Fiscal YearReceipts from Percentage Tax on BusinessAmounts of Business on which Percentage Tax is CollectedIncrease (+) or Decrease (-)
Per Cent
1906$666,996$200,098,983
1907677,847203,354,298+ 2
1908643,707193,112,160- 5
1909631,877189,563,361- 2
1910759,718227,915,673+20
1911885,804265,741,443+17
1912951,775285,532,500+ 7
19131,110,000333,000,000+17

The Philippine government collects as internal revenue one-third of one per cent of the gross business done by merchants and manufacturers in the islands. The fiscal year ending June 30, 1909, was the last before the opening of free trade with the United States. The figures for the four subsequent years therefore show the resulting stimulus to business.

The gross business on which the percentage tax was collected in 1909 was $190,000,000 (₱380,000,000). The increases over that year have been:—

YearIncreases over1909Percentage of Increase
United States CurrencyPhilippine Currency
1910$38,000,000₱76,000,00020.0
191176,000,000152,000,00040.0
191296,000,000192,000,00050.5
1913143,000,000[4]286,000,00075.3
$353,000,000[4]₱706,000,000

The gross business increased by a fifth in one year; by two-fifths in two years; by more than a half in three years; and by more than three-quarters in four years.

In the year 1909 the total exports and imports of the Philippine Islands amounted to $59,000,000 (₱118,000,000). The increases over that year have been:—

YearIncreases over1909Percentage of Increase
United States CurrencyPhilippine Currency
1910$18,000,000₱36,000,00030.5
191131,000,00062,000,00052.5
191246,000,00092,000,00077.9
191361,000,000[5]122,000,000103.4
$156,000,000₱312,000,000

The total trade increased by nearly one-third in one year; by more than a half in two years; by more than three-quarters in three years; and more than doubled in four years.

United States CurrencyPhilippine Currency
Total increase of business as above$353,000,000₱706,000,000
Total increase of trade as above156,000,000312,000,000
Total increase of business and trade$509,000,000₱1,018,000,000

An attempt has been made to make political capital out of one of the heavy drops in hemp values.[6]