New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-22
PHILIPPINE PROSPERITY.
Stcodily Increasing, according to
Government Reports
IFnoM TIE TRIBUNE suREAU.l

To-
Nashiueton Feb 2l.-SteadHy increasing pros
r"rity IN the Philippines Is shown in exhaustive
study q the foreign commerce OF the archipelago
just issued from Iusular Bureau Of the War
Department, depending on the latest available fig
ures. which. covering zine months o; the calendar
year 1902 compared with the same period OF 1902
shows Substantially increased values OF the export
and import trade
The heavy expectation az hemp and copra Is the
prominent feature Of recent Philippine commercial
DEVELOPMENT. and were II not for the fact that
greatly increased purchases 81 rice have been nee
essRry IN me last year. those two products alone
would fsrish che basis for trade balance in favor
- The islands approKnsting q 10000.
Ii is to7c6 that the amount Of rice imported next
year viii be considerably lessened IN view Of the
efforts being made by the Philippine Commission
20 provide food supply from native production
as large as VAS obtained before the shortage IL
crops due 10 destruction by locusts and the dis
astroas loss Of Farm cattle. which almost
totally destroyed b. rinderpcSt. However. should
& be found that Tie profit ia HEMP copra, tobacco
and sugar culture s sufficient IN amount 10 enable
the iuhah'taats 90 purchase rice 10 better advan-
taEe as compared with the cost OF its home produc-
ton the future irnror-atcns Of the latter may not
necessarily indicate a lack O. prosperity ia the
archipelago.
According 20 the origin OF imports during 1903,
with ths exception Of certain rice producing coun-
tires. a general falling of IS shown: the United
states trade dropped from s2l69426 10 SZNs412.
decrease 81 Do per cent. the United kingdom from
Germany rrom Sl.--5.2I6 TO sl.sV2SC4 France shows
gau of 10 per cent. increasing from sS72.12s TO
S265.s-e. Spain has only Jwo-thirds Of the amount
OF her trade On 1872 when S2l2S66l was received
from that source. compared with S.5l2677 in
leCS. the Joss value shown bv these figures
was more than balanced by the gain IN mpoTta-
tiors from Asiatic countries. China. with trade
~ S2t-s5s5 iu 1902 sent slightly increased amount.
S3el..lS IN nine months OF 1913. Japan. S5S2.sn
and t51SsS-. British East Indies. S152452 and ST.
50 e02. SIAM S5l3So9 ana S7fs7s5 and French East
Indies. S33, f1s. compared with S65A5l39 In 1908
Exports 20 the leading countries show that the
United States during nine months Of 1902 in
creased its purchases over the previous years
record from s.ccslI 10 s9.3SGoS5: United Kingdom.
from S5.3-5sSs 20 S566555. France. 21l. In
creased O. s1SSs $50. the trade 81 Spain pracu
csly tho same amount as in 1902. the figures show
ing Ssg7l5a and S5121is in 1903. shipments China
dropped from Ss6lol5 tfo1475. Hong Kong $685.
,ef sla5S3s British East Indies s5.3s7s S4s4.
1l9 while japan made decided increase in 1908.
cevIng s. 1854 worth of exports. against Sl.
Go in 1aOz.
OF the merchandise imported during the three
quarters period Of 1873 slS396fls. more than halt
or the total consisted of food and animals; $l0S2.
20. or % per cent was manufactured goods: 1882
s0S or per cent Included articles OF voluntary
use and l@xuries. SS42625. or per cent. material
tn crude condition or partly manufactured. the
remaining S5s.6S2 beng classed under miscellaneous
The exports were principally products Of agri-
culture s. per cent or So 645 30 being made Up.
IN round numbers Of hemp. Sl5.i00Oo0 copra S3ooo-
90, sugar. s3oooc0 and tobacco. 3l2ooo. including
The figures on the carrying trade show that bat
q small part OF the United States business Is in
cent Of The general trade Of he ISLANDS is done IN
| foreisn bottoms For the nine months ended SEP
teInber 81 lsls incuding gold and silver the value
Of imported merchandise carried IN American yes
sels was Sillest. British. SLIP 80. German. s.
other hass s-tss.525. IN exports American vessels
carried SLv-lss; British S,lssl ts- 'one-third Of
United States. German. 81 2lS gs4. spanish $685.
66l. Norwegian. SSlS 80 and all other flags. &6sl
% total net tonnage Of 295S9 tons and 355s steam
az Prls m lle ls.aIls ana sl-o s4.-Ig vessels OF
-lNs2 net tons, and stem vessels 10 the number
The tnmieration movement for nine months
zen 81 tE islr5 before A,ar tfa ' hair q, i fba
rr ro-t ,o- ne .-et tim St T, sreter aIt ~
oSs6 that reached the isands during 1903 being men
dafre-ert lines such as teaching engineerna med
cine. law. c'c. Taking into account women, the num-
bor % Americans H. these ana other classes Of
= Lawyers. .. clergy. 22 and professions not spsc
ed. secs Clerks and accountants numbered p;
skilled mariners 81. miners. y: carpenters. 3:
merchant dealers and grocers. l6s. the remainder
about = pe- cert or 1880 81 the whole number 81
immigrants could neither read nor write: OF these.
this cla7a less than per cent ~ all other nationsl
as compared with the total ~ . SO FOR the same
period ~ last year ih'Te rf-HE fewer Americaus
,,,,t f+ rS,siSevsI,le 5c,rSss.a Fl, TIE showing
ID 1a5o~ers. immigration into the islands from
Suair ard Japan has increased from 80 20 64S and
SD 10 q-2 respectively The total number Of car
renters from an countries was much larger IN 1893
hon 80 entered, as against lZ IN ne prey lols
40 ma io-ffy -rsrfrers from lSs 90 20. Clerks and
accountants. 80 80 SIS. 1lerchants. lss5 10 2lA;
tlo Clirese proportion OF the last mentioned being