Report of the governor general of the Philippine Islands. [1908]

REPORT OF THE INSULAR COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS. 655
of cigars were increased from 116,719,000, at $1,051,621, to 117,564,000, at
$1,084,78, representing the largest exportation of any year since 1903.
The reduction in exports of unmanufactured tobacco from 1907 was attributable principally to the difference in crops between 1906 and 1907, the former,
which was consumed or shipped in 1907, having been estimated at-37,500,000
pounds, the largest in ten years, while the latter, marketed during 1908, reached
but 30,800,000 pounds. Another influence which tended to reduce the foreign
sales of the unmanufactured product was the greater quantity consumed in
the islands in cigars and cigarettes. The total number of cigars consumed at
home during 1908 was approximately 3,510,000 greater than that of 1907,
while the local consumption of cigarettes increased more than 264,000,000, a
quantity nearly double the large exportation of last year, and more than
four times as many as were sent abroad during 1908.
The invoice values indicate that the prices received for cigars and unmanufactured tobacco exported were generally higher than those of previous years,
while cigarettes have slightly but steadily declined in value. The prices thus
shown are as follows: For unmanufactured tobacco, per pound, average for
ten years, $0.063; for 1907, $0.065; for 1908, $0.068; cigars, per 1,000, average
for ten years, $8.78; for 1907, $9.01; for 1908, $9.31; cigarettes, per 1,000,
average for ten years, $0.767; for 1907, $0.682; for 1908, $0.63.
MOVEMENTS AND INCREASE OF CURRENCY.
The total foreign movements of coins and currency during 1908 (values
expressed in United States currency) amounted to $16,824,105, representing
imports valued at $8,781,548, against exports at $8,042,557, showing an excess of
imports over exports to the value of $738,991. The imports consisted of P17,201,000 of the last Philippine coinage received by the Treasury, and P362,096 miscellaneous currency brought in through commercial channels; while the exports
were made up of 937,828 of the first, and P15,905,000 of the last Philippine
coinage, Mexican pesos and Spanish currency valued at $45,612, shipped by the
government, and United States currency and English gold to the value of
$25,531, sent and taken abroad by private persons.
The balance between the importations and exportations of coins and currency
since 1902, when the first Philippine currency was received, shows an excess
of imports over exports to the value of $9,381,519, indicating an addition to
the currency of the country since 1901 of ~18,763,038, or a per capita increase of
P2.34, thus bringing the currency of the islands up to an equivalent of about
P8 ($4) per capita, which is considerably larger than that of any other eastern
country.
The details of the imports and exports of coins and currency are shown by
Statement No. 7 of the Appendix.
FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS.
GROSS RECEIPTS.
In harmony with the greater volume of business transacted, the gross receipts
of the bureau at all ports exceeded those of 1907 by $123,311.87, the collections
of 1908 aggregating $8,318,020.39, against $8,194,708.52 for the previous year,
being $665,582.80 greater than the average annual collections of the past ten
years, and but slightly less than the annual recipts recorded during 1901-1904.
The increases in collections over the previous year were represented by increased receipts from import duties of $50,683, export duties $16,199.02,
wharfage dues $42,899.82, immigration dues $15,986.50, storage $4,890.84, and
miscellaneous collections $7,404.83; while a decrease of $2,206.55 is shown in
the coastwise tonnage tax, and $10,712.77 in foreign tonnage collections, the
latter having been entirely abolished by Act No. 1535 of the Philippine Commission, which became effective September 1, 1906, since which date no collections from this source have been made.
The monthly collections of the year indicate the general trend of business,
a.d show that, although an excellent beginning was made, the commerce of
the islands did not entirely escape the effects of the general depression during
the last quarter. The average receipts for the first nine months were $704,430.95, with an average falling off during the last quarter of $46,745.35. However, a factor not to be overlooked, in its effects upon the revenue, was the discontinuance of lawful opium importations, which took place, in pursuance of