New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-09
Merchants Bulletin Saws
Islands Offer Great
Opportunities.
AMERICANS ALREADY
THEIR BEST BUYERS
German Manufacturers, Leading
Sellers, Cannot Compete.
Perhaps, for Years.

Trade opportunities offered by the
Philippines are excellent, according to
Greater New York." the bulletin of
the Merchants Association, although
favorable conditions were temporarily
halted by the European war. Crops
are good. 1t is said, and difficulties
are being overcome, and the islands
AFFORD a promising prospect for trade
extension.
This subject Is made the leading
article of the current issue of the
bulletin. Tables of comparison show
that the United States already has
slightly more than half the trade,
nearly half the total imports Of Ma
Mia, Cebu and Iloilo for July of this
year and almost two-thirds Of their
exports coming here.
These conditions were interrupted
by the generalization of shipping
which followed the beginning OF the
war. As a result, August trade was
at low ebb. 1t is now felt that
unless ocean routes in that part of
the world are again endangered diff
culties should rapidly disappear.
The opinion is expressed in the bull
letin that there Is no reason why the
United States should not supply even
a larger proportion of the imports
of the islands than at present.
"For example," the article runs,
machinery and cotton goods can GER
tainly be produced in this country
under conditions which would mako
their importation into the Philippines
a strong factor In competing with
other countries. Hitherto the islands
have bought cotton goods, sugar, ma
chinery and milk from Great Britain;
diamonds, scientific instruments and
automobiles from France; sardines
and cotton goods from Spain; meat,
wheat, flour, coal, butter and feed from
Australia.
"These countries, together with
China and the French East Indies,
furnish so per cent Of the imports
that paid duty in 1918. This is, on
the whole, an encouraging picture of
the country, which may more and
more need American goods" says the
editorial.
1t is upon six crops, hemp, sugar and
copra, principally, and tobacco, rice
and corn, that the purchasing power
of the Philippine people depends.
These, it is reported, are to-day in a
favorable condition.
Hemp goes chiefly to Great Britain
and the United States, with Japan also
a large consumer. Copra is not so
successful because, unless thoroughly
dried, it deteriorates rapidly. France
takes most of this product. but the
demand in the United States is grow
ing. ~ 49,,
There is a possibility that this
years sugar crop will increase sew
eral thousands over the s9,5O0,O00 ex-
ported last year.
While the United States supplies
practically all the machinery for the
islands, "Greater New York." in a
separate article, goes on TO point out
the possibilities for American imple-
ments in other sections of the Far
East.
In a third article it is shown that
Germany is our greatest competitor,
and that not only is Germany now
temporarily eliminated, but that it will
take some time for the German manu-
facturer to return to the worlds mar
kets with his former aggressivenesss.
II is the Importance of the South
American markets that is emphasized.