Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-20
HIGH PRICES OF FOOD
Some Trade Statistics in the
Philippines.
OUR ISLANDS, RESOURCES
Should Supply Many Articles That
Are Now Imported.
COLLECTOR sHUsTER's VIEWS
Some Of the Things Brought Into Ma
Mia That Should Be Raised
Within It's Territory.
COLLECTOR sHUsTER's VIEWS
specia1 Correspondence of The Star.

eIHIAeH rs III uildNNllty Will WHICH,
they state that food for thought and re-
Election can be found in the trade statistics
of the Philippine Islands during recent
years, which show the number and amount
of imported articles which should be pro-
duced here. Almost all of the bureau
chiefs refer to it, the members of the COM
| mission who are the heads of executive
departments make mention of 1t, and the
governor general, writing for the COM
mission, is certain to devote time and space
to it. The fact is most striking when 1t
is considered that the sum of S,529,3O
was expended on such products during the
fiscal year, ending June 80, 1906, and that
the proportion Of this class of imports has
shown signs Of an increase for the next
year, rather than decrease. This sum does
not include articles imported for the use
Of the army or navy or civil government,
but simply what residents of the Philip
pines are forced to buy in order to live.
High Prices for Food.
This condition of affairs is largely re-
sponsible for the exorbitant prices which
must be paid for many of the necessaries
of life, articles of food etc. The cost of
living in Manila is higher than in the
provinces, but not so much higher than in
other Of the larger cities of the archpel-
ago In Manila board costs twice as much
as in Washington; and about three times
as much in New York. The housewife
is lucky indeed if she can buy canned
vegetables, on which Americans must live,
for less than 30 cents a can. Apples are
sold at 10 cents a quart; coffee is 30 cents
a pound and very poor at that.
up, mostly up. In the last army
contract for potatoes the price quoted
was % cents a pound. This is at the rate
of about so cents a peck. Everything is
II xY-ith fnyry
This, in spite of the fact that the entire
Philippine archipelago is SO fertile and
rich that almost every kind of fruit and
vegetable known to man, can be grown
here without the slightest difficulty.
If these conditions resulted from the I'M
portation of food products that have here
tofore never been raised in the Philippines
and which the American government
through the insular bureau Of agriculture,
has shown can be raised here, there would
not be so much cause for comment. The
introduction of new articles Of produce is
a slow process and every one who has had
experience with it is willing to hide his
time, feeling sure that the good results
which have come from government expert
ments will bear fruit But the basis of
complaint Is that in all the Philippine is
lands there is little attempt made to manu-
facture the staple products of the country,
when such manufacture would be the
economic salvation of the people. Despite
the fact that thousands of bales of the
finest hemp in the world is grown here most
of the rope used in the Philippines comes
from foreign countries. Though sugar can
be grown cheaper than anywhere In the
United States there is not enough sugar re-
fined in the Islands to supply the local de-
mand With thousands Of acres of pasture
land that is the equal of the best in Amer
lea and Australia, practically every ounce
of fresh beef used here is brought in from
foreign lands.
Mr.. Shuster's Comment.
nf tho official con,ment ma de on this con-
dition Of things perhaps the clearest and
most concise statement is found in the
annual report of the collector of customs,
Mr.. w. Morgan Shuster, which has just
been submitted to the governor general.
There are numerous lines, in which great
Improvement could be made Mr.. Shuster
says, land 1t may not be improper at this
particular time, when the islands suf-
fering from commercial depression, stagna-
ton Of trade and scarcity of money to
dwell on the fact that no inconsiderable
amount Of money Is yearly lost to the peo
pie here through its being spent in foreign
countries for articles which can and
should be produced in the Philippines. In
deed the production Of these articles here
would have thrown the balance of trade
decidedly in favor of these islands instead
of the figures being practically at parity,
as Is the case at present.
ut Ia well-known fact that the pine
apple produced in the Philippine Islands,
in it's wild state (for no cultivation what
ever has been given to this fruiD, COM
pares very favorably with the world-famous
pineapples of the Straits settlements, for
which Singapore has become permanent
shipping point The comparison does not
hold good in size for the patent reason
that no attempt has been made in the
Philippines to improve the fruit by Guilt
walton. The possibilities in this particular
line are evident, and this popular fruit
might easily become a source of wealth to
the islands with the expenditure of a small
amount of capital, coupled with intelligent
labor. The demand for this fruit in the
United States is enormous and it is under
stood that the supply at the present time
is received largely from the Hawaiian
Islands
Millions of dollars are spent each year
by the army, the navy, the insular gov
eminent and private individuals for lumber,
imported extensively from the United
States While it is we'll that market has
been found in these islands for United
States lumber, yet a large percentage of
this commodity should, by all the laws of
political economy. be obtained for local con-
sumption in these islands, which. with
their virgin forests of timber, admitted on
all sides to possess lasting qualities and a
durability not found in the timber of other
sections of the world, await the woodman's
ak.
Eggs From China.
1T may come as a source Of surprise to
there were imported into these islands
eggs valued at $685. 512 gold. notwithstand-
ing the fact that the successful raising of
poultry is as easy of accomplishment here
as in any other part of the world. The
imported eggs come entirely from the Chi
nese empire.
Large sums are expended annually by
the people of these islands for foreign
grown vegetables. such as potatoes, cab
bages onions and tomatoes, in their natural
state no reference being intended to the
canned articles, which the climatic condi-
lions of the islands make 1t necessary to
import All the vegetables mentioned in
the foregoing list have been and can be
produced in the Philippine Islands, and
this fact alone makes 1t a regrettable COM
mentary on economic conditions that enor-
nous sums are each year spent abroad by
an impoverished people for such articles.
The investment of outside capital Is not
required to raise all the indigenous fruits,
vegetables and poultry needed for home
consumption.
Sugar is exported from the Philippines
at value of cents per pound, and in it's
changed condition this same necessity Is
imported at double that price, exclusive of
duty. freight. commissions and other Incl
dental expenses. In other words, the in
habitants of the Philippine Islands give