Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-02
BOOM N LIPP|nES
Effect of tho Victory of the
Republicans.
NEW PROJECTS ASSURED
INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES IN
THE ISLANDS.
Need Of Lower Tariff on Machinery
Proposed Native Legislative As
sembly Regarded as Mistake.
NEW PROJECTS ASSURED
By VIM. E. CURTIS.

for the people over there feel that 1t will
restore confidence, and indeed the result
has been very promptly felt. The Manila
Times, which Is an anti-administration
newspaper, recently published an article
under the title millions for Philippine En-
terprises," In which several large business
propositions are reviewed. 1t says:
when the news Of the republican party 5
sweeping victory at the polls and the con-
sequent affirmation of President Roosevelts
Philippine policy WAS flashed along the
bottom of the Pacific ocean 5000 miles to
Manila 1t determined the investment of
81. SOC. 600 in the Philippines. That amount
of greatly needed capital will be invested
in these islands during the next few months
by a syndicate OF Ohio capitalists. One
million dollars gold will be invested in an
enormous plant for the manufacture Of the
various products OF the cocoanut The
factory will be located at Pagbilao bay. six
miles distant from Lucena, Tayapas.
= Though enthusiastic over the pos
sibilities of the plan an investment,
neither Mr.. Dodge nor MIR. Yost was salts
fed to embark their own capital nor that
of their associates until the political status
of the islands was finally settled. Accord
ing to Mr.. Dodge, capitalists in the United
States were reluctant to invest In the
Philippines while the possibility existed OF
the democratic party with its vaciHating
policy toward the Philippines, being wafted
into power. With the election of
President Roosevelt, however, all such I'M
certainties were ended. :, cable message
was Immediately dispatched TO their Ohio
associates that everything was satisfactory
and that they were about to close the deai
Property adjoining the Pagolao pay was
Immediately purchased and orders for ma
chinery were cabled to the United States.
Project to Go On.
Both gentlemen return to the United
lilo her
tney will conclude all needed arrange
ments. including the purchase OF further
supplies and machinery which were not
already ordered by cable. Mr.. Yost will re-
turn to Manila in about three months to
sperintend the erection of the plant, which
will be one of the largest OF Its kind In the
world"
Several other large enterprises are also
announced including the establishment OF
a $500 600 plant by a linseed oil company OF
Cleveland. The steamers arriving at MA
ntlla from the United States are filled with
prospectorS, representatives or firms ana
corporations in the United States. and in
yestors on their own account, who. salts
fed that the question or independence anu
seif-goy eminent has been settled, are Will
ing to risk their money In the development
of the material resources of the ISLANDS.
which promise such large results. Indeed
there is every indication of boom feo-
pie need not be surprised II the reckless
prudence common sense ana good Juos,
ment are quite as necessary for success1ut
business operations In the PhiilpplneS as
they are everywhere else. There Is no ooupt
that greater opportunities are offered Tor
investment In hemp, sugar, tobacco, copra.
rice, timber and mining IN the iSlanus imam
any other part Of the world. put money
cannot be picked UP in the grass: there IS
no easy road to fortune there any more
than elsewhere and those who engage in
any enterprise whether it be agricultural.
manufa curing or mining, Will have TO work
just as hard and exercise the same degree
of Judgment that Is necessary for success
at home. There is, however, wider choice
of opportunities and less competition.
Effect of the Cooper Bill.
The passage of the Cooper bill. author
izing guarantee to railroads and permit
ting the issue of bonds to pay for munich
pal public improvements. will stimulate pri-
vate enterprise and will attract to the ISL
ands armies of adventurers as well as hon
est men. Syndicates have already been or
ganized to undertake the railways and 1t
will only require few months to get things
started Plans for municipal improvements
in several of the larger cities and for the
construction of wagon roads between pro-
posed railway stations ana communities
that ARE now inaccessible. have already
been decided upon, and before the end Of
the year great deal of that sort OF con-
struction will be ordered and under way.
These enterprises will create demand for
engineers, machinists and other skilled la
bor but ordinary labor is not needed. No
person accustomed to the climate of the
United States can do manual labor In the
hot regions of the Philippines without peril
to his health. But excellent opportunities
will be offered for carpenters and other
mechanics. No man should go to the ISL
ands, however without sufficient money to
maintain himself there for several months
and to pay his expenses home.
Tariff on Machinery.
A great deal depends on the passage of
the pending tariff bill, which reduces duties
upon all kinds of machinery building ma
terial and other important articles which
are needed in the improvements The pro-
posed rates are very low-about 5 per cent
ad vaorem--but even that Is mistake 1t
Is foolish policy to impose tax on enter
prise. and to require men who wish to erect
factories and develop the timber interests
by building sawmills, or the mineral wealth
by opening mines, to pay penalty for
doing 1t would be wise to place all
kinds of labor-saving machinery upon the
free list, and even wiser to offer a bounty
or at least exemption from taxation for
term of years. to every man who will risk
his wealth by erecting sawmills or factories
or opening mines. The duty which will be
collected upon such importations will be
mere trile compared to the taxable wealth
they will add to the country.
Object Lesson in Bosnia.
1t is pity that the Congress OF the
United States will not profit by the exam
pie of other nations. If the Senate should
send committee to Bosnia, down in the
Balkan mountains, 1t would find an Illus
tration of wise legislation and administra-
ton under Austrian authority, that would
be a valuable object lesson in the govern
ment of the Philippines. That country,
when it was taken away from Turkey a
few years ago and placed under the protec-
ton of Austria, was a bowling wilderness.
There was no peace. no industry, no edu-
cation, no commerce. Country people were
compelled TO build their cabins In locations
where they could not be seen from the
road. Nobody dare travel without an es-
cort
Today 1t Is one Of the most peaceabIe
prosperous and progressive spots on the
footstool. as result Of wise and liberal
administration. and the same methods
which have been successful in Bosnia will
apply equally we'll in the Philippines-par-
ticularly those which have brought capital
and labor, manufacturing industry and
large commercial enterprise into the coun-
try. Congress can never build up the Phil
ippine Islands by imposing tax on enter
prise or by shutting Philippine products
out of the markets of the United States
The Best Course.