Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-30
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

In these gardens of the sun Nature has
outdone herself in combining the condi
tlons of ease and riches. The soil is every.
where fertile and l-watered, and at
every stage Of elevation required by the
varieties of tropical products, and the con.
tours of the 500 islands are indented by
deep, sheltered harSors and arms of the
sea, affording cheap access by water to all
the centres OF production. The islands are
Inhabited by a ssmi. civilized, docile and
moderately industrious race, of Malay
origin, numbering about eco coo souls.
The SpaniaIds hsve occupied the islands
for 500 years, and have had every opportu-
nifty during that time Of showing what they
could make of them. Their administration
may be succinctly and not very inaccurate.
ly summed up in this-tbey have done
everything they ought not to have done,
and left alone everything they ought to
have done.
Tne true aborigiues of the Philippines
are not the 6 1000, 600 of Malayan Indians
In the mountains and the less habitable
parts OF the Islands are several tribes of
savagea who have not been brought within
the government of the priests. The Ne
grltos are woolly. headed people of the true
African type, who live on roots and wild
fruit which require no labor. They are
harmless and docile. THE Iggrotos, a
straight-haired tribe, fierce and untamabie,
lnha5iting still more remote parts OF the
jungle, are very little known to the Span
lards. Indeed, with the exception of the
island of Luxor, the Philippines remain a
virtually UNEMPLOYED country.
The Indians" az the Spaniards call
the natives, are fine race, endowed with
the lighter graeps which form such pleas.
ing feature in the Burmese and japanese,
In wide contrast with the solemnity of the
native of the Indian peninsula on the one
hand and the prossic, toiling Chinese on
the other. These Spanish Indians are pas.
slonately fond of dress and personal deco
ration, and are given to pleasure To
certain point they will work, but they are
imprOvtdent and devoid OF ambition, spend
ing their earnings freely and taking no
thought for the morrow. Their necessary
wants being intellectually small, poor
member of family is 10 appreciate bur
den, and consequently there are no signs
of poverty or pauperism among them.
Inere IS much sympathy between the In.
dams and the Spaniards, and intercourse be-
tween the two races by no means entails the
social degradation of the children which it
does IN India. The Inestiz0s of the Philip.
pines are a more fortunate product than
the Indian half castles, for they usually
combine the best points, physically speak
ing. OF both parents, while the Eurasian of
India is too often caricature. There is
but one town, properly so called, in all the
Philippine Islands, which is Manila, and
the rule Of the Church is absolute there
also. That no foreign missionaries are al.
lowed goes without saying, and the Eng
lish residents have TO dispense with the
luxury of consular chaplain and must
conduct their worship if at all, in strict
privacy. Tie priest is lord of the Sab.
bath day, and no labor can be employed in
Manila on Sunday without an order from
the Archbishop, who in all such matters is
supreme over all government function
from tie hiphest 10 the lnrvest