The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-02-20

uea. No. have been erected
o,one most Of the coasts
the islands. When we tooh 1850 o
a;o, there were only tWentS-Se'en
Iirhts in operation. There are nov
'1eo and in addition So beacoHs ~
,ss and in addition os oeacon1 CO
;,,arior have also been redge anu
monv Of he rivers and creeks when
we're unused in the past are no" nav
Gated and carry considerable 1relsh''
Postal Savings Banks.
! A.. 10 the postal and telegraph
,-,ic.a they have been thoroughly
~reorganized. All the chleI Clues %.
a free delivery. and there are no"
in operation in the nelghDornoou ~
500 postofices. connected Win m,ic
arc 293 postal savings banks. Ihese
hanks were established before we
began to have them In the tnlted
States, and their deposits are 1ds'
~pproaching a million. They nave
! now 1900 separate accounts anu
the number Of depositors is increas-
ing. During the past year iorty-t"o
new banks were establlshed.
Telagraphs and Telephones.
As 70 the telegraph, its INES are
everywhere. There are more thaQ
400 stations with 5000 miles of wire,
and the rates are lower than those
Of the United States. The foreign
cable service has been increased. anu
one can now send messages over dlf-
ferent lines To all parts Of the world.
There are seven wireless stations on
the islands.
All Ct these public works are up
ported by the people themselves. ana
not by the United States. As far as
| can learn. outside the army, the
islands are practically paying their
own which Germany, Eng
land or Holland. ali Of whom try TO
run colonies, would say is mighty good
work.
How Business, BcOUa1.
Much of my information regarding
the present business situation comes
from Mr.. G.. l.. Elliot, the Secretary
Of Commerce. He is also Il member
Of the Philippine commission at
Manila. He says that business
jumped since the markets Of the
United States were thrown open 10
the island products. That was about
two years ago. at which time u i'm
: ports from there amounted to only
. j little more than seven millions ano
, our exports to about eight millions
| Last year the imports amounted &c
thirteen million dollars and the ex-
: ports to about sixteen millions.
The im~portations show how The
people are growing in wealth. Sine
+ 1901 they have increased their pur
8 chases OF -four 500 per cent, Of pro
q visions 400 per cent. and Of leather
e and oils more than 200 per cent
e During the past year the gross sale
q OF goods by the merchants were 8
per cent greater than those Of TIVE
years ago. and the bank deposits haY
O increased 80 per Cent.
In the first a Of our occupation
the foreign trade OF the Philippine
h was only a little moro than twenty
seven million dollars By 1909
= had GROWN to moro than ~ffty-eigh
, millions. Then came free trade Wit
ua. and 1t jumped to seventy-six mil
"a lions. This year it is expected to reac
eighty-two millions. which Is thre
II times as much as was the ayerag
Al during the last fifteen al OF Span
;c ish rule. AS it Is now YER bushes
- is growing. and the hemp export
Ia amounted to $4,000 tons tho la:
~ year.
Money in Cocosnuts aud Hemp.
" At present the two best none
crops OF the islands are hemp
Of abaca and opra. which Is the drie
ne meat Of the ~cocoanut. The abac
a. fiber is used for ropes and ship
in cables. We use a vast deal Of it Il
er binding twine, and it goes. in quaint
he ties to France and Switzerland. whel
ly IT Is made into fine laceS and h;
braids. It Is also Woven into clot]
and there are thousands Of wome
20 and girls who are now making sue
liza cloth in different parts Of the Phi
ey ippines. We take about SO per Gel
a OF the hemp exports and the be
on grades come to our country. TT
he Philippines began to export this Or,
lily duct ninety-two years ago. and II
first shipment was Al tons. Las We,
exports amounted to 10000 tor
nd and this sold for more thar $4,000
he 900.
~ How would you like to have a G
ms coanut grove? There are men in II
It philippines who nave some 900
'ay trees. Each tree yields them q dc
lar and upward a year. and all tn.
ITO have to do Is to pick up the nuts,
"a. 1h1s business has pee i~ncreasi,
Vi IA value ever sance we took hold
the islands II haa rreu-. =