Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1900-04-20
NEELANDS on The PHILIPPINES.
THE fII.IpISos AZ OUR RIVALS.


Filipiuos may become dangerous
rivals Of our own in the industrial
field is u new threat to the prosperity
of our wage earners, The natives in
our newly acquired archipelago in
the far cast possess Il high degree OF
intelligence, alertness and industrial
ability. They are quick with their
heads and with their hands, i'll such
ways resembling the japanese.
or course, il Japan were annexed
to this country and put inside the tar
i'll wall, making absolute free trade
between oui ports and her own, a
large part Of the manufactured
goods that are now made IN the
United States would soon be produce
cd over there, while at the same time
the accession Of cLeap japanese labor
within our tariff boundary would
create I'll industrial revolution here.
The same danger, i'll "A less degree
perhaps, is to Le apprehended from
the annexation oi the Philippines,
unless the revolutionary doctrine is
sustained that the Constitution docs
not apply to the entire domain 0t Tho
republic, but merely to the States
composing the union.
Following the annexation OF the
Philippines will come "A great influx
into thse islands OF American capital.
which will be employed partly i'll the
PREDICTION Of sugar and tobacco. aifet-
ing in some degree. our " interests
in the raising Of those staples, but
partly also in manufacturing in
dustries. At first such industries
will be intended only to supply local
demand in tie archipelago, but a the
aptitude of the natives for pursuits OF
this kind are developed and the adj
vantases OF cheap labor realized, the
business Of manufacturing for export
TO the United States will begin to
grow. Once started it may advance
advance with giant strides. trans pa
citic freight rates being so low as to
offer little hiudrance.
Thus it appears hat while under
the conditions suggested, the sugar
and tobacco Of the Philippines will
compete with ours in our wi Ma
kets. we shall have no compromising
opportunity for the sale OF our pro-
ducts in the archipelago. Probably
instead Of buying our manufactures,
the Filipinos will ship theirs to us,the
balance Of the trade turning largely
against us. Such u prospect is far
from pleasing, and we ought to con
slider il with all seriousness M bearing
upOn the wisdem Of the policy Of alb
sorption, which is now SO widely adj
vocated. From our viewpoint today
we can hardly measure the extent Of
this industrial competition or pre-.
scribe it's limits.
Another point to be considered ID
that the FIlipinos will have access To
the United States. 1t has been ar
gued that being accustomed to Il crop
cal climate they will not want to
come here; but | imagine that i'll this
regard they will yield to the persua-
sion OF speculative American capital,
just us the Chinese did before the en-
%clusion act when their labor was
sought by the Pacific Railroads and
Just rs japanese labor responds TO
the invitation OF Sand witch Island
planters. Beside it must be consid.
cred that a large part or this country
has Il climate that would be very sat.
iafactory to the Filipinos. who would
not suffer from Il change OF residence
to California, Arizona, New Mexico
and the Southern States.
American labor is now on stills so
to say. us compared with the rest Of
the world. 1t has been able to main.
tain Its present elevation by the law
restraining the importation Of the
products OF cheap foreign labor and
preventing the Wholesale migratiou
Of cheap laborers to this country
from abroad. IT il easy to imagine
what will he the effect OF putting in.
side OF ouI government and indust-
rial system, nino millions o. people
possessing a high degree OF industrial
aptitude apd accustomed to a scale OF
wages and Il mode Of living nppro.
pirate to Asiatics. Is it putting the
matter too strongly to suggest the
likelihood Of an industrial revolution
as q result OF go perilous an expert.
ment?
We may suppose that Mt first the
natives taken inside Of our tariff wall
would turn to the production of cot.
ton goods and possibly silk fabrics.
but the quickness OF their hcHds and
hands would sOon enable them to
adapt themselves TO my kind Of man.
ufacturrng. II 10 likely, too. That NJ.
ter a while they would become dang
erous competitors OF ours in tho
growing Of cotton, inasmuch as tho
islnnds are we'll suited, both M to the
climate and soil for the production oi
that staple. For reasons Of her own
Spain made il pnrt Of her policy TO
discourage cotton growing in the
Philippines; otherwise il is probable
that this industry would already he
fiourishing in the archipelago. In our
Southern States at tho present time
mn expectation IL INDUCED that tho
Philippines will open II market Tor
American cotton. but my belief IL