Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-07-05
GARNETT, KANSAS, JULY S, 1901.
CHANCES IN THE PHILIPPINES.
This is Why the Expansionists Want the
Philippines.
So Anxious to Help the Poor FiIipinos.

From Kansas City Star, June 25
MANILA, May 27 (by mail AT about the
time this correspondence is published in the
United States, civil government will have sue
ceeded military control throughout the Philip
pines. The islands still excepted from peaceful
civic rule will be few and remote. The only
large ones, Mindoro and Pargua, are in quies-
cent, rather than rebellious, condition.
According to all calculations, the surrender or
capture Of Lorban, and the beginning, at least,
of the pac6cation of Samar, will have been
accomplished within few weeks, so that the
org nization of municipal and provincial gov
elnments in that s'ubbornly-insurgent island
will not be much longer delayed. The nau-
guration of the purely civil government is ex.
pected to give considerable impetus to poth.
Although the amendments attached by congress
to ;he Spooner act prohibit the granting of
public franchises or disposals of public land
and mining rights, and although no authority
has been conferred for the organization of cor
poraiions, still, the individual American busi-
ness man is naturally hopeful over the pros
for the near future. The war, while it caused
adversely in the provinces, has all along
brought prosperity to Manila, and the English,
German and American business men have been
and are making money. Now, with the COM
ing of peace, trade with the provinces is be-
ginning to boom, and it is quite apparent that
the trade of Manila, Iloilo and Cehu wish con-
tinental Asia will greatly surpass the expecta-
tions of Americans.
In recent conversation with the Associated
Press correspondent, Congressman Hull, of
Iowa, said:
"The business development of the Philip
pines was set back year by CONGRESSES refusal
to permit granting of franchises The new
congress must, of course, at its coming session,
legislate for the islands, and if we are going to
insist that no franchises be granted for the pro-
motion of large business enterprises, we vir-
tually say that we are opposed, or, at least,
Indifferent, to the development of the Philip
pines.''
Mr.. Hull, in common with all the intelligent
Americans who come to the Philippines in
these days, believes the business future of the
islands, and of Manila i'll particular, is bright
with promise.
PULLMAN BID FOR MAHOGANY
Mr.. Hall and his associates in numbering en-.
terprises have recently had practical demonstra-
ton of the fact that Philippine lumber will sell
in the American market. An agent OF the
Pullman company, which has recently been
negotiating here for Philippine woods, has
named a price at which his company would
take all the Philippine mahogany in the log de.
livered at any Philippine seaport This offer,
which was declined, tended 10 increase the as
surance generally felt here that the bautiful
finishing woods of the Philippines are hence
forth to be in much demand.
Several great agricultural enterprises are
awaiting the chance to acquire titles to govern
ment lands before beginning oper itons. Various
and individuals are looking to the
great, fertile and largely savage island of Min
danao as the scene of operations in sugar cul-
ture on large scale, provided the coveted
grants of public lands can be obtained. In
Occidental Negros lies the richest sugar coun-
try developed under Spanish rule, but it is now
claimed that the soil of several southern islands
can be made to produce equally good results.
The great drawback to the Spanish Mastezo
owners of the Negros sugar plantations has
been, aud is, the exorbitant rates of interest
charged for money. Up to the present, tie
current rates of interest on loans charged bv
the British and German bankers OF Iloilo is 20
ner cent a wear. and 40 ner cent s ..s.n