The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1907-08-24
Special Philippine Correspondence
(By S r. DeRackin.)

Ang lSt, 1907,
1T is difficult to realize just what
the Philippines really are unless fam
iliar with tropical life In America
we have four distinct seasons, where
as here it is perpetual summer. Do
not, however, confound Jul summer
with yours, as the thermometer here
rarely registers above 90 on the
warmest days. The nights are always
cool. NeiCher should the philippines
be claSsed With tropical America,
where the Caucasian's life is one end
less conflict with animal, reptile
and insect pests, and when MT so en-
gagged is battling with the various
forms of malarial poisoning. Here
we are practically free from Such
drawbacks.
THAT INDEFINABLE SOMETHING
That IS an indefinable something a.
bout the land where the snowy bios
SONS never wither from the everlaSt-
ing hills and autumn never braidS its
scarlet fringes through the green or
eternal summers" When once
thoroughly saturated with its IN
luence it is impossible to shake 1T OH.
You hear the East a-calling' in
every twitter of the birds, in every
balmy breeze, in every field of verdure.
Americans who have lived here any
length Of time have been unable to
stay away. 1t is really pathetic TO
see the many SpaniardS who, out or
patriotic favor, sacrificed their inter-
est here and returned to Spain upon
the occupation of the Islands by an
American government. Some tlred
of their change in six months, others
in a year, while a few held out against
the becKoning East two years, but
they are all back now to see their
places filled by strangers. But, even
so, they prefer these Island, to old
CaSteel. In the case of Americans,
how much better, pleased are they to
return to the Islands. knowing that
they still rest under the folds OF Old
Glory, and that if reasons why we
should give them up were thicker
than blackberries, WI would neve 90
sound er cOmpulSion.
A VITAL NEED.
1t will be many, many years, II
ever, before the American labor Will
be able to do so we'll here as at home.
This is pre- eminently a land for the
play of individual eff'irt. What this
country and it's people" vitaly need is a
class Of thrifty young Americans to
employ aud direct the labor Of the
primative inhabitants.
None OF the drudgery of farm life
in America is met with here. 1t
partakes more Of 5he plantation life
of the South before the civil war.
The simple people here becomes
wonderfully attached to their homes
and employers if treated fairly. And
kindly considerable treatment OF help
will always be found to be the most
valuable asset in conducting a plan
tatiOn in mOroland.
CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY.
MindanaO is very mountainous, and
therefore haS,many valleys consisting
from ten thousand to several hundred
thousand acres each. The level areas
in these valleys are the result Of al
luvial deposits from the mountain
ranges. being inexaustable 10 fertility.
And what is more TO the point, the
soil is being enriched each year
through the same processes which
caused the original deposits
What a paradise this Island would
be if each of these valleys claimed it's
American settlement and their pros
porous estates!
THE IDEAL crop.
The ideal crop in these Islands is
cocanuts. While it requires at least
seven years to get a return on this
crop. it requires less labor to handle
and gives the most certain return.
At the present price of copra (the
meat of the c~ocoanut), an acre of full
bearing trees can be depended upon
to net you $500 per year for 501
years-the average life OF a grove.
Practically all American planters
here plant hemp first, which gives a
return il two years, and later plant
cocoanuts on the same ground. AS
hemp does not have to be replanted
except every seven or eight years, by
the time the %cocOanut are ready TO
bear the hemp has disappeared, but
the returns from it have more than
paid all cost Of operation Of estate.
PLANNING FOR A RUSH.
Arrangements are being perfected
by the engineer of the Moro Province
TO get reliable data as to the number
of valleys in this Island, their area
and suitability for various crops.
When this work is completed. exact
information can always be had by
those interested without the expendi-
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