Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-11
Philippine Islands Viewed by a
Former Ottumwan.
THE GARDEN SPOT OF THE WORLD.
Tells of Vast Fields of Hemp and Ma
Mia Fibre-Grand Forests OF Ma
hogany Trees Which May be Had
Merely for the Cutting,


dollars scattered around is the state
ment made by former Ottumwan
now in the Philippines. Not exactly
in money, perhaps, yet in form that
could be comparatively easily turned
into coin of the realm were 1t not LOT
the natives who, it seems, harass the
planters at every turn.
An Ottumwa man is in receipt OF
letter from another former we'll known
resident of this place, containing
many interesting things concerning
our eastern possession, and he mas
kindly permitted a portion OF it to be
printed, for the reason that it tells
something of the country which has
heretofore not been published.
1t would appear from the letter that
there is no richer country on the face
of the globe than the Philippines, and
that all that is needed to bring out its
richness is government for the nat
ives that will govern, which is fast be-
ing realized The arabic land and the
forests are teeming with riches, but
the warfare of the natives has scared
the inhabitants into state where they
will do nothing. The farmers or
planters are afraid to raise crops for
fear the insurgents will carry away
the products of their labor. The state
of affairs cannot we'll be appreciated
by people of the United States, ana
the following words from former OF
tumwan will be read with interest, and
especially at time when the various
arguments produced by campaign
speakers are yet ringing in our ears.
The portion of the letter which the
Courier is permitted to print is as fol-
lows:
Island of Luzon.
"Some of the anti's tell you these
islands are not worth the trouble, but
If there is a richer spot on earth than
the Island of Luzon it must be "a
peach, have marched for days thru
hemp farms, where millions of dollars
worth of hemp was standing uncut,
because the owners were afraid of the
insurgents stealing it as soon as 1t
was baled. The hemp commonly
known as Manila fibre is not hemp at
all, but banana tree, bearing fruit
Just like a banana with the exception
that it does not turn yellow when ripe.
The crop natures in two years and an
acre will produce 80 bales, worth SIS
each Is that a poor crop? Labor
brings from 10 to 80 cents day in our
money, which would be 20 to 60 cents
Mexican.
''We have travelled thru thousands
of acres of timber, where white and
black mahogany trees grow four feet
thru and 100 feet to the first limb Is
that poor stuff, when a tram road
could be built right onto ship for
not to exceed $4,000.
Rich Rice Fields.
The bottom lands are all laid out
in rice fields Rice Is worth three
cents per pound, and an acre will pro
duce 1880 or 1000 pounds. No work
but the planting and harvesting. Is
that poor? With proper government
| these islands are rich beyond compu
tation, and the men who would give
them up for political capital are fool
| iSh or worse.
"The rivers and small stream:
| swarm with fish, and the natives ea
very little but fish and rice
The remainder of the letter deals
with personalities and quaint observa
tons along the way, told in the writ
ers inimitable fashion, sometimes II
picturesque language which would b,
appreciated yet cannot well be repro
| duced.