The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-11-11
SUGAR BUSINESS
IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Manila cublouovs says Tho
production " sugar IN the Philippines
IL another sad s,dfy OF neglect and
lack " good methods and proper
knowledge Of sugar anc and its cul-
tivation and tarln discrimination
against the islands Even after q good
crop has been produced, the crude
manner of treating a causes loss OF
the Juice, VI thirty 900 per cent, and
there Is a further loss IN boiling the
same in open kettles.
II Is safe to say that nowhere else
I'm the world are there sugar lands
Offering advantages equal to those In
the Philippine Archipelago. and II CON
gress should take the tariff off Of
Philippine sugar, there is little ques-
ton that they could, and would, ere
long. supply the United states with the
greater portion of the 100000 tons of
sugar imported from foreign countries.
Neither would the islands need en-
couragement in the way of bounty to
hold their own with the beet sugar In
dustry. Apparently, this is the rock
upon which we, over there, are strand
ed. The beet sugar growers in the
United States are opposed to giving us
a chance, and so far Congress has list
ened to them. The beet sugar industry
has no natural advantages over cane,
and has only out-stripped 1t on account
of the physical, chemical and scien-
tifc attention, and bounties to foster 1t
in Europe and America.
The sandy. ,sedimentary, alluvial soil
along the seacoast and the rich level
lands of the interior, grow the most
phenomenal crops, and longer with
stand the crucial test of time with lit
tie or no restoratives. Still many rich
valleys in the mountains are we'll adapt
ed to the growth of sugar cane.
. The cane so far grown there is con-
fined to the green and yellow varieties
thought to be of Japan origin. Though
rick in glucose they are generally
small, and therefore insufficient in
tonnage to make the production what
it should be, considering the richness
of the soil, and the climatic advan-
tages. 1t is also true that there is a
steady decrease in size on account of
proper cultural methods, which de-
terioration is accompanied by an in
crease of fibre. representing a further
loss at the mill.
The many useful striped, rose and
purple canes which brought the Ha
waiian Islands to the fore, as the most
prolific and profitable sugar region in
tho world have not yet been cultivated
in the Philippines. The Bureau of
Agriculture and Capt. Abem of the
Forestry Bureau of the islands, are en-
deavoring to introduce Hawaiian canes,
there, and immediate good results are
confidently expected.
The suggestion is made that the public
lands be leased for a sufficiently long
| term and low rate to induce capital to
reclaim the wild lands, and therefore
| 1t will be necessary for some induce
ment to be held out to capital and as
i t. is not the policy of the United States
| Government to allow capitalists or cor
porations to purchase large tracts of
public lands, the leasing plan might
prove to be the proper thing. After
the termination of leases, the land
could readily be sold, upon long terms,
to the small farmer which must be the
object ultimately to be obtained
that is, to have the masses own their
own homes.
! Besides furnishing the seed of new
kinds of cane, the government has Civ
/ en- instructions regarding planting and
| cultivation, in the agricultural school
and has caused to be printed and dis
tributed among the people pamphlets
upon the subject.
1t Is impossible to state with any de-
gree of accuracy how much land there
is in the islands adapted to the grow
| ing of sugar cane or how long 1t will
take to develop the industry to that
| degree of which the country is capa
BILE but the writer believes It can only
be done along the lines herein pointed
! out.
That the Philippine Islands offer a
| profitable Industry for American ener-
gy and capital, in the production of
sugar, there p no doubt, and II Is to
be hoped that the United States Gov
eminent will remove hampering re-
strictions at least, If definite encour-