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AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL PRODUCTS.

Agriculture in some form is the principal occupation of the natives, but the methods are mostly primitive. It is estimated that there are more than 12,000,000 acres of cleared arable land, but that only about 7,000,000 acres are actually under cultivation. The leading crops, in the order of their value, are rice, hemp (abaca), sugar cane, coconuts, corn, and tobacco.

Rice is the chief food of most of the people and, strange as it may seem for such a productive country, it is one of the large items of imports even when crops are normal; more than $6,500,000 worth of rice was imported in 1915 and 1916 and $5,390,000 worth in 1917. The land, as a rule, is very responsive to scientific treatment and its productivity could be greatly multiplied by modern methods, but the native farmers, unless persistently led, are slow to take advantage of improved implements and practices.

Plantations of rubber are being started, particularly on the island of Mindanao, and are reported to be progressing very satisfactorily. A large part of the entire area (especially on the larger islands) is as productive as any part of the Tropics and under intensive modern methods will give results equal to the best obtained in other countries comparable to those in Java, to which the island of Mindanao is in many respects similar.

Pastoral products are of minor importance and, although general conditions are favorable for stock raising in parts of the islands, the prevalence of destructive animal diseases has made this hazardous in the past. Hardy animals like goats, swine, and sheep are found in considerable numbers, but their quality is inferior, since little or no attention has been paid to the breeding. The Indian cattle recently introduced show a strong resistance to the native cattle diseases. A considerable amount of meat and dairy products is imported from the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

FORESTRY PRODUCTS.

The Bureau of Forestry of the Philippine government estimates that 40 per cent of the entire area of the islands is covered with cogon grass (Imperata exaltata), which is useless for grazing, is a fire menace, destroys the productivity of the land, and, worst of all, is a breeding place for the destructive locust.

This condition has been caused largely by the abandonment of the land after it has been used for agricultural purposes, especially by the "Caingin" system. The Bureau of Forestry is working to correct this condition, but not with particularly encouraging results up to the present time. Reforestation of some of these areas is being attempted in a small way by sowing a tree, ipit-ipil (Lencaena glauca), which, it has been found, will kill out cogon grass within two years. This tree has proved the most successful of any used thus far.

The 40 per cent mentioned, with the 15 per cent area of cleared arable lands, leaves 45 per cent that can be considered as forest land, of which it is estimated that two-thirds (30 per cent of the whole area) is original forest land and the remaining one-third secondgrowth timber; most of this last is of doubtful value. The cutting of timber is now done under license from and supervision of the Bureau of Forestry. The remaining forests contain some very good

timber and are a very valuable asset. If properly handled they will supply the greater part of the requirements of the islands and furnish considerable amounts to be exported for an indefinite number of years. The value of timber exported in 1915 was $235,275 and in 1916 $480,644.

MINERAL PRODUCTS.

The total mineral products are of minor importance. There are known to be considerable deposits of coal and some quantity of iron, but neither of these have been properly proved to determine their quantity or quality. A company was organized early in 1917 with a capital of $25,000,000 (the Philippine government owning 51 per cent of all stock issued) to prove and develop the coal resources of the islands. Mr. Vicente Madriga is general manager and Mr. Hix (American) is assistant general manager and chief engineer. In 1914 the value of the coal imported was $1,749,745; in 1915, $1,432,520; in 1916, $1,303,994; and in 1917, $1,538,235. About $125,000 worth of this came from the United States in 1914 and 1915, but none in 1916 or 1917.

MANUFACTURING.

Such manufacturing as is done might be called native and special. There is very little manufacturing, aside from some special lines, that can be considered modern, particularly as regards heavy industries. Both the native and the special industries generally require the maximum of hand work and usually little machinery except some of the simpler kinds. Hat and basket making are typical of the native industries, which are largely household occupations and require almost no machinery. Lace making and tobacco manufacturing are the two best examples of the special industries, although there are special crafts, such as slipper and shoe making, most of which is done in small shops.

COMMERCE.

The trade of the Philippines consists largely in exporting the agricultural products above mentioned, mostly in a raw or semiraw form, and the importation of manufactured goods, for which the islands are very largely dependent on the outside world. The main volume of the trade of the islands is carried on through a relatively small number of large commercial houses, which constitute the agencies through which the handling of exports and imports is carried on. It is said that 90 per cent of the commercial activities of the Philippines are in the hands of the foreigners, numbering less than 75,000, as already stated. A network of small traders constitute the distributing and collecting medium for the various parts of the islands.

The Chinese play a very large part in the business of the islands, particularly in the sale to the natives of manufactured products, such as dry (soft) goods. It is also an interesting fact that the Chinese own much of the best property in the business section of the city of Manila.

The following data, taken from the annual reports of the Bureau of Customs of the Philippine government, show that the volume of

foreign trade is really very large, especially when the small trading capacity of the average native is considered:

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Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent.

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5

7

16

14

China and Hongkong.
Australia.

6

5

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Germany.

4

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From 1899 to 1904, inclusive, the balance of trade averaged about $3,000,000 a year against the islands, but from 1905 to 1909, inclusive, it averaged nearly $4,000,000 a year in favor of the islands. The period from 1899 to 1915 gave an aggregate balance against the islands of $18,810,591, but the years 1916 and 1917 have changed this to a balance in favor of the islands amounting to $35,487,735.

At this point it seems proper to correct the very general misunderstanding concerning the financial situation between the United States and the Philippine Islands. The only expenses that have been borne by the United States are those of the military and naval establishments; the civil government expenses and all the insular improvements have been paid for from the revenues of the Philippine govern

ment.

From the above table it will be seen that more than 50 per cent of the imports came from the United States for the four years shown. Imports from all other countries are charged considerable duties, while those from the United States enter free. This is a very important advantage. At present, with the scarcity of shipping and the high freight rates, Japan is enjoying an opportunity of which it is taking advantage, as is shown by its constantly increasing share of the business. One reason for Japan's advance in this trade is to be found in the adaptability of many of its products to the requirements of the islands. Rice, largely from French Indo-China, and iron and steel products, including machinery, are the next largest items of importation after cotton goods. The iron and steel products are of wide variety, and the proportion from the United States has averaged nearly 75 per cent for a period of years past. The value of the iron, steel, and machinery imports for five recent years has been as follows:

1913, $8,613,904; 1914, $6,983,444; 1915, $4,430,071; 1916, $3,763,239; and 1917, $5,927,563. Other imports, in the order of their value, are: Chemicals, drugs and medicines, coal, food products, leather goods, oils, and silks.

Hemp is much the most important export. About 50 per cent of this goes to the United States and the next largest amount to the United Kingdom, with Japan third. The value of the exports for five recent years has been as follows: 1913, $21,686,785; 1914, $19,765,602; 1915, $21,644,847; 1916, $27,224,955; and 1917, $47,787,860. Sugar is the article next in importance. More than 50 per cent of the exports usually go to the United States. The value of the sugar exports for five recent years has been as follows: 1913, $7,032,889; 1914, $11,059,593; 1915, $11,310,215; 1916, $18,587,593; and 1917, $12,277,679.

Copra and coconut products are third in value, and again about 50 per cent of the exports go to the United States.

Tobacco products are fourth in value, and here again the United States takes about 50 per cent.

Other exports, in the order of their value, are maguey, embroideries and hats, lumber, and cordage.

PORTS AND TRADE CENTERS.

Manila is the seat of the Philippine government and in every way is the most important port and trade and manufacturing center. It is located in the southern part of the island of Luzon, somewhat north of the center of the archipelago, being accessible from all parts of the islands. In an air line, it is about 500 miles from Hongkong, 1,200 miles from Shanghai, 1,600 miles from Kobe, 1,800 miles from Yokohama, and a little more than 6,000 miles from San Francisco. Via the Panama Canal it is about 11,500 miles from New York and about 14,000 miles from Liverpool.

While Manila is not the only port of entry, it is much the most important, particularly for imports. The inner harbor is protected by a breakwater, inside which vessels handle cargo by lighters; this is done with much of the cargo going to the Pasig River and its connecting canals. There are also five modern piers at which the largest vessels plying the Pacific can dock. There are several large modern warehouses near these docks. In fact, the port of Manila is excellent in every respect and capable of handling an immense volume of business.

The most important of the other ports are Iloilo, Cebu, and Zamboanga, in the order named. All are south of Manila.

Much has been said in regard to making Manila a "free port," and there is much to commend this plan.

COASTAL SHIPPING.

While some over-sea staple cargo is shipped from the ports of Iloilo, Cebu, and Zamboanga, the great bulk of all over-sea shipments goes through the port of Manila. Coastwise shipping is the interisland transportation problem of greatest importance. The very long coast line of the islands and their natural conformation make it practicable

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to have the great number of harbors, mostly small, that now exist and the number of which will increase as the business grows. However, there will have to be connected with this coastwise shipping (particularly as the development of the islands proceeds) a system of short-haul railways, many of which should be similar to the so-called tramways of Java and the light railways of Japan, Chosen, and Formosa.

There are a number of different concerns engaged in this coastal shipping. Some of the runs start at Hongkong, making Manila the main port of call, while there are other lines that make the run from Manila. The amount of this shipping will have to be substantially increased as the development of the islands proceeds.

GENERAL RAILWAY SITUATION.

At present the railway facilities of the islands are limited, to say the least. The Manila Railroad Co. (Ltd.), now controlled and operated by the Philippine government, has 573.6 miles in service and about 75 miles nearing completion on the island of Luzon. The Philippine Railway Co. has 72.3 miles of line on the island of Panay and 59.4 miles on the island of Cebu, a total of 131.7 miles. This total of 715.3 miles, all of 3-foot 6-inch gauge, comprises all the commercial railways now in service in the entire archipelago, with less than 100 miles under construction. The Manila Electric Railway & Lighting Corporation has a total of 45.1 miles of street railways and interurban lines in and around the city of Manila. This is the only system of electric railways of any kind in the islands. The only other land transportation concern of any magnitude whatever is the Benguet Automobile Line, running a line of large motor buses from the so-called "summer capital" of Baguio to Mangaldan-a drop of 4,800 feet in elevation-where connection is made with the main line of the Manila Railroad. A very considerable amount of really good roads has been built in several parts of the islands. While these are very valuable, it is doubtful whether they will provide the transportation needed to develop to best advantage the heavy agricultural products, especially hemp, sugar, and coconut products.

It appears that a matter of much importance to be considered in the development of the Philippine Islands is the adoption of a comprehensive system of main railways for the larger islands, supplemented by light railways. It would admittedly be much better to have this development carried out under a well considered and worked-out program, instead of by the haphazard, piecemeal construction that will otherwise result.

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