Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-07
TRADE or THE PHILLPPIN ES.

| The section of foreign markets of the
| Department of Agriculture has supplied
in Il bulletin just issued, information re-
sarding the trade of the Philippine
islands which is of general interest.
The period covered is from 1850 to 1894,
inclusive, the latter year being the last
for which the official customs returns
appear to have been issued. During
the fifteen years the average annual
value of the commerce of the Philip
pines, imports and exports, was a little
over $4,000, 600, but the statistics show
that it was considerably less in 1894
than in most of the preceding years and
that as compared with 1880 there was
decrease of about 40 per cent. 1t is
pointed out, however, that this decrease
in the value of Philippine commerce
does not necessarily mean that the
quantity of merchandise exchanged was
diminished the decline in value being
probably due to the falling off in the
prices of commodities, the statistics of
exports showing an increase in the
quantity of the products shipped from
the islands. Still the facts indicate that
there was very little development in the
islands during these fifteen years and
according 10 the estimated value of the
trade in subsequent years there has
been no progress made since 1891, the
Philippine commerce for 1897 being
placed at little over $30,000,000. 1t is
of course possible that the estimates are
too low, but in any event there is in
the statistics nothing to warrant the
idea that the Philippine market is prize
to be c0ntended for ut whatever cost.
This trade is chiefly in the hands of
Great Britain. That country in 1893,
the latest year for which there are Off
cial statistics available showing the dis
tribution of the Philippine commerce
among foreign countries, had over 81 per
cent of the total trade, Hong Kong
and the Chinese ports coming next.
Spain third and the United States
fourth, with little over 10 per cent of
the trade. 1t is an interesting fact that
in 1881 the United States imported Phil
ippine products to about three times the
value OF the imports from the islands
in 1893. Our exports to the Philippines
have never amounted to much. the an
nual average from 1892 to 1896. inClu-
Sive, being only a little over $135 600
while the annual average of imports for
that period was over S6,OOO.0OO. Trade
between this country and the Philip
pines has been declining for the last
eight OF nine years, owing, in all prOba-
bility, to the tariff provisions that were
enacted for the islands by the Spanish
government in order to give the Spanish
merchants n still further control of the
commerce. During the past two or three
years our trade with the Philippines has
been only about half as large as it was
at the beginning of the present decade.
1t is reasonably expected that under
the control of the United States the
Philippines would realize considera-
bic development and the commerce or
the Islands be materially increased
| Probably we should get our share OF
this, but with the open door policy main
| tained in the islands, as must be done
the share we may get cannot be very
large or so valuable that we are iusti.
/ hed III making any great sacrifices 10
secure it. Indeed, the entire trade of the
| Islands for many years would not repay
what has already been expended there
III life and treasure. Considered in its
commercial aspect possession of the
Philippines, if it shall require The main.
tenance of an army there, must inevita-
| bly, prove unprotitable.