The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-12
America in The Philippines
XII COMMERCE AND MA TERLAL PROGRESS

All commercial prosperity seems to
await the Introduction of foreign capi-
tai. and foreign gold. with its custom
airy timidity, will not come until 1t is
assured of the future Intentions OF the
American government with regard to
the Philippines. Naturally. progress
under such conditions will be very slow
AS slow as 1t was In the Southern
States after the war.
Yet there is genuine and lively
hope OF great things In the Philippines
"a confident expectation of a golden
future. One may not hear much Of 1t
among the bankers and the great I'm
porting and exporting merchants of
Manila. for many of them are given
over to discussing hard times and hard
times only. They cannot be blamed,
for the business man has had rough GO
ing in the Philippines for the past year
or two. But II one gets out among the
retail merchants of Manila. or talks to
those statesmen who have made tour
OF the provinces. he finds great op.
timism
These retail merchants say that the
Filipino's needs are increasing by leaps
and bounds. He must have shoes, he
must have more clothing. he must have
ornaments he must have sewing ma
chimes. monographs books and scores
OF things Of which he never dreamed
until the Americana school teacher
came to the village. To obtain these
things he must have money. to get
money he must work. The result Is an
increase In the production OF the is.
lands. and an increase in the consump-
ton OF imported goods One retailer
said: THE Filipino will not save
money; he must spend 1t. Unless there
Is something he wishes at the moment
he will not work. We are making him
industrious by tempting him with lux
uries. 1t Is q philanthropic mission
with material profit for everybody con-
cerned." 81.
No doubt the business Of the islands
has suffered somewhat from politics,
men formerly engaged in commerce
having turned to politics since the
opening Of opportunity to natives to
participate in the government. But II
is inevitable that their places will be
taken by the younger generation, and
within ten years from now the normal
status of interior commerce will be re-
stored. 1t always takes a long time to
recover from the effects OF devastat-
ing war and to make adjustment to an
entirely new social order.
The government at Washington has
been slow, perhaps, to grant the Phil.
ippines tariff encouragement, but 1t has
otherwise done all it could do for the
business men of the islands. The gov
to do as it likes. has greatly facilita-
ted Commerce In the archipelago. SUBJ
sides have been granted to inter-island
steamship lines. the government tele.
graph and inter-island cable service
has been extended, railroads have been
constructed and highways have been
built.
1t is due to this activity on the part
Of the Manila government, approved by
the administration at Washington, that
the commerce of the Philippines has ac-
tually increased under American rule
despite the great handicaps to interior
production and foreign disposal. There
is no reason to believe that these poll
cies will not be continued in force. At
the present moment the low price of
hemp casts gloomy shadow over ev-
cry prospect in the Philippines, but
such things are the. portion Of every
country. With more advantageous tar
if regulations, and with the constantly
increasing agricultural development, 1t
is probable that the Philippines will
show a gradually increasing business
each year But there Is no hope for
great prosperity and wide development
without foreign capital, and that
awaits a decision as to the probable
future of the Philippine government.
Tomorrow America in the Philip