The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1901-10-25
American Trade Is Not Making az
Rapid Strides as Are Amer
ican Political Ideas.
BARRIERS HAVE TO Be BROKEN DOWN,
spain, France, Germany and Switx-
eriand Have, Heretofore, Had the
Bulk Of the InsuIar Trade, and
the Philippines Merchants are
Slow to Make Radical Changes.

New York, Oct. 23.-The Manila cor
respondent of the journal of Com
merce sends the following details
concerning the trade in the Philip
pines. The invasion of the markets
of the Philippines by American mer.
chandise and merchants is much less
complete as yet than the invasions
of the islands by political ideas, but
there are Indications that American
goods will come here n increasing
quantities within a short time. Judg-
ing from the exterior of the shops
American esta blishments are compar-
atively few, but judged from the in
terror, the footing obtained by Amer
lean goods is more obvious. One of
rhe difficulties with which Americans
have to contend in this market is the
fact that the established channels of
trade are with Spain. France, Ger
many and Switzerland, rather than
with America. The great jewelry
shops, the dry goods stores, the i'm
porters of boots, shoes, hats and all
sorts of necessaries of civilized life
have done business for many years
! with European exporters, and are ia.
miiar with their goods, systems of
credit, methods of packing and
freight facilities. In textiles the Eu-
ropeans naturally enjoy some of the
advantages which skill and long prac-
tice give them over the United States
The representatives of the Spanish
chamber of commerce appreciate the
| fact, however, that a new era is be-
ginning in Philippine trade. Retail
trade in many lines here has been
based upon the principle of charging
what the traffic will bear" rather
than upon the maximum prices en-
forced by competition. Merchants
have been content with large profits
up small sales, rather than small
profits upon large sales. Considerable
work is being done by Civil Governor
Taft and the Philippine commission
In organizing civil government, and
preparing TO extend American meth
| ods throughout the islands. 1T was
| only with the termination of the mil
itary control, on July 4,that this work
could he begun in earnest Govern
l'ment has to be created from the
ground up, with little to build upon
| that is worth anything from the rem
nants of Spanish authority Already
land is being prospected for gold, and
| number of gentlemen have united in
firm for active operations. Nothing
has been done towards an electric
railway line, because peace has been
so recently restored, and no new cor
| poration can be formed. Such line
is much needed, and Americans NAV
| endeavor to buy up the franchise Of
the existing horse railroad, with its
| average of about one trip an hour,
| as soon as the situation clears. There
is little doubt that an electric street
railway would do an enormous busi-
nesse. in view OF the demand for
transportation in Manila The hun
dreds of native cabmen, with their
odd little carramatos and diminutive
ponies, might suffer from railroad
competition, but would find continued
| occupation on the outlying routes.
and perhaps in managing the new
cars, as the natives do in Honolulu.