Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-26
PHILIPPINE PROBLEMS,
lH.-Back to the Farm.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

One of the biggest Philippine prob
lens Is the agricultural situation. One
OF the. biggest tasks confronting who
ever Is going to administer the islands
is that of putting thin where they be-
long as productive world-unit. A
fresh impetus to agriculture is essen
t1al to real progress in the archipelago,
In almost every particular the pres
ent regime in the Philippines has so far
outdistanced that of the Spaniards that
we make comparisons half apolosetical-
ly, as though realizing it would be un-
sportsmanlike to measure our progress
by the yardstick of Spain. But the rice
and sugar production Of the islands
since 1898 has never exceeded the rec
ord made in the best years Of the
Spanish rule. Certain provinces have
never been as productive since the in
surrection as they were before. This
is question of first Importance he
cause the Philippines will always de-
pend primarily on agriculture as a
source of wealth.
The hitch in agricultural progress il
due to the lack of labor and to the
quality of what labor there is avail
able. Labor conditions on farms. and
workingman did not want to spend his
days at hard toll from which he him
self received practically no return Int
he had not much choice in the matter
Then came the United States and said !.
We would like you to work. but nm.
less you want to, you don't have to
To which the laborer somewhat discon-
certingly made reply: Then I won't !"
The Filipino is good workman. Tn
the big sugar and tobacco mills he is
employed al
Filipino Good Laborer most exclu-
in All Ranks. lHeiy " not
only in the
lowest ranks but in positions of
subordinate authority, and Americans
are agreed that he does his work well.
On the railways of the archipelago the
Filipino fills practically the whole paw
roll. few of the highest technical
and administrative men are Americans.
but laborers, conductors, engineers and
clerks are natives. The same thing is
true of the Manila electric line. On the
steamers that ply between the various
islands most of the crews and some or
the principal officers are Filipinos. Ac-
cording to all concerned, their work is
satisfactory.
In fact. Filipino labor seems to be at
it's worse in agriculture. where the
need for it is greatest That there Is
no fundamental deficiency in the native
as a workingman is shown by his rec
ord in other lines. 1t is simply a ca Sc
where certain wrinkles in the situation
must be ironed out certain deep-rooted
customs and prejudices gradually OBJ
liberated by steady AMI patient effort
The relations of employers and land
owners to their tenants will have to be
readjusted, until the workingman can
see what he is working for, and that
he is getting direct benefit from any
extra effort he puts forth
The change must come slowly. with
out blare or sensationalism. Old Gus
toms must be superseded. and unless
the directing hand proceeds cautiously
there will be retrogression- and confu.
sion 1t would seem a task for the in
sular administration. for the bureaus
of agriculture and labor The oues-
ton is, how to get the working man to
work more: and that involves seeing
that he gets larger share of the
profits.