Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-29

suggest to the it might be wise to replace
Jose with somebody takes little more interest IN
life. Next day there is new man III JoSes pi"e''
Another novel and disturbing custom that the Amer
lean encountered was the cneerful naVe
nabit working only ten days or TWO weeks IN tne
month The men had certain lack of energy, due
according specialists to the fact tnat TO-
diet consisted largely of polished RICE Win TOO i've
meat Three days a week gooc average for them
According ideas, that would never do When
a tried such tricks ne was discharged or COCA
losing foo is not the tragedy to the Filipino tnss
is 10 the nhabitant of less favored chimes where the
battle for existence is more wnen the native
his he philosopncaly drifted away and soon
there shortage of labor.
The American some thinking. With Yankee
adaptabty, they revised the sacred code Of hustle TO
local conditions If laborer took week off he
received mis- return though nothing had hap
pened and if his job it cheerfuy given
him. In order discourage irreguarity,
effort made keep the force strength that
the erring brother might find his place when he
back but there E-csIiSe about it. Sorry
but can't you' said the company stick around
a week or two and maybe there will be opening
So Jose stuck around watching meanwhile how MS
more faithful continued to draw their pay and
prosper while he and family played tag with the
wolf at the door, medtaed the virtues Of steady
employment the next time he got that job he was
likely hold it a long time Also, the companies
authorized for men who worked more than
twenty-five or twenty-four days in the month Today
nearly part of the regular pay roll
The big employers expressing the greatest sat
isfaction with Filipino labor
So we have a fertile archipelago lying in of the
most productive chimes earth-ts latitude CORE
spends with that of Central America and the canal
zone-waiting for development. Only about quarter
is under cultivation The labor is there.
it capable. The question is only of arousns
enthusiasm agriculture il has been aroused
over some forms industrial work.
This accomplished there will be big contribution made
10 wealth of nations.
Various other elements involved in the agricul-
tural problem it is primarily labor problem The
island planter has contend with drought and with
plaques Of locust which sweep over whole districts
prt With more general cultivation, country will be
able to afford emergency irrigation systems and such
cultivation will of breeding places
of the locust only thing that cannot ne guarded
against is the occasional typhoon
In the past cattle disease known "rinderpest has
bampered agricultural development. Allowed to run
in the days it killed
animals that farm work held back stopped en-
tirely The agricultural bureau has spent more money
and had trouble fighting rinderpest than in all Its
other troubles put together Now the malady Is well
under control anyone the numbers of the
carabao realize that the lack of work animals is
no longer interfering with agricultural progress
OF late there have been very encouraging signs
nav and intelligent interest in the agricultural
sources The first agricultural
in the history of the Philippines recently held in
Manila 500 delegates attended from part of
archipelago and the spirit they showed indicates
that the real Significance of the question is being
realized by the people at large. --5--
When we consider the richness the productiveness.
the heavy and prosperous populations supported by
such regions Porto Rico and Hawaii, when
what a part they play in world commerce. and when
we compare their with the immense stretches of
Philippine soil, get conception of the poten
tialities tropic archipelago. The agricultural
future Philippines is that only be esu
mated problems. but their solution
will be rewarded hundred-fold