60 THE ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE PHILIPPINES 



During recent years" the Spanish figures have risen by reason 

 of the increased export duties on tobacco which the Compahia 

 General shipped for the Spanish monopoly. 



NECESSITIES OF THE SITUATION 



I now come to the question, '' What must be done in order to 

 bring the production and trade of the colony into the condition 

 in which they should be? " The answer follows from what has 

 already been stated. Before all, the system of administration 

 must be changed and commerce and shipping, industry and 

 mining, as also planting, given free play, quite independent of 

 the nationality of the persons concerned. If the natives are not 

 numerous enough to supply sufficient workmen, Chinese coolies 

 should be brought over under government supervision, in the 

 same way as is done in Sumatra. The export duties should be 

 wholly abolished and the import duties put on a suitable basis. 

 The harbor works at Manila should be completed and safe land- 

 ing places should be provided for larger steamers, and if not a 

 free port, at all events a bonded warehouse is necessary. 



I mention first and principally Manilla, which will always 

 remain the center and principal emporium. A beginning must 

 be made by opening up Luzon, by laying down good roads and 

 constructing bridges, of which today there is an absolute lack. 

 The waterways should be controlled, particularly those which 

 can be easily made navigable. The construction of railways 

 should be continued, in order to connect the interior provinces 

 with Manila. The most important line would be one from 

 Manila through Nueva Ecija, the Caraballo mountains, the 

 province of Nueva Vizcaya, into the valley of the Rio Grande 

 de Cagayan. Then a branch of the line alread}' existing from 

 Manilla to Dagupan to the proposed naval port, Subig, which 

 was recently decided upon, but has not yet been constructed. 

 Communication with the Pacific coast and numerous branch 

 lines will also gradually be required. Only a few points can be 

 touched upon here. 



A railway from Manila via Mariquina to Antipolo would be 

 of great importance to Manila itself. It would pass through 

 an extremely well-populated country, which already supplies 

 Manila with agricultural produce and articles for the native 

 population, and finally, after about 20 miles, ascending with a 

 pretty steep gradient, would reach Antipolo. 



