The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-11-10
SUGAR BUSINESS
IN THE PHILIPPINES

e.
The Manila Cablenews says: The
production of sugar in the Philippines
| is another sad story of neglect and
Hack of good methods and proper
knowledge of sugar eane and its Gull
tivation and tariff discrimination
against the islands. Even after good
crop has been produced, the crude
manner OF treating 1t causes a loss of
the juices of thirty 900 per cent. and
there is further loss in boiling the
same in open kettles.
| in the world are there sugar lands
offering advantages equal to those in
the Philippine Archipelago. and if Con-
gres; should take the tariff off of
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-
coura cement 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 it on account
of the physical, chemical and scien-
tifc attention, and bounties to foster it
in Europe and America.
The sandy. 'sedimentary, alluvia1 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 well 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
rich in glucose they are generally
small, and therefore insufficient in
tonnage to make the production what
it should be, considering the richness
CT 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
loss at the MILL
The many useful striped, rose and |
purple canes which brought the Hal
waiian Islands to the fore, as the most
prolific and profitable sugar region in
n I'D
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
it will be necessary for some induce
ment to be held out to capital and as
il is not the policy of the United States
Government to allow capitalists or corr |
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.-l
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 it viii |
take to develop the industry to that |
degree of which the country is capa /
bic 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 is no doubt, and it is to I
be hoped that the United States Cow
eminent will remove hampering re-
strictions at least. if definite encour-
agement is not given.