The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-01-16

citizens. Further danger TO the exist
ing government is seen coming from
the fields far beyond the cities, in the
form of uprisings of the agrarian
population, which has been reduced to
a pitiable peonage, and which may
find itself unable to secure a living
if the principal market for Philippine
raw products is destroyed. Most disas-
trous revolutions begin not in empty
heads, but empty stomachs.
First of the problems to be discussed
officially in the United States will be
the economic one, for President Roose-
welt is expected to call trade con-
ference some time this year. Some
thing may be done at that time to eff
feet a revision of the tariff schedule
which may be more favorable toward
the islands.
AS it is, various estimates have 1t
that the first duty to be imposed
only 5 per cent-will wipe out from
81 to SO per cent of the four-fifths
of all Philippine exports which go to
the United States.
Take sugar, for instance. Under the
Jones-Costigan act, the islands sugar
quota is 1,045,0O0 short tons, and it
enables the industry to make a good
profit. But sugar exporters are loud
in their insistence that with even 5
per cent tax they cannot compete with
Cuban sugar in the American market.
Our Own Trade Suffers.
The rule works both ways, too. The
Philippines buy 80 per cent of all tex
tiles exported by the United States. If
tariff walls prevent the export of Phil
ippine goods to America, it is hardly
to be expected that the islands will
protect our textile exports. All Of the
business will go to Japan. Japan has
made terrific inroads on our textile
business; in 1882 we sold 81 per cent
Of the textiles imported by the islands !;
in 1888, IA per cent; in 1884, 43 per
cent, and in late 1885 only % per cent.
There is no doubt that the Philippine
government would set up tariff barriers
against textiles and other goods i'm
ported from foreign countries, if we
were willing to make equivalent con-
cessions. 1t must be remembered that
we also sell the islands dairy prod
ucts, canned fish, wheat flour and
manufactured products-in fact, the
Philippines are our ninth best GUS
toner. Under the Tydings-McDuffle act
we stand to lose virtually all of that
trade.
Many Of the Philippine raw mate
rails which now come into the United
States duty free are profitable to this
country, for they must be processed
here, and therefore keep many indus
tries going. Philippine sugar is re-
fined here; copra is pressed into COCO
nut oil; cigars are taxed and distrib-
uted; hemp fiber is made into rope and
Irvine and distributed.
Source of War Needs.
One of the most important sources
of war materials is the Philippines.
Copra furnishes cocOnut oil TO make
the glycerine th-t goes into high ex-
plosives, and the shell makes fine
charcoal that is necessary in gas masks.
Hardwood and hemp are necessities
in building and maintaining a navy.
The islands also have plenty of good
iron, chromite and manganese. 1t is
inevitable that in a war in the Pa
cific, Japan would seize the islands
in no time If they were Independent of
the United States.
There are many able students of
Philippine affairs who will have you
believe that Japan is already taking
over the islands, anyway, although in
the peaceable ways of commerce and
industrial development instead of mill
tary tactics. Be that as it may, there
are still only about $4,000 japanese in
the islands, at the most, out Of total
population of 1905, 800; there are ap-
proximately 1000 Chinese, 1900
Americans and 5,40O Spaniards. jap
anese make up only .O0151 per cent of
the total population of the Philippines; ;
yet in Hawaii, where there is far less
wailing about them, Japanese outnum-
Der any other nationality.
Some 65 per cent of the Japanese
in the archipelago live in colony Of
the province of Davao on the island
of MindanaO, where they dominate the
growing of abaca, from which hemp
is produced. There superior efficiency