manila berry has q very
rich aroma, Il good body and a medium
strength. 1t is used largely in Spain,
Italy and France, bat to very small
extent in the United States. Were 1T
cultivated as in Brazil. Venezuela or
Mexico it would soon hold as high
position as either Java or Mocha and
could be made :. source Of great profit.
Other industries which have struggled
along under the tremendous burden OF
Spanish taxation are those of indigo,
textiles besides hemp. straw. dye goods,
hides, mother of pearl gum mastic.
copra, preserved fish and fine fruits.
If agriculture in the Philippines
offers a rich field to capital, the forests
are even more inviting. Thanks to IA
voring climate and soil, the land tends
to forests, and wherever the people
move away the soil is soon covered
with q sturdy growth of trees.
OF the various woods time and space
forbid even a list While all OF the
timbers are valuable many OF the hara
woods are of such high quality as to be