New-York tribune., 1901-11-08
TRADE POSSIBILITIES
THE COMMERCIAL FUTURE OF rr,u
PHILIPPINES VIEWED IN THE
LIGHT OF THE PAST


it's wider sense-might possibly spend few idle
hours in attempt to determine whether weh-
ster's claim to be remembered by posterity rests
upon the burning eloquence of his reply n
Hayne or the sarcastic scorn of his protest
against the acquisition of New-Mexico or Cali
fornia. Both were pleas in defence of the con-
stitution, and both were monuments alike to tba
i<eenness of his intellect and the dogmatic Oh
liquity of his judgment Il tave never heard n.
anything" he exclaimed in the United States
Senate, "and / conceive Of anything
more absurd and more affrontive of all sober
judgment. than the cry that are getting in
demnity by the acquisition of New-Mexico and
California; 1 hold that they are not worth a
dollar"
Coming down to day and generation
who does not recall that less than thirty years
ago the great plains of the Northwest were
spoken of frozen vast incapable of sup
porting either man or beast-a waste that has
since furnished homes to thousands OF families.
and which the network OF three transcontf-
mental railway systems covers to-day from one
end to the other? Who does not remember how
a few years further back. the bare mention OF
Seward's Alaskan purchase and the suggestion
that in time it might possibly prove TO have
been a paying investment wont to meet
with significant shrug of the shoulders or a
commiserating smile that reflected only too
plainly the effect produced by pr posterous
a stretch of the imagination? Who. tnen TAX
ing counsel Of experience rather than carry out
a contract to make facts fit theories, is bold
enough to-day to defy the lessons of the past
and invite the laughter of posterity by the as
seTtiOn that shall never be able to make ths
Philippines pay or see the day which is to
mark their awakening from the commercial
lethargy into which they fell in Spanish days,
Yet, that such people exist that they argue their
case with a good deal Of warmth and that
their contentious supported sometimes by a.
clever manipulation of figures, goes without
saying.
TWO PEsSIMISTIC CRITICS.
I have before writing two books
on the Philippines, recently published the au-
thors of which belong to the class that habitu-
ally things through a glass darkly" Roth
have had ample opportunity to study CONNER
cial conditions in these islands. the rep
resentative of an American business house In
Manila the other as the correspondent OF a
New-York newspaper. who seems in addition
to his journalistic training. to have had the
benefits OF a mercantile experience extending
over period of twenty-five years. Neither ad-
mits the possibility Of the islands ever becoming
a source of commercial wealth 20 any one. ex-
cept under conditions not likely TO arise in our
day. The Philippines. says one, are rich in nat
uraI resources but he doubts their capacity 10
yield more than the ordinary remuneration to
labor" The other disposes OF the reports OF
the commission with sweep Of the hand, as It
were by declaring that they tthe reports) indi-
cate lack of business Judgment on the part
Of those who prepared them"
In the opinion of the critic. the sugar crop. to
be sure has the possibilities that 1t has any
where where the soil is rich and conditions are
AID hara hea
with a curl of the lips as if unworthy Of further
considera ton.
In the vicinity Of Iloilo. exclaims the other
cautiously, a small suburban railway system
might prove "a good investment" but adds ne,
falling promptly back into his normal state OF
depression and despair. Il know or no other
point in the islands where any railroad. steam
or electric offers any glaring attractions 10 H.
yestors" The hemp crop is limited, SO the
reader is informed. by the worlds needs, ana
as there are foreigners in the Philippines to-day
who have controlled the output OF this article
for years without making more than their living
at II. there seems little chance for Americans
to do more up to certain point we are 'od
bv the other writer hemp raising presents op-
nortunftfes for investment. but'-oh. thaC
ira gfc but,-'ft is no sure thing. for typnoohS
may blow down the plants. or an eartnquaA'
duck them under or the labor question: De-
devil the whole situation
TOBACCO \ POSSIBILITY"
The tobacco industry has perhaps. some pos
sihiIIties " and might be made close rlFal 10
that in Cuba" says one OF these CRITICS III aA
unguarded moment. but any hopes that may
possibly have been raised by such sta'enehI
are promptly dashed by the other VINO declares
that the obstacle TO the Philippine leaf Is the
taste of the smoker" and that thus lar II "A'
not proved popular favor ASKING tne 4ue
tiou of himself Are the Philippines an Il DO
rado?" one of these writers proceeds at once -
declare. without however, citing any authority.
that more gold has been put into the s'ou1
than was ever taken out Of it: While the otnei
considers II "a bit curious that the Spanlarus,
who were ever gold hunters. and who "ouiu
rather gamble or hunt for gold than raise coi'
and potatoes should not have got Oh veg
hot trail after 1t years ago IheFe arc -
things" one rather grudgingly cohceues' -
the United States might send TO the FhlAPP-
cbaaner than European manufacturers o"'
saws he In the same breath as II sorry i0i
admission too hastily made, not naiS' =,
MANY is an estimate altogether 100 iiOei"
the opinion OF the other. who says thd' oIA
ron goods will supplant native MADE ia'--e
Just about the same time 'IiA' "
changes his skin o,
~ 10 rho market for flour one of great en-
co,,ravarnent the mass OF the people pelhs -
one writer's opinion. either senni-saVase u
pecunious agriculturists' and the o'heF "o,. s,r
that the necessaries of life. which lneIuue 80
I presume. required by the great oulA u 80 f.
,ottvss cannot be produced in the ohi'e1
States at the low price at which 'hes %" ~,
nroduced in England ard Germany -,
we cannot be surprised. perhaps "He Iii
that the timber resources OF the ''-.,,
old
have to be looked into ny so'i'e oiU .,,,,rv~
-. - ,,o5a savsust in a mountain country
" - g. r,a- whose business it is to see ih'o