The record-union., 1899-06-13
PROVINCE OF BULACAN.
It's Natural Resources and Posi-
hilities.

When peace shall be established be-
tween the Americans and the Phil
pinos, and agriculture, industry and
commerce can again pursue their nor
NAL course of development and activity,
there are many products whose expor-
tation will tend to establish an impor-
tant and constantly increasing business
between the United States and these
islands, increasing the prosperity and
riches of both countries; as this archi-
pelago will find a market in the United
States for it's raw products, and the lat
ter will find here new market for its
manufactures.
The Philippines, after three and a
half centuries of Spanish rule are as
yet practically UNEMPLOYED, as the only
care of the Spanish Government was to
collect sufficient revenue to pay the sal
aries Of the 1900 employees holding
Government and administrative posi-
tons, the annual budget or estimate OF
expenditures being 81, 100000 AS long
as the income covered the expenses. the
Government was satisfied and made no
attempt to foster the agriculture, in
dustry and commerce of this colony,
whereby they might easily have in
ty millions of dollars annually, at the
same time might have cut down ex
penses to five or six millions, which
would have been sufficient to support
wise and just administration
TIC give the readers of Freedom an
idea of the productiveness of the Phi
lippines, we will take Bulacan, a pro-
vince contiguous to Manila, as an ex-
ample. The province has a superficial
area of 25O,537 hectares or 61S, 76o
acres, only one-third Of which is under
cultivation. Its climate is unexcelled.
1t possesses good roads and fine water
ways which facilitate the carriage of it's
products to markets. Forests of good
timber abound in the mountains stu
ated in the eastern part Of the province,
producing resinous gums, the bamboo
cane and yielding honey and beeswax,
as well as sheltering large game.
The province is extraordinarily rich
in iron ore. In the Camanglao and
Camachila Mountains ore is found on
the surface yielding in the furnace
ninety per cent. of pure iron. There
are numerous mineral springs and
many quarries Of good building stones
of various. kinds. It's streams, lakes
and coast waters swarm with edible
fish Of fine quality. This province an
nually produces 96,525,OOO litres of rice,
421, 2l2 kilograms of sugar, sc, 7S7, 800
litres of Indian corn, 5S,42O Kilograms
of indigo and large quantities of cocoa
beans. coffee and other products.
AT the present time, despite adverse
conditions, large number of sugar
mills are in operation, some by water
and others by steam. Manufacturing
is further represented by palm leaf hat
factories, as well as the weaving of
mats, silk, hemp and cotton fabrics and
various other articles on a smaller
scale.
The cattle raising and grazing inter-
est of the province are shown by the fol-
| lowing figures: There is stock of 10000
meat cattle, 10000 carabous or water
buffaloes, 5000 horses, 90 600 hogs and
numerous focks of sheep and goats
Were this province thoroughly ex-
plotted it could be made to produce
millions of tons of paper pulp; pottery
and tableware could be made from its
arcillaceous clays: furniture from its
cabinet woods, and many other trades
and industries established, at present
unknown to it's inhabitants.
Lastly, to give some idea of the rapid
growth of the province, its estimated
population in 1856 was 229, 122, and it
is now said to contain not less than
100000 souls-Freedom manila, P. H.