New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-16
HEMP AND REBELLION.

Speculation in hemp and sugar has had more
10 do with troubles in the Philippines than most
men suppose Major Strong says that II Agui-
naldo should be captured or killed the Sugar
Trust in the East would put another man in his
Mace. Whence come now the guns and ammu
milton used by the Philippine rebels? High
authority answers that some Of them at least
are furnished by the ring of hemp spectators IN
the Far East
Before American forces had anything TO DO
with the Philippine Islands it became well
known that the secret league Of Tagal insurrec
tionists was aided If Lot contrived and created
by rings of spectators at Hong Kong. The men
from whom came large contributions to push on
the instruction against Spain were not of the
Tagal race nor of any Philippine tribe, but most
" foreign traders in Philippine products. The
secret society of Tagals which put in fear of as
sassination those who refused TO do its bloody
work processes zeal for independence which the
foreign traders at Hong Kong and Manila
scarcely pretend TO feel though they put up
money to push 1t forward. Since Admiral Dewey
took possession Of Manila Harbor contraband
vessels have been found to land arms and am
munition for the insurgents at other points ana
II has been no secret that money for the work
Nor is it hard to see what profits they seek by
such an outlay War in the Philippine Islands
enables them to get fancy prices for the sugar
and especially for the hemp which they pur-
chase on the islands and ship TO other countries
From the ignorant natives and from planters
who are helpless the combination or traders
buys at prices not eXtravagantly differing from
those before hostlities began. But in Chnese
or European markets the products sell az great
advance. largely because Of the claim that war
stops production and arrests trade. In 1898
hemp sold at about 53i cents, in 1894 from oi2
cents up TO 6l4 and down to AS cents, in 1880
and 1896 from TO Az cents, in 1897 from 81. 10
Az cents, but in 1898 the price opened at 4A
cents. rose TO cents when war was declared
and to.S% cents in June. Peace with Spain de-
pressed the price to cents in December, ana
then it became profitable for the traders TO los
Ter a rebellion Guns and bullets went TO Agul'
naldo. and hemp rose to cents In April and
111h cents in September and IL cents in October
though since declining to 141A cents Comparing
such prices with those Of five years before the
war and even with those of the war period it
NAV be realized what profits men have been able
| 10 make who furnish guns to insurgents.
The trade is not an insignificant one, for eX-
ports Of hemp from the Philippines before the
war were about S1SOOOO00 in value Sugar ex'
| ports were also about s13000,0O0 in value and
| though the markets were by no means so largely
influenced by Philippine supplies as those FOR
| hemp they were nevertheless much affected. IL
the quantity Of hemp produced has greatly de-
creased there has yet been room for prohts OF
many millions in the rise from 70 10 cents
The rand progress of the American Army In
breaking up and disorganzing the forces OF the
| insurgents is therefore far more important than
the mere capture of Aguinaldo or any leader II
the armed force could be kept together the COM
| bjpations of traders could always find money
enough to furnish weapons and to support other
leaders in place of any captured or killed. But
the scattering of the nsurgent forces gives rea'
son to hope that it may very soon cease TO DE
profitable for anybody 10 foster and feed Iagal
resistance to United States authority.