The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-06-21
MAJOR .'RF' ROBINSON
ON DULL TIMES
THINKS HONOLULUS DEPRESSION
WILL DISAPPEAR-PHIL
CLIMATE DEPRESSING AFTER
TWO YEARS.

Major w w Robinson, L. 5. Army
Quartermaster formerly stationed here,
is the subject of the following in the
Seattle Observation-Disclosures:
A favorabl account of conditions in
the Philippine archipelago, and of the
resources of the islands, is given by Col.
w. w. Robinson, quartermaster of the
United States army at Manila for the
past two and one-half years, who will
spend the next two months in Seattle
for health and pleasure. Col. Robinson
was Quartermaster in Seattle for sew
eral years before going to Manila, and
is we'll known here.
During his stay Col. Robinson had
occasion to visit each of the several
groups of islands and make frequent
trips into the interior, thus having am
pie opportunity to observe the physical
condition and natural resources of the
nations Asiatic possessions.
on his return from the Philippines,
Col Robinson stopped for short time
at Honolulu, where he was stationed
for year before going to Manila. Mer-
camille interests in the Hawaiian islands
he states, are undergoing a period of
HultluuEs L ms llONNNNA' llG NAllilho5 -
pnly of a temporary nature. and is ex-
pected to disappear shortly.
In speaking generally of the Philip
pines yesterday Col. Robinson said;
Despite all that has been said and
written against the climate of the Phil
ippines, for myself ] can give it no Sc
we're criticism, other than it lacks sea-
son of cold weather, which lack renders
it uninhabitable for any continued per-
iod of time by nOrthern-bred people.
For about two years either a man or
woman from a colder climate can live
in the Philippines without experiencing
lin effects from the climate The need
of tonic-like effect of cold weather,
however, will be felt shortly after this
length of time, and if the demand is not
met general running down of the sys-
TEN ensues. A woman will experience
these effcts much more quickly than
will a man.
AS to the heat, I did not find il nearly
so great as I expected. Though the tenn
perature often rises very high there
are continually cool puffs of sea breeze
blowing in from the ocean, thus greatly
lessening the heat. Take it all in all,
found life in the Philippines very en-
joyable. The three leading industries
of the Philippines are the growing and
exporting of hemp, tobacco and sugar.
The cultivation of the hemp fiber far
exceeds that of the other products. II
is in the production of hemp that the
islands lead the world.
OF rice there is not a sufficient guam
tity raised to supply the home demand
There are unbounded opportunities Of
fered in all branches of agriculture foI
the investment of American capital and
brains. The land is exceedingly fertile
and will produce all varieties of tropical
fruits and vegetables.
There is one feature of the climate
which is a source of wealth to the Phil
! ippine agricultural interests. 1t is the
fact that there is positively no season OIL
drouth. Neither do the rains continue
even in the rainy season for days at q
time, as they do here. There, the entire
summer is interspersed with frequent
and copious showers, while the winter Il
far from being a continuous downpour