Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-04-30

very first. Money is so scarce that
from ten to IS per cent. is willingly
paid for loans upon first-class securi-
ties. Such collateral as unincumbered
and prosperous sugar plantations or
well situated private houses and es-
tates is offered as security, yet there is
not money enough to go around.
How much, or, rather how little, cap
ital one may succeed with depends
largely upon ones ambitions. I should
place the minimum figure at about So
900. though double this figure would
be better. To go with less wouldmean
to join the ranks Of workmen, 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 a neighboring island but 30
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 communiea-
ton. A line of steamboats,, or even
sailing vessels, which would ply be-
tween these islands would reap i'm
mense profits. Ihave heard Of one such
project which paid for itself the first
year, and all the steamboats, which
carry Philippine products are very sue
cessful 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 ofsurpass-
ing those of Hawaii. They are richer
in production and more easily worked
thanin Hawaii, besides being of almost
unlimited extent The country is I'M
usually rich in water power while the
island formation of the Philippines
makes it possible to carry products
by water, an important economy in
cost of transportation. Native labor
is cheap and efficient.
Now, good working Hacienda"
may readily be established for 10000.
This sum will purchase the land, plenty
of it; erect the sugar factory and build
ings. purchase the machinery and
finance the plant until returns may be
expected The average sugar planta-
ton in good condition repays from so
TO $50 per cent. a year on its cost.
l 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 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 present. Incidentally,
if labor in the Philippines should ever
prove insufficient believe that Chinese
immigration under restrictions, would
prove a 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 copra crops of the Philippines
also invite the investor COpra is the
shell of the cocoanut. It sells at
good price all over the world. The de-
mand for it in America alone runs to
thousands of tons every year. The
trees on a copra plantation require
seven years after planting to come to
bearing. This may seem long while
TO wait, but the future profits are i'm
mense. l am merely stating a fact
well known in the South seas-that a
copra plantation will pay on an aver
age $50 per cent. a year. A great adj
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 "off"
years. The only work necessary is
once a year, when the crop is picked
up from the ground.