The leader., 1898-09-14

hands of the Chinese residents. There
are very few large plantations. and
nearly all the agricultural productions
of the islands are the result of small
farming by the natives and Chinese
coolies. The Chinese trader is the
'middleman" who gathers the small
lots together, puts them in marketable
shape by. balirg and boxing, and ships
them to the nearest post, disposing to
the exporter and wholesale dealer.
The small degree of prosperity the
country has heretofore enjoyed has
been entirely due to the push" and en-
ergy of the Chinaman. Many years ago
the Spanish became jealous of the Chi
nese, who were becoming immensely
wealthy and influential, in spite of the
heavy taxes they were forced to pay,
and they were banished from all the
islands and made TO return to China.
The Spanish officials soon realized that
they had made bad blunder, for the
native, left without the necessary spur
and stimulation of the Chinese trader,
produced only enough for their imme-
tax gatherer. They found that they
had KILLED the goose that laid the
golden egg" and that the despised Ce-
lestial was a necessary evil, and they
were obliged to allow the Chinese, not
only to return, but extra inducements
in the way of concessions and monop-
olies, since which time they have had
in
the land.
The native is by nature improvident
and easy going. He is utterly lacking
in those characteristics of economy,
thrift and acquisitiveness that are in
born traits of the Chinese race. and the
result has been that the native has seen
all of his best lands slowly but surely
absorbed by his shrewd neigh bors with
the pig-tail.
The fiber industry is capable of great
expansion, and by the introduction OF
improved methods of cultivation and
manufacture can be produced in enor-
nous quantities and at reduced price.
The same can be said of the sugar in
dustry. The policy of the Spaniard, has
heen one of repression. They have
done all in their power TO keep the
hated foreigner from the land; they
have discouraged and discountenanced
all innovations, and the introduction OF
!abor-saving machinery. They have
adopted the most autocratic methods to
prevent an outsider from getting
foothold, and when one succeeded in
getting in and prospecting, they invari-
ably found some means of making 1t
so uncomfortable for him that he usu-
ally left the country in disgust.
One of the most important natural
productions that abounds in all of the
hundreds of islands of the archipelago
are the immense virgin forests of hard
wood timbers. There are at least so
different kinds, among them many that
are found in no other part of the world.
/ noticed three kinds that were equal to
ebony in hardness, and of most ex-
traordinary colors. One was OF deep
orange yellow, one dark olive green,
and one light ruby red. They were all
of extremely fine grain, and capable of
being highly polished. They will re-
tain their colors for years. 1 have seen
native furniture made from these
woods that had been in the same fam
ily in daily use for over go years, and
was still good for many more, and the
colors were as bright as though made
from freshly-cut material, although
thew had never been either oiled or var
pished. The green and yellow varieties
are certain to become in the future
most valuable timbers for interior dec
orations and for fancy furniture.
Among the exports that deserve spe-
cial merton are the edible birds nests
that are so highly esteemed by the
Chinese. the finest quality bringing al
most fabulous prices. have seen $3.50
paid for one small nes' what they