Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-23
RICHES IN PHILIPPINES
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVEST
MENT I'M THE ISLANDS.
The Archipelago an FL Dorado-Not
Country for Penniless Adventur-
ers-Eoreign Money Flows In

Capt. J. D. Fauntleroy. in New York Herald.
From every point Of view It must appear
| unfortunate that American capital does not
follow the flag In the Philippines The cap
| italist at home. even the small investor. Is
| neglecting a great opportunity. and in the
Philippines the unrest OF the natives and
their distrust Of Americans. what remains
| Of it. would quickly disappear could they
enjoy the prosperity which our commercial
! and Industrial activities would bring them.
Curiously. the knowledge of the possibilities
Of the Philippines has travelled to Europe
and is being taken advantage Of. while
Americans remain Indifferent.
There is today considerable German, Eng
lish, French and even Chinese capital in
the Philippines So great has been the sue
cess Of the enterprises already started-all
too few though they are-that additional
| ready flowing into the Philippines. In other
words. the American is doing the work and
paying for it-a high price. perhaps-while
the Germans. English, French and Chinese
are reaping the direct advantages of Amer
lean occupation.
Go East, Capitalist.
The famous advice to 60 west, young
man." should be amended as to the Philip
pines to Go west. capitalist" or 60 west.
small investor" The possibilities of money
making are SO great in our new possession
that even a small investor will find an en-
barrassing choice Of enterprises awaiting
him. The Philippines are veritable Edo
RADIO, except that the gold does not lie loose
to be picked up. It must be mined, to
speak, and, though the process is simple
enough. some initial capital Is absolutely
necessary. There are already plenty of
men in the Philippines-too many, possibly,
for the present limited working capital. 1t
Is not country for penniless adventures.
1t Is entirely practical, as l shall try to
prove, to realize from so to $50 per cent on
investments in any one Of a dozen native
| industries in the Philippines. 1t is even
possible to get this return from the very
first. Money Is SO scarce that from 10 to %
per cent is willingly paid for loans upon first
class securities. Such collateral as unin-
numbered and prosperous sugar plantations
or well situated private houses and estates
Is offered as security, yet there is not money
enough to go around.
How much, or, rather how little, capital
one may succeed with depends largely upon
mum figure at about 5000, though double
this figure would be better To go with less
would mean to join the ranks Of workmen,
which are already full.
Crops Unharvested.
1 have seen large Islands in the Philip
pines where land has been so productive
after very slight cultivation that the sur
plus crops were literally rotting on the
ground. At the same time on a neighbor-
ing island but thirty miles distant the ma
tives have been starving for the very prod
ucts that were going to waste at their very
doors. This same lack Of balance is COM
mon everywhere. merely because there are
practically no means of communication.
A line of steamboats,, or even sailing ves-
sells, which would ply between these is
lands would reap Immense profits. l have
heard Of one such project which paid for
Itself the first year, and all the steamboats,
| which carry Philippine products are very
successful. Here is one very tempting field
at least for the investor.
Another very inviting chance is the sugar
industry. The sugar lands, I am told by
experts. are capable Of surprising those of
Hawaii They are richer in production and
more easily worked than in Hawaii besides
being Of almost unlimited extent. The
country Is unusually rich in water power,
while the island formation Of the Philip
pines makes it possible to carry products
by water. an important economy In cost of
transportation Native labor is cheap and
efficient.
Paying Sugar Plantations
Now. a good working hacienda" may
readily be established for $4,000. This sum
will purchase the land. plenty Of 1t: erect
the sugar factory and buildings, purchase
the machinery and finance the plant until
ASluAho may O0 0ApcClcu ne average
sugar plantation in good condition repays
from so to $50 per cent year on it's cost
I am quoting conservative figures. There
are many sugar plantations in the Philip
pines which cost less and pay more. There
are hundreds of thousands of acres of the
most fertile sugar lands in the world mere
ly awaiting capitalists to 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 go through the
conditions throughout the islands will be
even more inviting than they are at pres
emit Incidentally, II labor in the Philip
pines should ever prove insufficient I be-
lieve that Chinese immigration, under re-
strictions. would prove very welcome ad-
dition. The Chinese could stand the eli
| mate, which in some seasons is too much
for the white man. and they are hard ef-
fective workers
The copra crops OF the Philippines also
invite the investor Copra Is the shell OF
the cocoanut. 1t sells at good price all
over the world. The demand for II in
America alone runs to thousands of tons
every year. The trees on a copra planta-
ton require seven years after planting to
come to bearing. This may seem long
while to wait, but the future profits are
immense. am merely stating q fact well
known in the South seas-that copra plan
tat1on WILL pay on an average 100 per cent
a year. A great advantage of the crop is
that 1t requires absolutely no attention
The cocoanut trees grow luxuriantly with
out cultivation. They never suffer from
change OF climate. There are no ''off''
years. The only work necessary is once a
year, when the crop is picked up from the
ground.
Tobacco Finest in tho World.
Some Of the finest tobacco In the world is
grown today in the Philippines. AS is the
case with everything there. however, the
land remains uncultivated for lack Of work.
ing capital. Millions are to be made by
raising tobacco. Maize and rice are readily
raised, but, so far, merely for home con-
sumption. The excellent quality Of these
products proves conclusively that the latent
possibilities Of the islands are practically
without limit. Cacao (chocolate) Is another
native product which may be raised upon
cultivation.
It is difficult to realize how handicapped
all these native industries are for the lack
Of machinery. The greater part Of the rice
gathered in the Philippines in fact Dra SO