Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-06

mated that about ene-half of the Ameri-
cans were additions to the permanent pop
ulat1on. and. judging from the occupations
reported. most of them were laborers. The
records show 49, skilled faborers. pa mer-
chants. go teachers 1872 clerks and ac-
ceuntants. 65 engineers. J3 lawyers. 46 doc
tors. 46 clergymen. "a actors, 6 editors and
Il artist. There were 10 hotel keepers. Z
farmers. bankers and agents. These
are not encouraging figures. What the
islands need Is more farmers, engineers
and skilled laborers.
The most important and significant fea-
ture of the immigration statistics Is found
They numbered Liza; ~ were professional
men. 332 were skilled fabOrers. 1856 were
farmers and 466 were laborers and. Judging
from surface indications. they were yalu-
able acquisitions. Unfortunately. a large
number OF them have returned to Japan
since the beginning OF the war to serve In
the army. because they are the most patri-
otto people In the world. and Will make any
sacrifice for the good of their country.
While Chinese immigration is forbidden
Japanese immigration Is encouraged and
contractors engaged upon government work
have been sending employment agents over
to Japan to obtain labor Notwithstanding
the fact that it was in direct violation OF
the contract labor law. The officials have
winked at 1t. because foreign labor rs nee
essary here and Japanese are considered
valuable citizens.
Some Of the Opportunities.
w Hat ID ulOSt htedcO mere, ho"cNSi' - eH-
terprising Americans with capital. who are
willing to go into the forests and the mines
and invest their money in sugar. tobacco.
hemp and coffee plantations. 1t cannot be
expected that many will come until they
are satisfied that there Is no intention of
turning the government over to the Fill
pinos. That is the preposterous bugbear
that is keeping out capital. There are also
many opportunities for the establishment
of manufactures here. The hemp ought
to be turned into cordage before 1t leaves
the isla nds and the tobacco should be made
up into cigars and cigarettes before IL
is shipped. Many other industries would
pay large profits if properly managed
but the mines offer the most tempting IN
ducement as soon as the proposed railways
are laid.
The coal measures of the Philippines be-
come a matter of supreme importance In the
light of the recent legislation or congress
comforting upon American ships the monop-
oily of American traffic. The local supply
of coal now comes from Australia ana ia
pan, and sells at from "a to $Sa ton: Irahs-
Pacific steamers always fill their puhkers
at Nakasagi or Mojt, the TWO WesterhInosl
ports of Japan at a cost of from $3oo 10
81 ton About 100000 tons year OF
Japan coal are consumed by AWertcan
steamers. and 1t might be supp1edi, JUS; Jus. a'
we'll from the mines in the Philippines.
which. 1t is claimed. can furnish an equaiiy
good. If not superior. quality
The imports of coal for the general ma "a,
ket during the past lilAec SSohS
lows: ..--.-.
Anthracite. .2s s 'sas .!!sios ss!.ss9
B si1 1900 2' sSs1 1888 ALI
ro,s, s5l2, $50 $312sss s476,OOs
Australia furnished 50 per cent OF the
imports last year; Japan the balance
The above statement does not include
% 900 tons of COAL costing more than
$500, 600 for the army. and over rOto IONS
n.,n e,r fl~a
coal came from Japan; the navy coal from
the Pocahontas mines OF Marylthu anu
West Virginia.
Mining of Coal.
The existence of coal here has been
known to the natives for an indefinite
period, and the spaniards have done more
or less mining for two centuries without
energy or method. The experts of the min
eral bureau say that: 1.-The history of coal
mining by the Spaniards is a long record of
ignorance, avarice and mistakes. Ihey at
tempted to mine coal as II II We're
precious metal and indeed it became equiv
alent to it in some instances. when meas
ured by the cost of production. At one
time the government was so impressed with
the value of this industry that 1t was made
a monopoly, but as a business adventure 1t
was not a success.
The seams are often four feet in thickness
and some of them are over eight feet Tests
of samples from different deposits have fire.
quently been made with satisfactory re-
suits. Several coasting steamers have been
using local coal exclusively for years, and,
until American occupation they were able
to obtain all they wanted for ID cents to 81
a ton Several companies have been or
ganized to operate in different localities;
many pits have been sunk. but for one
reason or another, chiefly the lack of labor
very little has been done.
The American government has adopted
liberal mining laws and has done every
thing it can to encourage prosp citing. but
capital, labor and transportation facilities
are absolutely necessary for the develop
ment of the coal deposits. well as every
other resource of the Philippine Islands.