Evening star., 1926-11-30
MINTyRE DEPICTS
F|L|P|NOS' NEEDS
Says Balanced Development
Is Retarded by Flaws
in Land Laws.

The lack Of outside capital, adequate
labor and necessary land legislation
Is blocking the balanced development
Of the Philippine Islands, asserted
Maj. Gen. Frank Mcintyre, chief of
the Bureau of Insular Affairs, in his
annual report, made public today.
No direct reference is made by the
now afoot in the islands, but in COM
menting upon the disagreement exist
ing between the governor, Maj Gen.
Leonard Wood, and the Philippine
Legislature, he says, This, perhaps,
is not an ideal situation, but it rather
assists than initiates against an eco
nomical operation Of the government
and has rather assisted the rehabilita-
ton Of the finances Of the govern
ment than interfered Herewith.
A reasonable amendment" Of the
land and immigration laws Of the is
lands, Gen. Mcintyre stated, permit
ting controlled and limited flow Of
agricultural labor" would attract out
side labor and result in advantages
largely to the benefit of the present oc-
cupants Of the islands.
No Land Action.
"The land laws have not been
amended in the serious way to at
L
sity for such amendment is gener-
ally appreciated by the people in the
islands and by the Legislature, but
there has been injected into the con-
sideration of this subject a political
consideration prompted by people In
the United States having contrary
interests or who believe that the in
PRODUCTION Of capital would delay the
separation of the islands from the
United States. This thought from the
outside has found lodgment in the
minds Of many of those who at pres
ent control legislation in the Philip
pine Islands, with the result that no
serious action has been taken under
the authorization Of Congress"
The authorization referred to is pro-
vided for in the organic law or 1913,
recognizing the difficulties Of passing
laws in Washington affecting land and
immigration questions, which, Gen.
Mcintyre says, should be governed
by the needs Of the islands and not
by conditions in the United States
which necessarily affect such legisla- 4
ton here The organic law author
lied the Philippine Legislature to en-
act land and immigration laws, sub
ject to the approval Of the President.
Economically, he finds 1925 the first
normal year since 1915, as the islands
during the intervening time have been
more or less abnormal, due to the
World War and subsequent reactions.
In 1925 the United States Treasury
transmitted to the islands I4,5O0,OOO
Oargely in connection with the Army
and Navy contingents there) for dis
Jursements. The total taxes collect
ed there amounted to about $4,000
900. The total exports were approXi-
n. hn fnfoI iy1nTlnr-tG
about S120,000000, while the circula-
ton in the islands was about $685.
100000.
These figures are misleading, Gen.
Mcintyre adds, as an analysis shows
that the progress in the islands has
Zen "largely due to the initiative or
the government and the actual in
vestment of the government in pro-
ductive enterprises" and to the fact
that there has been practically no in
vestment Of outside capital there In
the 10-year period.
The large balance of trade in favor
Of the islands is accounted for in the
foreign investments there, the increase
on Philippine deposits abroad interest
paid on Philippine debentures and
other factors.
Porto Rico, on the other hand,
Gen. Mcintyre says, is also confront
ed with peculiar problems which
must be solved. Although there has
been a steady progress in that island,
it was faced during the year by a
depression in the sugar industry
which caused a reduction in revenues
and an increase of unemployment, a
situation already acute.
AS a solution, Gen. Mcintyre advo-
Gated not only a budget that will bal
ance in normal years, but also a sur
plus which will meet fluctuations in
revenues, which is ininical to a one
crop area, as is sugar in the case of
Porto Rico.
Gen. Mcintyre, in recognizing that
the most serious problem confronting
the Porto Ricans was that of unem-
ployment caused by overpopulation.
stressed the opportunities afforded
them in continental United States.
The Porto Ricans, he points out, are
United States citizens and free to pass
from State to State without restric-
ton. A universal training of the
youth in Porto Rico, he held, would
enable them to recognize these op-
portunities.