Directory_and_Chronicle_1917 — Page 1563

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THE PHILIPPINES

There are many hot springs of iron and sulphur waters, all of excellent medicinal properties. The famous "Holy Waters" of Tiwi and Sibul are visited every year in large numbers by the islanders seeking relief from their sufferings. The endemic complaints of the country are swamp fever, diarrhoea, beri-beri, and a few others. Incurable leprosy is very limited among the natives. Cholera was very prevalent in 1908. The mortality is low considering the number of inhabitants.

Dr. Augustin de la Cavada, a Spanish historian, says of the natives, and he is generally confirmed by American writers, that they are of a mild, submissive, and respectful disposition, predisposed to religious observances, extremely superstitious, and very hospitable. Those of Batangas, Cagayan, and Southern Ilocos are better workers and more industrious than those of the other Provinces. During their youth they work with energy and a certain intellectual vigour, but on reaching a more advanced age they lose a large part of their disposition for work and lapse into an indolence that is one of their greatest defects. The women are averse to idleness and have a spirit of enterprise, and they often engage in various trades with success.

The rivers and streams of the Philippines are countless and traverse the islands in all directions, the natural result of mountain peaks and ranges that extend over a large area,

The most noteworthy volcanoes are Buleyan in Mindanao, Taal in Batangas, and Bulusan and Mayon in Albay. The last is in continual eruption and at times crcates terror in the surrounding country on account of the quantity of boiling water, ashes, and lava it throws out. In 1872 an eruption of this volcano destroyed entirely the villages of Malinao, Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao, Polangui, and Albay.

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The United States has done magnificent work in the island in all departments of the administration and the record of American control is one of substantial progress in every direction. Though the trade of the islands has greatly increased during the past decade there are still many serious difficulties to contend with; lack of capital and labour, to a large extent, handicaps agricultural and commercial development, capital from the United States not being attracted and the admission of Chinese labour being prohibited. enormous increase has been noticeable in the case of exports to the United States, while there is a decrease in the case of all other countries. This result was mainly due to the fact that by Act of Congress, March, 1902, all articles the growth and produce of the Philippines admitted into the United States free of duty were eligible for a return of the export duty imposed in the Philippines so long as shipped to the United States direct, and proof be submitted of their importation and consumption there.

The military force maintained in the Islands amounts to 13,030 white troops of all arms, 5,000 native scouts allied to the white garrison, and 3,000 constabulary, who act as a sort of semi-military police.

The policy of the United States towards the Philippines was defined by President Roosevelt in his Message to Congress in December, 1904, in the following terms:

"At present, 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 entirely alone, yet in some such relation to the United States as Cuba now stands."

The total trade of the islands for the calendar year 1915 amounted to P.206,250,375 as against P.194,556,574 in 1914, P.202,171,484 in 1913 and P.233,182,402 in 1912. The exports amounted to P.107,626,008 as against P.97,379,268 in 1914 and P.95,545,912 in 1913, and the imports to P.98,624,367 as against P.97,177,306 in 1914 and P.106,625,572 in 1913. In 1913 the uncertainty that prevailed as to the policy to be adopted by the United States with regard to the control of the islands caused a general want of con- fidence in commercial circles, and there was a consequent disinclination to extend commercial or industrial undertakings. Business conditions improved in the early part of 1914, but were again depressed by the outbreak of war in Europe. In 1915, however, continued high prices for sugar, tobacco, hemp, and other principal Philippine products brought large returns to all lines of production and while the volume of business in some lines was comparatively restricted it was in general quite profitable in both 1915 and 1916. The past year is said to have been especially profitable. During the past year, also, the Congress of the United States enacted a new organic law for the island territory establishing a legislature of two houses, a senate and an assembly, strengthening, however, the veto power of the Governor General and retaining, of course, the power of disapproval and control in Congress. The new legislature com- menced its sessions in the closing months of the year and its record for the first session