AMERICAN FOREST CONGRESS 187 



laid out town should be started for the employees. 

 This scheme of exploitation can be started with a capi- 

 tal of half a million dollars. A tract of between 100 

 and 200 square miles of virgin public forest may be 

 secured for 20 years, and when secured a selection of 

 the best sites for agricultural development should be 

 marked out. Land may be purchased by the company 

 and also by the employees, or may be taken up by 

 them as homesteads. Philippine hemp and copra corn- 

 mand a high price all over the world, are easily raised, 

 and on virgin soil should produce good results within 

 a few years. 



The Philippines are centrally located and close to 

 markets with a trade of more than 100 million dollars 

 per month ; a trade that is constantly growing and that 

 should be of great value to the islands. We have 

 valuable and vast quantities of hardwoods; we have 

 hemp, copra, sugar, and tobacco that 450 million people 

 want. Manila will have next year the best harbor and 

 docks in the Orient, and the facilities for loading and 

 unloading large ocean steamers will make this port a 

 great depot of supply for this part of the world. It 

 seems strange that so many people should be uncon- 

 scious of the great future of the trade in the Orient. 

 China is awakening and will not cease its stride in 

 commercial development. Japan will in the near fu- 

 ture be a powerful factor in this development and will 

 look to the United States for cooperation. 



The Pacific is indeed an American ocean; we have 

 the choice islands in the great sea, we have the most 

 fertile spot at the gates of China. This spot is peopled 

 by a bright, ambitious, and happy race, a race that is 

 susceptible of great development. The Philippines 

 need Americans with a keen sense of right and justice, 

 with brains and money, the American coming to the 



