THE PHILIPPINES
1363
The official report on the Commerce of the Islands for the fiscal year 1908 (endin~ June) shows a total value of foreign trade of nearly $64,000,000; the largest year, with one exception (1903) since the American occupation, and divided between imports and export about evenly, with a balance of trade in favour of the Islands of $2,000,000. Hemp is the major product. While the exports were increased to 114,000 tons, the in- come was but something over $17,000,000, a reduction in receipts from this source of $3,000,000, over 1907. Hemp ranged per ton from $140 down to 872. This is in marked contrast with the average price during the last ten years of $158.84. The highest price was $184 per ton in January, 1906. Hemp is the main hope of these islands, and there is no cause for discouragement. Sugar, the second product in importance, showed -exports of 150,000 tons valued at $5,600,000, an increase of 31,000 tons over 1907. The average exports since 1898 have been 90,000 tons, although in 1902 and 1903, 250,000 tons, were exported. The average exports from the Philippine Islands for ten years have been less than 3 per cent. of the foreign sugar consumed in the United States, which makes the fears of the beet sugar growers of that country absurd. Copra (dried cocoanut meat) was exported to the value of $5,550,000 a considerable increase, although the price was low. Cocoanut oil is being made now in Manila, and in 1908 the exports were 709,000 gallons, valued at $263,000. Tobacco exports showed a falling off of $145,000, but the exports for the year were $2,715,000, Coming to imports, which total about $31,000,000 (exclusive of supplies for the Government, military and naval forces, etc.), $8,000,000 were spent for cotton goods; nearly $6,000,000 for rice as mentioned; $2,165,000 for manufactures of iron and steel; $1,520,000 for provisions; and $1,055,000 for cattle. For flour imports the Islanders spent $1,045,400; and for illuminating oil $806,000. The United Kingdom supplied over half of the cotton goods and the report speaks of “the prestige in the local market of British cotton textiles " also "the particular attention devoted by British manufacturers in this as well as other lines to the production of qualities of goods best adapted to the requirements." It is of interest to note that Spain sent 8593,000 worth of cotton textiles, a falling off of 23 per cent, from that of 1907. A greater demand for high grade knitted goods resulted in increased receipts from Germany, German cotton goods totalled for the year $502,000, an increase over 1907 of $39,000. Cheaper goods from Japan have impaired the British East Indian cotton trade. The Customs Bureau collected $8,318,000 which goes a long way toward supporting the Insular Government. The high tariff is certainly a success as revenue producer. The Inlands have stopped the legal importation of opium and the loss for the years in receipts, basing the calculations on the collections from that drug during the last five years, was $236,698.40; in other words, the average annual receipt from opium during the years of 1903-1907 inclusive was the handsome sum of $328,864.40, whereas the collections for 1901 (all prior to March 1st at which date importations were absolutely forbidden) amounted to but $92,126. The officials of the islands certainly deserve credit for their skill in adjusting the finances to meet this large shortage. The removal of the American tariff in the Philippines on sugar and tobaccco is being advocated, and the movement has the powerful support of President Taft, who was the first civil Governor-General of the Islands.
The policy of the United States towards the Philippines was defined by President Roosevelt in his message to Congress in December 1904. "At present," he said, "the Philippine people are utterly incapable of existing in independence at all, or of building up a civilisation of their own. I firmly believe we can help them to rise higher and higher in the scale of civilisation and of capacity for self-government, and most earnestly hope that in the end they will be able to stand, if not entirly alone, yet in some such relation to the United States as Cuba now stands." Under Section 7 of the Act of Congress, approved July 1, 1902, all that part of the islands not inhabited by Moros or other non-Christian tribes is rested in a Legislature consisting of two Houses-the Philippine Coumission and the Philippine Assembly. The first general election of delegates to the Philippine Assembly was held on March 27th, 1907, and the Hon. W. H. Taft came out to Manila to preside at the first meeting. In a speech since delivered by Mr. Taft at Boston he expressed the opinion that the Philippines would not be fit for self-government for one or two generations and President Roosevelt in has last message to Congress (December, 1908) commented on the marvellous success which has attended the introduction of self-government and trusted that within a generation the Filipinos would be able to decide for themselves whether they would continue to enjoy the protection of the United States or enter upon an independent course.
The military force maintained in the island amounts to 13,030 white troops of all arms, 5,000 native scouts allied to the white garrision, and 3,000 constabulary, who act as a sort of semi-military police.