The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-12

and competency of the American ad-
ministrators in the Philippines, the is
lands have not greatly prospered In
material sense In the past decade. The
readjustment of the tariff laws. and the
full opening Of the markets OF the
United States to certain Philippine
staples. is expected to have whole
some effect upon business. but as a
matter of fact the tariff was only part
" responsible for conditions In bust
ness, and its revision can only partly
aid in building up prosperity.
Not since the visitation of the Ten
Plaques upon the people OF Egypt has
a people suffered a greater variety OF
disasters than have befallen the FIJI
pinos. War is the most destructive
engine in the hands of mankind, and
the Philippines have felt its devasta-
ton cruelty. When 1t Is remembered
that 1t required thirty years for the
States of the Union which formed the
Confederacy to regain their ante bel
lum status as to agriculture alone, the
effect of a more terrible kind of war
upon a community far less susceptible
to reorganization may be imagined
The war in the Philippines began IN
1895 when eAgpinaldo captatned the
revolution against Spain. This was a
direct result of the administration OF
the Friar's estates-a vexing question
settled only by the great diplomacy OF
Mr.. Taft That war had scarcely end
ed, when hostilities between Spain and
the United States began. Admiral
Dewey struck at Manila, Agulnaldo re-
turned and assisted the Americans TO
take Manila. The Filipino leader found
that the Americans would not permit
him to realize the full fruits of the
Joint victory, and the insurrection be-
gan. After the organized insurgent
army had been defeated and routed,
guerilla warfare was begun.
This meant that no farmer was safe
from the operations of either side, and
that everybody was frightened into DO
ing nothing. After the guerilla war
fare was broken up and civil rule es-
tablished, organized bands OF ladrones
or bandits terrorized the country. They
DESTROYED crops and houseN stole cat
tie and continued the reigA Of terror.
All of this disorder is now practically
at an end. but 1t will require many
wears to restore the idle fields to cul-
tivation, and to win the people back to
the peaceful habits of industry and
thrift.
Not only war and the destructiveness
Of man, but the powers OF nature nave
also been used against the Filipinos.
A series of most destructive typhoons
has cut off the cocoanut crop, and re-
duced the hemp production. Unprece-
dented droughts have cut of the rice
production. Locusts have swept over
the country leaving it stripped OF liy-
ing green-but as the Ftlipinos eat To-
Gusts the plague was not as unwelcome
as 1t might be in other countries. The
tobacco has fallen off in quality on &C
count of the loose and irregular habits
OF cultivation resulting from war and
ladronism.
But the browning plaques were those
of disease. A great epidemic OF chol-
era swept over the islands, killing peo-
ple by thousands. Then came the rim
derpest, which in two or three years
killed 80 per cent of all the working
live stock in the country. Carabao, or
water buffalo, are used everywhere for
draft purposes. and the rlnderpest al
most wiped them out. Horses cannot
be used because Of the Indian disease
"surra," which killed many more than
half the horses in the islands.
In spite of all these drawbacks, ii Is
a fact that the Philippine islands have
not refrigerated under American rule.
1t is often stated, in q careless fashion,
that the Philippines do not export as
much as they did under Spanish rule.
This is untrue. There has not been a
year since 1903, the date of the restora-
ton of peace in the archipelago. that
the exports have not amounted to more
in dollars than they ever did under the
rule of Spain. From 1885 until 1895,
lust before the beginning of the revO-
luton against Spain, the average an
nual value of exports was about 800
100000. Under American civil govern
ment the average annual exports have
been $4,000, 900. The record for the
current year probably will show a great
reduction on account of the slump in
the price of hemp. which forms more
than half OF the total exports of the
islands.
This showing is much better than
many critics OF the American regime
expect to find when they go to the sta
tistics. But the fact remains that the
sugar tobacco and rice industries of
the islands do not approach their form
err prosperity. This is partly due to
the abandonment of rice culture for
that of hemp. but 1t. is largely Charge
able to the devastation by war and
pestilenee.
Sugar production in the islands Is IN
a most primitive condition, and much
capital would be required to develop 1t
to a point where 1t could make a show
ing against Hawaii. Cuba or other cane
sugar producing countries of today.
The tobacco cultivation also needs cap
fital and intelligent supervision. A free
trade arrangement with the United
States will aid both sugar and tobacco
but the Improvement will come but
slowly. The islands are now import
ers of rice, although nifty years age
they raised more than they consumed
and sent 1t to Europe