The Saint Paul globe., 1898-05-08

NOW and then military bridge is
built by an enterprising general No
attempt is made to repair it, and it
soon falls into decay. Thus wherever
It is possible people travel and send
their produce to market by boat Lots
OF brigands have been shot or hanged.
put brlgandage still fourishes at the
Laguna de Bay, close to Manila and
the island of Mindoro, at the mouth of
Manila bay, is safe refuge for pirates
and cutthroatS. Natives who travel
cannot protect themselves, for no one
can have weapon in his possession
Without procuring license, and that
is expensive.
The weight of taxation is aggravated
by the rapacity of the governors When
Gen. Weyler was governor general he
received a salary of $4,000 a year, but
it was said that the calls upon his
purse for entertainments and charities
left him no savings at the end of the
year. Nevertheless, at the close of his
term he had lying to his credit in the
banks of London and Paris a sum
which Madrid politicians variously es-
timated at from 1000, 900 to $4,0000 900.
How he managed to accumulate 80
large a fortune may be inferred from
an anecdote which was current talk at
Manila. He was succeeded by Gen.
Despuyol, WHO, strange. to say, was an
his seat in the . gubefnat6fial office
than he was: visited by one Of the
richest Chinese merchants of Manila.
Behind the Chinese came servants
bearing bags, which contained $4,000 in
silver coin. This trifie the merchant
begged the new governor to accept as
a slight token Of his consideration. He
was nightly astonished when the new
official promptly knocked him down.
An Honest Governor.
There have been other Spanish off,
cials of the type of Despuyol. Some
years ago a Col. Arolas, who had in
Cured the lll-will of the colonial office
at Madrid, was appointed governor of
the province of Suda. 1t was intended
to be an exile. Suda was a most un-
healthy spot, in which malarious fevers
ragged; most Of the province was in
habited by a tribe called Moros, who
were brigands by calling and fighters
by choice. It chanced that Arolas was
a man Of resource. He drained the
town and dispelled the fevers. He en-
rolled body of natives and drilled
them till they were fit to put in the
field, and marched on the Moros.
Choosing his battlefield, he met the
brigands. and inflicted such a castiga-
ton that they gave no further trouble
during his administration. Returning
home victorious, he improved his town,
founded a hospital and schools, intro
duced water, and laid out fine broad
streets, paved with coral. But his
heart was in Spain, and at an early op-
portunity he returned there, and rose
to high rank in the army. If there
had been more Spaniards of his stamp
the Philippines would not now have
been dropping out of the clutch of
Spain.
Manila is beautiful city, about the
size of San Francisco. 1t is built on
both sides Of the River Passig, which
is navigable to its source Old Manila
lay on the left banks. Parts of the
masonic stone wall which was built
around 1t two hundred years ago are
still visible, and some of the gates
survive, through which a stream of
solemn friars, grinning Chinese, re-
splendent Spanish officials beggars in
rags, piOus nuns, handsome senoras,
gay native girls, mestizos in uniform,
natives In breech- -clouts, four-horse
carriages, two-wheel pony wagons and
creaking buffalo carts pours from
morning till night. The cathedral,
monasteries and government offices are
in old Manila; the business quarter, the
foreign shipping houses, the banks,
stores and custom house are in Binon-
do, on the other side Of the river. Be-
tween the walls and the shore is the
Luneta, the fashionable promenade,
where the band plays and society en-
joys the evening breeze, f1irts under
hundreds of electric lights and drives
around the circle in carriages, which
follow each other in a slow dignified
procession. The best houses in Manila
are built of stone, and are handsome
residences, though there is no window
glass used in their construction. In
stead of glass. the windows are glazed
with translucent oyster shell. This is
cut into squares so small that win
dow eight feet by four will contain
$50 of them. 1t is found that they tenn
per the fierce glare of the sun and
soften the light.