Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-26
TN THE PHILIPPINES.
|, MIXTURE OF TAxEs, EARTH
ouAKEs AND REBELLIONs.
Vast Resources OF the Islands Which
sp.in Has Not known How to Use
y.atber and Customs at Manila
The Natives.
The Natives.

MANLY n. Sherman, of this Guy, says
- ance,es letter to the New York sun
has come home after residence OF seVe-
-, scars at Manila. He has been Tor
,our wears In the employ of trading
company, which has been buying lhoiso
camphor. sugar. spices, and hemp ia inc
philippine Islands for thirty years AS
agent for the company he has traVelleu
ever all the larger islands. and has hao
unusual opportunities to learn much doou'
the archipelago.
.exUnen r left Manila about the middle
., March" said Mr.. Sherman. the pres
emit rebellion was breaking out. IL Is
really another chapter OF the reDeilioii
which broke out in the Island OF LuZoh
nhe largest. most populous, and important
philippine island, in June OF last year
The Spanish Government thought II had
stamped out the rebellious spirit OF the
natives, but in the latter part oil feorudls
the rebels suddenly appeared IN SEVERN
parts of Luzon. The ola seaport w"
cayite. where Admiral Dewey ana MS
forces are now in possession has peeh
the head centre of the rebels TINS tlihe'
THE intelligent people in Manila knew
M the blowing up of the Maine In Ha-
hama harbor but paid no attention 10 IL
/ don't believe the populace at Mahiia
had the least idea until about Iholilh
ago that a war between the United Slales
and Spain might begin at any time, anu
q hattie might take place at the Phlllp-
mines. | never heard such a posslplllty
discussed at Manila. The Spanish hoid
the islands in such complete lhraiuoin
and exercise such censorship over the
press and Geographic information that
any one in Manila not In the aipioii tI
circles knows very little OF what is nap
nening in the outside world until the for
eign newspapers come. The four Manila
sswspapers are slow, cheap affairs, and
have an average of less than lOO lines
OF foreign news.
..If the United States should take the
philippine Islands as a possession they
would have a most valuable piece OF
property The possibilities OF the Philip-
pines as wealth producers can hardly be
oyerestimated. The exports IN 1881
amounted to about SSO,VVO,VV0' ana lhal
i'm the face of the blighting oppression
OF the Spanish on every enterprise except
tobacco and sugar. United States Consul
Williams. at Manila, and /, have discuss
ed many times the agricultural pos
s,hilities of the Philippines under Amerl-
can push and with Yankee Invention.
believe the exports from the islands
might be increased TO S5O,OOO,OOJ ANNUALLY
In few years. and to much hghei
figures in . decade. For instance wy
nene. nroduction has for some occult
rsason Of the government at Madrid beer
Lent down by a system of extra licenses
maj one must obtain 10 plant coiie'
beaus and by heavy import duties on IN
machinery necessary IN preparing lh'
nroduct for market. i have been amoht
the famous coffee hncas OF Ceh,t
America and l make the assertion t.d
fhere are nowhere in Central Ainerlcs
land and water facilities that approdci
those of the Island of Negros ior grow
ing coffee The expectation OF GOMEZ u
1Ssf amounted 10 about S2oJ,VVO II oush
80 have been ten times that amount.
..Tobacco. sugar, and hemp are IN
chief products OF the Philippines IN
government does foster these industries
"a FAR as its ayarice for taxes Will per
m,t. There are 1900 cigar and cheroo'
makers In and about Manila All the 10
bacco plantations and cigar-factories al
,,,o NV Spaniards General Weyiers wv
mothers have the largest factory in les
colta-a suburb OF Manila. They cam
oyer 10 the islands about eight years ag0
when their pompous military brother Wa
GCyernOr-GeneIal OF inc tHhpPii'NS :
a salary OF $4,000 a year. and tney 90
tanned concessions then that yieide
them immense annual returns. sugar
largely grown on the islands OF Negro
and Samos. There are large Malay town
on those islands. The English sugar
buyers over there say that there Is n
cane SO rich in saccharine properties
that In the Philippines. Notwithstandln
the rldlculously crude methods OF cult
waiting the cane-felds and the expensiy
manner OF crushing the stalks and e.
tracing the sugar, the profit In IN
sugar industry is incredible. The ca
IRENE richness Of the cane makes IN
pront. know OF several japanese sugai
cane companies on the Island OF Same
that have made as high as $3.50 for a
acre and quarter every year for Ion
time. Yankee invention could easily n
duce the expenses OF a sugar piantatic
one-<ourth. No people bat the Japane'
I'M the Philippines have the least idea
how 20 make machinery do the work
man. Think OF having sugar-cane crusl
ed by several hundred men with club
when simple machinery would accor
piish the same purpose better. cheape
and hundred times quicker, The 4
digo industry Is run in tho same way
two centuries ago
Wherever one goes into the rural
sions OF the Philippine Islands. one
~ constantly wondering at the extraofdlua
pfociKaliiy OF nature. | cannot tell y
the majesty OF the immense tropical Il
ests OF Negros and Saraos. Thousap
of square miles there have seldom be