New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-08
FORGOTTEN BY THE WORLD
EVAPORATION IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.


EHE IsLANPss oda H sna GomG Geq
cial Sketch of the Philippine Archipelago ana
Its Political Dependencies. by John foIeniaii'
F. r. G. S. With map and frontispiece rp'
kill 4s5. Imported by Charles scribners Sons
1t Is rather surprising in the perusal OF MI ore
mans book to observe the downright variety ol
race traits within an area so small comparatNe's
as that of the Philippine Islands. 1nnermost OF an
The races, that Is. most remote from the surrouilu
ing civilization of the coasts. are the Aetas OF NJ
eritos. They supposed to be the aboriginal III
habitants Of the islands, and they still occupy 'he
mountain districts. They are almost as Diach 40
Africans. but resemble rather the Papuans OF New
Guinea Swift on their feet and as agile IN ciho-
ing as monkeys, they are nevertheless co"a'u's'
and they use poisoned arrows in war. II the NOTION
of some ethnologists were correct that 10" ''
of savagery is characterized by neglect OF pa'e"
and by cruelty toward them, 1t Is amohs Sa@i'
people as these that one would expect 10 hnu
trait NJ this sort most emphatically displayed On
The contrary they have profound respect 1or age
and they apparently pay homage OF some sort 10 VI.
dead. They appear to worship spirts' Ai'''
every effort to civilize them Is rendered hus"'o''
by the fact that or later they are overcome
nv q desire to return to their mountain HE Inc
most unusual thing in their relation 10 the low
landers. who may or may not be OF Maia! o,'e,'''
was that they were the tribute takers ho' 'e
tribute givers. That Is. aborigines they permit.
ted the settlement Of another race in lands whloii
conquest on the part of the newcomers. 10 this
day they Iv, amid the miscellany or human ia''-
flies as they have always lived free lro'h 'a''
from military service, and from social restraint
Less dark in color than the Negritos are '"e
caddanes and of finer physical appearance but
49,, have the UNPLEASANT habit of hunting Tor
sco,ns in the season when the "fre-tree Is IN
bloom with it's flowers of flame "heh was
in the extreme north" says MIR. Foreman ~
The country of the Ibanacs preparing my eHpeui-
tion to the Gaddanes tribe. was cautoheu no'
70 remain there TIL the fre-tree blossomeu' nc
arms used by the Gaddanes are frightful weapons
.-long Iances with trdented tips and arrows carry
ing at the point two rows of teeth maoe OUT Vi
flint or sea shells" Next TO the Gaddahes pu'
less warlike are the Itavis. Then there are the
uarkIy copper-colored Igorrotes. who are almost
ranabe of raising a mustache and chin whlsKers
Among them the system Of blood revenge Is al
familiar as 1t is in the mountains OF hehtuch''
for example and 1t really serves a purpose In the
maintenance of order They are sharp-wltteu. ~
a nrest who attempted a mission among them, ana
who dwelt on the life of ST. Augustine in Africa
one of them remarked that no coored man ever
became a white mans saint" While none OF these
races have yielded to the influence OF the White
man. the Spanards seem to have had some effect
on the Tinguianes and yet fifty years ago, when
n member of this tribe put in subordinate
office by Europeans. he usually repeated instead
of an ordinary oath, this travesty: May per-
hicious wind touch me. may a flash OF ightnhg
kill and may the aiIgatOr catcn NE asiceP -
fail to fulfil my duty" In addition to these
races there are people who said to be de-
scended from Hindoo troops in the British force
that captured Manila in 1853; there are the IN
evitable Chinese, hated by all other races people
who seem to be the offspring of japanese ancestry;
the abnormal albno, and the domesticatec natives,
that Is the ancient Malay race. which has become
4 servile part Of the civilization Of the Islands.
Mr. Foreman points out that well-directed EFFORT
On the part of the Spaniards ceased from the mo-
ment Of conquest. He thinks this was character
istic Of their colonization everywhere Inc Gov
ernment and it's special servants became ABSORBED
along with the priests In religious propaganda.
DEVELOPMENT of the resources Of country-st
least Of these islands-was unthought or and I'M
possible in "a group inhabited by several heather
races-surrounded by sea exposed 10 Vphoohs'
birates. and Christian hating Mussulmans-which
hal to be ruled by handful OF Europeans Win IN
Adequate funds. bad ships and scant war mate
fal" In spite of the theocratic system and the
Indifference to what may be called secular oeVeiop-
ment the change between 1S4l and 1885 Is INDICATED
in the fact that in the former year the imports
were valued at $3,2300oo and exports at sf0'oVV
while they had risen eight years ago to SslI1,46S
Ind $24553,ss5 respectively. There are compare
lively few internal Improvements. Out or Manila
the natives cannot practise any OF the Industrial
arts with profit. Railroads will remedy this If
thew are ever laid Not only are the Philippines
well separated from each other; they are almost
forgotten by the Of the world To the respect
able resident this is an advantage. says Mr. rore-
man since Il has 1.-THE desirable effect OF excluding
many of those nondescrpt wanderers and social
eutcasts who invade other colonies" He adds that
at is a colony so little known that old residents
on visiting Singapore and Hong Kong are often
highly amused by the extravagant notions which
prevail. there concerning the Philppihes
Yet II is "a beautiful country copously endowed
by nature, where the efYulsent morning sun con-
tributes TO happy frame of mind-where the
European colonists rural life passes pleasantly
enough to soothe the longing for home. Mr. FORE
man has apparently forgotten little that contributes
10 his theme whether it be history. religion, trade.
social customs curiosities of savage life, agrcult-
nre mines or animal and vegetable life.