Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-26

fessonals. Spanish soldiers and naval oin-
GERS in gaudy uniforms are always IN
the throngs that promenade the Luneta
at night. Here there are europeans III
linen suits and bamboo helmet hats. DC
casionallv one may see an American |
among the promenaders, but there are
fewer than $50 Americans on Luzon
Island The parade continues pack anu
forth until after midnight. Fashion ana
poverty go side by side. 1t Is the only
chance that lovers have to see one an
other, and 1t is always amusing 10 Amer
leans to see how these young folks IN the |
Orient make their passionate io"si"s'
known TO one another >.
"Manila is a dilapidated old town. IL
was founded in the latter part or the |
sixteenth century. There are ola vans
and battlements all about the city. lnere
have been less than dozen lalr-sizeu
buildings erected in Manila In the last
ten years Everything in the city is an
Gent. People live in old, musty. TWO
story houses that come fush with the
narrow sidewalks All nave ouli' lor
| bidding look with their board blinds ana
heavy doors which are seldom open. In
| the centre of almost every house is an
! omen court. known as the patio. All the
| rooms i'm the house open on this patlo,
! and there the family hold their SOCIAL
| gatherings and eat their meals ten
! months in the year. Some patios are
! beautifled by palms, beds or MOVERS anu
arbors of vines. The commercial Dulid-
| ings are all old, too. The show-winoows
are little, cheap affairs, and there are
none Of the modern convenlences IN any
of the best stores in the whole CITY. n
unique feature Of all homes and oinces
in Manila is the use of tiny square panes
| nUefar-Shell instead OIL
| glass. A window 6 feet long and rect
! wide will contain 260 of these oyster-sheIl
| names. They temper the fierce glare OF
the sun in the buildings, and in coun-
try where many people go blind from
the constant sunshine this is a precau-
ton to be taken.
"Spaniards seldom remain longer tnan
five years in the Philippines-indeed, II
en- long. AS fast as they depart for their
native land newcomers arrive TO take
their places. The islands have been for
generations a region in which people Oh
Influence at Madrid might come and re-
cover their financial losses, and where
Young Spaniards might in a Few years
make a fortune. There are. however
several Spanish families who have made
Manila their home for years. They are
Immensely wealthy and live in beautiful
old palaces in Binodo-a pretty residence
suburb of Manila. A genuine census mas
never been taken in the philippines, out
of a total population of about 100000 in
Won,,e about 5000 are Spanish. The
Icons are relieved here once in two years,
hut the rebellions have been so many in
the islands during the last few years,
that the soldiers have been kept on duty
. at Cavite and other garrisons longer than
usual.
.speaking of rebellions. reminds me
: | that there have been seventeen respec-
table sized rbllions in the last sixty
; wears. 1t seems strange that such an
easy. slumbering, happy-go-lucky race as
, the natives of the Philippines should have
1 such turbulent politics. with almost
! any other government over them the ma
tives could undoubtedly be peaceful and
contented. OF late years the rapacity
} of the Spanish has increased, and the
poor people are desperate. They long
for any other governing power than the
snanish. 1 can't begin to think now Of all
e the taxes and licenses that the people
v in the islands pay for their government.
r All males over q years of age must pay
y an annual poll-tax that equals SlS IN our
= money. All females must pay Slf as a
d poll-tax A person must get license
e 10 gather cocoanuts from his own trees
t and sell them. / have myself paid nun
: ] dreds of dollars for licenses Tor poor
: | farmers VINO WlSlcu " AoA 'SSN $500
r indigo crop and sell IL to me. Every ar
n ticle of furniture that costs a sum
= eoual to 50 in our money is taxed. The
e curtain never goes up at the theatre tna'
l. $40 is not paid TO the government M
one in the Philippines may Kill his OWL
: animals for market, clip his sheep, or cu'
e down a tree without first paying a Zee
}. 10 some of the army OF collectors tha'
e infest the country. couple pay ldN
:. when they wish TO be married, besides
: fee TO the padre The natives love SNOWY
y funerals. and the Spanish decided few
2. wears ago that the grave-digger mus
:, collect $3.50 for the government before M
q can bury any one in any cemetery. Tnes'
II sums may seem petty, but IL snoulu p'
y considered that the average native ma
8 little opportunity TO work for hire, tina
- II he does succeed in securing employ
q ment his wages are often not more thai
n 5 cents a day, and that ne Is unusually
y unable to dispose OF his farm proouct
e for cash, being compelled to exchange
a them for other commodities. In ADDITION
'e IN these and other taxes that l do no
. recall. there is a tax on beasts OF bur
:, den. a tax for keeping shop, tax OF
~ mills or oil presses, a tax on weights ant
= measures. and tax on cock-nghting. n
10 every turn the poor native finds himsel
~ face IN face with the dire necessity o
having tribute, and ne frequently speho
: :, his life in an Intellectual effort to NEE
- the obligation thus imposed. The reve
~ nue. goes to Spain to pay the soldiers an
M navy.
" ..There is no escape from these taxes
- T have seen women whipped in the rurf
~ towns because they had perhaps failed
- gat a license before they sold their al
~ mail crop OF cocoanuts, or had secreted
=. cow or a goat SO that the tax collectS
AID not see It In his official rounds. Ft
- the collection of taxes the Spanish hav
~ revived the plan which was In use
~ France before the revolution OF llss. FL
~ each district Of 1000 square miles IA
=. collector Is appointed by the Govern'
IL OF the province. He is called gobern'
a. dorcilIo. and he is responsible for the e
IA timated amount which his district shou
ne nav In taxes. so thai II collections "a
av short he must make them good fro
=. his own nneket. He has under him