Governor Davis's Sugar Meeting talk.pdf

Media

Part of The American Chamber of Commerce Journal

extracted text: October, 1929 THE AMERICAN CHAMBER UE LUWUWEXLE Governor Davis’s Sugar-Meeting Talk The sugar industry is one of the most important in the Islands. Thirty per cent of our exports consist of sugar. The total value of sugar exported in the year ending June 30, 1929, was P100,428,198, of which P98,430,210 went to the United States. The prosperity of approximately a million people in the Islands is directly dependent on the conditions of the sugar trade, while indirectly everyone is effected by it. If the industry is pros perous, that prosperity is shared by every other business here. Any act which crippled the sugar industry would seriously injure every man, woman and child in the Islands. The destruction of the industry would ruin thousands of our people and would set back the prosperity, progress and development of the Islands for many long years of hardship and suffering. If then we consider the importance of the sugar industry to these Islands and if we realize that over 98 per cent of our sugar exports go to the United States due to the favorable tariff situation, we begin to get a slight conception of the vital necessity to the Philippine Islands of maintaining friendly trade relations with the United States. Recently it was proposed in Congress to limit the free entry of Philip pine sugar into the United States. The able Philippine commission worked hard and faithfully to defeat the proposal. Influential friends of the Phil ippine Islands, both in and out of Congress, effectively fought against it. The press of the United States supported' the fight by strong editorials. Finally the first battle was won; the tariff bill was re____________________ {Please turn to page 17)____________________ different in appearance, and outlooks on life, and she marveled at the un deniable affinities which she saw shape themselves into being. They chat ted animatedly between sips of tea. Miss Martin was telling an amusing story, her tapable hands planted on the hand-embroidered tea-cloth. “This friend of mine . . . she went home via Suez, it’s just two years ago . . . and she fell in love with a man . . . They parted in Boston . . . and she came back to the Islands. And who do you think stood at the pier in Manila? The very same man! He had come to meet his wife . . . Here she had been traveling with her all these four weeks ... I . . . She, my friend I mean, she laughed . . .” All were very still now. All three of them sensed here a tragedy that in their married security they had lost the fear of. Miss Martin laughed, a deliberately provoking laugh that spontaneously forbade compassion. Then Mrs. Blake spoke. She had sat still most of the time, taking no part in the conversation. But she had not lost the significance of that laugh. “There are all kinds of cads in this world,” she said and became aware of the apparent irrelevance of the remark. Pointing into the void of in vading night, she added: “Look! Isn’t it lovely?” One could distin guish the hazy outlines of the hills by the fires of the hill-dwellers. Helen Seeley gazed into the inky blackness splashed with spots of flame. It was lovely ... as lovely as that feeling of security in a place one loved, that attachment . . . But with her there never was time to become attached . . . one never stayed anywhere long enough to become at tached . . . One feared it because it hurt so to part . . . She sat still and very quiet. Her life had been spent roving from one military reservation to another.. . Margaret White, stroking the silken pleatedness of her lap, pondered. How charming, how humanly warm were these women! How much kind ness, how much friendship and understanding there was between them! With a sudden shock it came to her, as Mary Blake rose and put her arm around her, that always women were kind to one another, always . . . except at bridge. Roll Call On Independence (By United Press) Washington, D. C., Oct. 9.—The following senators voted in favor of the King measure for Philippine independence: Senator King, Henry F. Ashurst, Democract of Arizona; Alben W. Barkley, Democrat of Kentucky; Hugo L. Black, Democrat of Alabama; John J. Blaine, Republican of Wisconsin; Coleman L. Blease, Democrat of North Carolina; Sam G. Bratton, Democrat of New Mexico; Senator Brock, Democrat of Tennessee; Smith W. Brookhart, Republican of Iowa; Tom Connally, Democrat of Texas; Clarence C. Dill; Democrat of Wash ington; Duncan U. Fletcher, Democrat of Florida; Walter F. George, Democrat of Georgia; Harry B. Hawes, Democrat of Missouri; Carl Hay den, Democrat of Arizona; J. Thomas Heflin, Democrat of Alabama; Robert M. LaFollette, Jr., Republican of Wisconsin; Kenneth McKellar, Democrat of Tennessee; William II. McMaster, Republican of South Dakota; George W. Norris, Republican of Nebraska; Gerald P. Nye, Republican of North Dakota; Lee S. Overman, Democrat of North Caro lina; W. B. Pine, Republican of Oklahoma: Joseph T. Robinson, Democrat •of. Arkansas; Morris Sheppard, Democrat of Texas; Ellison D. Smith, Democrat of South Carolina; Daniel F. Steck, Democrat of Iowa; Hubert D. Stephens, Democrat of Mississippi; Thomas of Oklahoma; Park Tram mell, Democrat of Florida; Robert F. Wagner, Democrat of New York; Thomas J. Walsh, Democrat of Montana; David I. Walsh, Democrat of Massachusetts and Burton K. Wheeler, Democrat of Montana. The tabloids over here (in San Francisco) have described the typhoon over in Manila as being about the worst catastrophe that was ever visited upon that fair city. Hundreds killed and still more dying, twisted and mangled beyond recognition. Families torn apart, and little babies left without their mothers, to slowly die, their feeble little cries unheeded by the terror-stricken populace rushing wildly hither and yon, seeking shelter from the infuriated elements. INTERNATIONAL TRUCKS Have you seen the 6-SPEED SPECIAL? This extraordinary new number of the INTERNATIONAL line has created a sensation among trans portation men and all others who have need for motor transportation. Its ability to out-pull, out-climb and out perform any other truck of the same rated capacity under FULL load has made the motor world sit up and take notice. Six speeds, with a TWO-SPEED axle, makes available a reserve of power which makes it practically impossible to “stall” it if there is traction for the wheels. Speedy, safe, dependable, and most econom ical to operate, this new SIX SPEED SPECIAL is worth your while to look over. See it at our showroom. Macleod and Company 154 M. de Comillas Manila, P. I. BRANCHES IN Iloilo Cebu Davao Legaspi Vigan IN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS PLEASE MENTION THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOUR1 October, 1929 THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL Governor Davis’s Sugar-Meeting Talk (Continued from pa¿e 15) ported by the committee without the limitation feature. We must not deceive ourselves, however, into believing that the campaign has been finally won merely because we have been victorious in the first battle. That battle was especially important because it aligned on our side many high-minded, unselfish groups who put prin ciple above privilege. But undoubtedly the campaign will be continued and new, more deceptive, more subtle methods adopted. The underlying purpose, so obvious in the first fight, will be kept under cover. Other interests and other arguments will be pushed into the fore ground. Promises, baits and lures will be dangled before our eyes. Already in the second skirmish we are being tempted by the offer of additional governmental revenues through the return of taxes which it is proposed to collect on Philippine imports. The insular govern ment, sorely as it needs more revenues, will not sacrifice the welfare of the Filipino people to obtain them. I am opposed to this proposal as strongly as I was opposed to the limitation proposal. But other offensives will be launched, other baits offered, other methods tried. It will be well for us to remember the old warning of Cassandra which, if it had been heeded, would have saved Troy from destruction. “Timeo Dañaos et dona f erentes”. “I fear the Greeks bearing gifts”. Eternal vigilance is needed. Our forces must always be ready. We must ever be on our guard. Our fight is based on principle, a principle which applies not only to sugar, but to every other Philippine product imported into the United States. On that high plane the first battle was won. On that high plane the campaign must be continued. How best can we meet these attacks? In my opinion there are several measures of defense which can be adopted. The first of these is publicity. The American people react quickly and unselfishly to issues based on moral prin ciples. If they understand the fundamental issue, they will give generous support to our cause. Your Association might well give serious thought to the best method of carrying on a continuous campaign of publicity. A second potent weapon is education, both in the United States and in the Philippines. In the United States the sugar interests should be reassured that the American market in the future will not be swamped by Philippine sugar. If they can be convinced of this fact, much of the opposition would disappear, as they are fairminded men, seeking only to protect their own interests. This puts a serious responsibility on the Phil ippine, sugar interests and others interested in the prosperity of the country, to oppose in every way an undue increase in the production of sugar. The promotion of unnecessary new centrals should be discouraged. Planters should be taught the importance of diversifying their crops. The growing of tropical products for which there is a constantly increasing demand and a world underproduction should be en couraged, while the increased production of products in which there is already a world over production should be discouraged. This is not only wise policy but it is sound economics. The Philippine Islands, with its wide range of climatic and soil conditions, should produce a much larger proportion of the food consumed in the country than is being produced at the present time. The annual importation of more than twenty-seven million pesos worth of foodstuffs, including nearly five million pesos worth of rice, of thirteen million pesos worth of meat and dairy products, and of relatively large quantities of such products as cacao, coffee, peanuts, ' jpical fruits and vegetables, and eggs —all of which can be easily and cheaply produced in the Islands—constitutes a serious and an unnecessary drain on our resources. If there should unhappily be a war in the Far East at any time, the fact that we are dependent on outside sources for such a large amount of food stuffs would very seriously affect the Islands and particularly the poorer people. Efforts to prevent an undue increase in the production of sugar would show good faith, as well as good sense, and would minimize, if not end, the opposition. Finally, we should cultivate the closest possible trade and other relations with as many different American groups and interests as possible. American farmers and other business men should be induced to think of the Philippine Islands as good customers for their products rather than thinking of them as competitors. For example, in the last twenty years the importation of dairy products from tne United States has increased from F210,000 to more than P6,000,000, wheat flour from Pl,000,000 to over P§,000,000, cotton goods from Pl,300,000 to P30,800,000, iron and steel products from P 1,600,000 to P31,600,000, paper and its manufactures P445,000 to 1 * 5,600,000, mineral oils from Pl,300,000 to P14,200,000, and the total im ports have increased from P10,200,000 to 1 * 168,700,000. Recently a suggestion was made by a group of Filipinos studying the tariff question that articles which could be supplied to the islands both by the United States and by foreign countries should be subjected to sufficiently high duties to give reasonable protection to Philippine and American goods, but not so high as to establish monopolies. While 1 am not prepared to endorse specifically this proposal at the present time, it is an example of a friendly measure which would be an expression of appreciation for the tremendous advantage which the protection policy of the United States gives to the products of the Philippine Islands. Such evidences of friendship promote friendly measures in return. As was said in an editorial in one of the Manila papers yesterday, “If we want preferential rights in the United States, then we must also grant them.” In the same way the labor organizations in the United States should be convinced that with the development of the Islands, labor emigration will decline and will not become in any sense a menace to American labor. Every effort should be made to keep Philippine laborers from leaving the Islands. They should be offered induce ments to remain here. They are and will in creasingly be needed to develop our local indus tries. They can look forward to prospects of a more favorable future here than in the United States, and their presence in large numbers on the West Coast adds another element of difficulty to our problem. Finally, the effect of political speeches, methods and policies in promoting or repelling friendly relationships might well be considered, but this is neither the time nor the place for such a discussion. To sum up, the welfare of the sugar industry is vital to the future prosperity of the Philippine Islands. That welfare is largely dependent upon the continuance of the present free trade rela tionship with the United States. We must, therefore, make every effort to insure the main tenance of that relationship by peaceful argu ments if possible, and by fighting any hostile proposals in Congress if necessary. It is better to win by peaceful means if possible. To do so it is important to convince certain powerful groups in the United States that Philippine products and labor are not a menace to their interests. To show our good faith in urging this argument it is necessary that we do our part here in the Islands. We should discourage an undue increase in sugar production. We should discourage the emigration of Philippine labor. We should encourage wherever possible friendly relationship with the United States in business, professional and official circles. This may seem like practical politics. Perhaps it is, but it is sound economics as well. Diversi fication of agricultural products is a wise policy from the standpoint of the farmer and it is so recognized the world over. To give but one example of many which might be given, take rice and sugar. The price of rice is higher than has been for five years, while the price of sug is low. We export sugar and import rice. The. is a world over-production of sugar but appa ently no such condition exists in regard to ric Good rice land usually makes poor sugar lane It is economically unsound for the farmer t convert good rice land into poor sugar land, thu adding to an already depressed sugar situation It is also extremely harmful to the future inter ests of the whole Islands. In the same way an economic developmer which will provide profitable employment for tl laborer is also advantageous to the Islands as whole. It is better for the country to off inducements for our labor to stay here and th increase our own resources than to emigrate ai build up the resources of other countries. And, finally, to cultivate cordial relatiorishi with a powerful friend who offers us unusu advantages is only the part of wisdom, enlighten ed self-interest, and good economic policy. So in saying this word of welcome I believe it necessary also to make it a word of warning, and to call your attention to the heavy respon sibility which rests especially upon all those interested in the sugar industry. We cannot in good faith argue in the United States that Philippine sugar and Philippine labor will not b harmful to American interests unless in goo faith we try to carry out the promises und lying those arguments. Good faith and soun business judgment alike demand intelligei action. Upon you, therefore, rests not only tl future welfare of the sugar industry but in larg part the future progress and prosperity of th Philippine Islands. Our campaign to make ths future possible is based on high principles, we can win by sound peaceful arguments, we and good; but if we must fight, let us go into th; battle with clean hands. Paris is making women’s dresses longer. W this change really kneeded? The Tribune says the Philippines unders the spirit and genius of democracy. Tha they are apt in stategraft. While Topacio, posts director, was junke the postoffice administration seems to have 1 junked. Three several airplane companies are stri for place in the Philippine field. But none them has made a flying start. They are running an egg-laying contest • aggie college. Does anyone know of a’ liable old hens? So many Billingsgate affairs occur a University that someone suggests maki college subject of the primary course in ma and right conduct. We’d have more faith in the originality officialdom’s new ideas if they didn’t so c sistently follow quiet conferences at Malacaña The United States Senate voted 36 to 45, ridding the United States of the Philipp Islands (five to four against independenc The vote came not directly as a considera! of the Philippines but as side-issue in conned with the American tariff. Therein lies an ement of discouragement. The Philippine question certainly me a better consideration than can be given it w it is subordinated to plans for protecting cott seed oil, beet and cane sugar and d products.—B ulletin.
Date: 1929
Rights