Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 August 1901 — Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 [ADVERTISEMENT]

The war department has given out a carefully prepared statement comparing the imports and exports of the Philippine Islands tor the seven months ending January 31,1901, with tire same period a year previous. This statement is intended, of course, to show that U. 8. ownership and control of the islands, is benefiting our trade, but a careful study of figures presented brings out little to encourage that idea. When the number of American soldiers and civilians on the islands is considered, the increase in the imports from the U. S. from $890,010 to $1,493,488 seems absurdly small, especially when the increase during the same period in imports from Europe was from $5,270,766 to $8,974,183. In the exports from the island the U. S. makes a still poorer showing, the latter seven months showing only $1,477,611 against $2,037,630 the previous year. What adds to the aggravation of these figures is that exports to Europe show an increase from $3,201,653 to $7,983,751. Even admitting that the commerce of the Philippines will in the course of time become as great as the most sanguine predict, where will the benefit to U.S. commerce come in, if Europe is to continue to control the lion’s share of it? And there seems no way to shut the Europeans out. The treaty of Paris pledges the U. 8. to give equal commercial privileges to all nations in the Philippines. Those who think that the Philippines will not cut an important figure in our future politics, should lose no time in taking another hard think on the subject.