The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-28
"a Really Good Piano
The Stultz & Bauer
Wilkin & Co.

-HEH.AHA NLHEHN.# EHHHa-aHrIkNEHT
ground, across the river. There are
many native dialects. but the social, Of
fetal and business iliom is Spanish.
The army of Spanish civil, religious,
military. and naval officials Is a leech on
the people In the same fashion as in Gu
ba. All the places OF. profit are monopo-
lied by them. appointments to choice
offices in the Philippines being given to
those 'whomii 1t IL desired to reward for
service to the government in Spain. It
lis quite well understood that such an
appointee Is expected to gain a fortune
as rapidly us he can, by any method
possible, so that he may give way for
some one else to be brought over from
Spain for a similar reward. The policy
Is the same as the colonial policy OF
Spain In Cuba has been, and the same
results have followed.
Manila has cable connection with the
rest of the world and regular lines OF
passenger steamers, Tho European COL
ony has Its daily papers. which are,
however, under strict censorship, re-
Ngious and military, and keeps up
with the news and the fashions OF the
day.
The Philippine islands were discover
ed in 1921 by Magellan. the clrcumnav-.
igator. and were conquered by Spain
and made a colony in the reign OF Phil
Up II, for whom they were named, half
n century later. Spanish sway never has
extended over more than half of the
1.400 islands of the archipelago, the
others remaining under their native
wild tribes and Mohammedan rulers.
The con1ectural area is about 12O, 900.
square miles, and the estimated popu-
lation about 1900. 900. About half this
area and three-quarters OF this popula-
ton are nominally under Spanish rule.
but the instruction has left things in.
a good deal of doubt. The remainder of
the people are governed according to
their own customs. by independent ma
tive princes. Education Is exceedingly
backward. The Roman Catholic clergy
have been Industrious, and probably
$500, 900 natives are nominal converts to
the Christian religion: but education
has advanced very little among them.
There is a Roman Catholic archbishop
OF Manila, besides three bishops.
Trade restrictions have hampered the
commercial progress of the colony. but
In spite Of that fact their trade with
the outside world Is q large one. For
many years after the conquest but one
vessel a yearSwas permitted to ply be-
tween Manila and the Spanish-Ameri-
can port of Acapulco. Then the num-
Der was increased to five. Then a Span
ish chartered company was given a
monopoly OF the trade of the Islands.
When that monopoly expired. other
houses began business, and now many
large English and German firms share
the trade with the Spaniards, while
American houses and American ships
are by no means at the foot OF the list.
Even now. however. the manufacture
OF. cigars is a government monopoly,
and only half q dozen ports are open TO
foreign commerce. The total volume Of
the exports and imports Is about $685.
000, 900 annually.
The manufactures Of the Philippines
consist chiefly Of textile fabrics OF pine
apple fiber, silk and cotton; hats, mats.
baskets, rope, furniture, pottery and
musical instruments. Vegetable pro-
ducts OF great value are indigo, cocoa,
sugar, rice. bamboo, hemp and tobacco.
Coffee, pepper and cassia grow wild in
sufficient quantity and quality TO pro-
vide a living for. those who wish to take
advantage OF what nature has provided.
Coal, gold. iron and copper are mined
with profit. The soil Is exceedingly fer