The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-04-16
RrcHEs IN PHILIPPINES.


AMA AMAAWAW 0aANtSN 80 ~ Ht&&AN
young man." should be anaended as to
eAe Philippines to,'oo west. capital
nj !" or go west, suiallinvestor." The
poskhilitisa Of moneyInlakdng are 50
great In our new possession that even
q small investor willnndiam enubarrass-
ing ehoics Of enterprisenawaiting him.
Tho Philippines are . vestitable Edo
rado. except that che gsad does not
tls loose 20 be picked up. II must be
rnined, so 70 speak, and. th0ugh che
process is simple enough, some initial
capital is absolutely necessary, writes
Capt. ]. D. Fauntieroy, In thetNew York
Herald There are already plenty of
men in the Phiiippinew-too many, pos
aihly, for the present limitod working
capital. as shall try 10 prove, 20 real
izs from so TO $50 per cent.so invest
ments in any one of dozensnative In
dustries in the Philippines. tits even
possible 20 get this return from the
very first Money IL 30 scarce that
from ten 70 rs per cent. Is willingly
paid for loans upon hrst~class sscuri-
ties. Such collateral as unincumbered
and prosperous sugar plantations or
well situated private houses and es-
tates Is offered az security. yet there Is
not money enough TO goaround.
How much, or, rather how little, cap
ital one may succeed with depends
largely upon ones ambitions. Ishould
place the minimum figure at about $5,-
900, though double this figure would
be better. To 60 with less wouldmean
20 ioin the ranks Of worlmen, which
are already full
I have seen large islands IN the Phil
ippines where land has been so pro-
ductive after very slight cultivation
that the surplus crops were literally
rotting on the ground. At the same
time on q neighboring island but 80
miles distant the natives have been
starving for the very products that
were going TO waste at their very doors.
This same lack of balance is common
everywhere, merely because there are
practically no means of communion
tion. A line Of steamboats,, or even
sailing vessels, which would ply be-
tween these islands would reap i'm
mense profits. Ihayeheard of one such
project which paid for itHek the first
year. and all the steamboats, which
carry Philippine products are very sue
ceszful. Here 10 one very tempting
fieid at least for the investor.
Another very inviting chance Is the
sugar industry. The sugar lands, I am
told by experts, are capable ofsurpass-
ing those Of Hawaii. They are richer
In production and more easily worked
thaDin Hawaii. besides being of almost
unlimited extent. The country is un-
usually rich in water power, while the
island formation Of the Philippines
makes IL possible 20 carry products
By water. an important economy In
cost of transportation. Native labor
Is cheap and efficient
Now. a good working hacienda"
may readily be established for $4,000.
This sum win purchase the land, plenty
Of It; erect the sugar faetoryand build
ings, purchase the machinery and
finance the plant until returns may be
expected. The average sugar planta-
tion In good condition repays from so
TO 80 per cent a year on It's cost.
am quoting conservative figures.
There are many sugar plantations in
the Philippines which cost leSs and
pay more. There are hundreds Of
thousands Of acres Of the most fertile
sugar lands IN the world merely await
ing capitalists 70 take advantage Of
them, while there are some millions Of
natives. honest and experienced, who
are only too anxious TO cultivate them
should the new Philippine tariff 20
through the conditions throughout4he
islands will be even more inviting
than they are at present. Incidentally,
II labor in the Philippines should ever
proveinsufiicient believe that Chinese
immigration. under restrictions, would
prove very welcome addition. The
Chinese could stand the climate,
which in some seasons Is too much
for the white man, and they are hard,
effective workers.
The eopra crops Of the Philippines
also invite the investor. copra is the
she'll Of the eocoanut. 10 sells at n
good price ell over the world. The de-
mand for IL in America alone runs 70
thousands Of tons every year The
trees on 9 eopra plantation require
seven years after planting 20 come 20
bearing This may seem a long while
to wait, but the future profits are im-
menae. am merely stating q fact
well known in the South seas--that
copra plantation will pay on an aver
age 80 per cent. 3 year. A great ad-
vantage Of the crop Is that it requires
absolutely no attention. The cocoa
nut trees grow luxuriantly without
cultivation. They never suffer from
change Of climate. There are no "of"
yearH. The only work necessary Is
once . year, when the crop is picked
up from the ground