The evening times., 1898-11-05
OUR SOLDIERS AT MANILA.
Nostalgia and Peculiar Intoxicant
Causes Illness,

Manila, Sept %, via San Francisco, Cal,
Nov. 4.-The Americans are settling down
for long stay at Manila. They appar-
emily believe that Uncle Sam has con-
cluded to hold the Philippines. With the
trade possibilities here and a bit of Yam
kee enterprise the Americans will reap
millions and will make the islands pay
for their own government without put
ting burden upon the people, and will
bring peace to a troubled land by keep
ing the half wild and wholly savage
tribes of natives amused.
But while the sentiment of the army,
men and officers alike is that the United
States viii and should keep the islands.
while many of the officers are renting or
buying houses or sending for their wives
to come out and join them, while Ameri-
can capital is already beginning to lubri-
cate the somewhat slow-moving wheels
of commerce in the islands, men and Of
ficers of the army of occupation want 10
go home.
They believe the islands will be and
should be held, but they want some other
fellow to- do the holding. The army, in
effect is sadly afflicted with nostalgia.
II is the deadly dullness of garrison life
after active service in the field that has
produced this condition. Men who fought
in trenches before Malate think it
waste OF good material to be set to the
task of policing a petty Spanish city and
protecting a lot of petty Spanards from
the wrath of a horde or Filipinos. whom
Americans. properly angered. would treat
to what the boys al home call a swift
kick by way of administering discipline
best fitted to the needs of the case.
More than half the sickness in the army
and sickness is very prevalent now, and
will become more so II some way is not
discovered to render the city clean oe-
fore the dry season-I believe to be di-
rectly traceable to their desire to get
away and to the practical impossibility
of the qualification of their desire so long
as conditions remain as they are The
most Of the men in the hospital owe their
evil fortune TO the propensity born of
garrison idleness. to test the quality of
liquors of various and most potent varie-
ties
There is one peculiar drink distilled
from anise which has all the evil effects
Of absinthe upon the American brain.
and which has the added evil effect that
three drinks of it will afflict a man with
desire to rob his own trunk and four
will make him kill himself by way of
punishment after he has done it. One
poor fellow was found dead in a Chinese
house the other day, his demise being di-
rectly traceable TO his appetite for ami
sette, and more men are in fair way
TO meet a like fate.
The officers, of course. try to break up
the traffic in this baneful deeoction. but
where every native and half the Spanish
! houses in the town have small shops on
| the ground floor, and where every shop
sells anisette either openly or in secret
the task is difficult. Warnings of doctors.
! unfortunately, pass unheeded. although
DR.. Farrell of the First California. has
| most effectual method of spiIling the
stun in the street whenever he finds the
boys fndulging their craving for it
| The American soldier in his Iusty
! strength, argues that his stomach is as
good as that of any Spaniard or Filipino,
| both of whom drink anisette The Span
! lard drinks anisette diluted and thrives
upon it. The Filipino drinks anisette
| straight and rarely becomes intoxicated.