The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02
SPAIN'S RECORD OF ROBBERY
SAMPLES OF THREE HUNDRED
YEARS OF LOCALIZED OPPRESSION.
Belief that Russia Will offer Oppose
ton to Control of the Islands
by the United States.

sorry good behavior our troops fraternizing
With the people and making themselves pop
uar while picking up Spanish, l thought it
best to investigate the resources of these
islands and the methods by which our late
foe has misgoverned these pearls of the
Ocean," Under present circumstances it is
not so very difficult to obtain official data.
How much these have been doctored by the
official squeezing which was an essential
part of the system. is more than l can tell;
and those who could furnish such desirable
information ara difiident and not unnatural
ly rather retcent upon the subject. With
this proviso, my facts are correct.
First, then, as to the resources. The
abundant rains and the presence of numer-
Gus water courses, added to the tropical sun
and the volcanic origin of the islands, ac-
count for their magnificent fertility, and the
comparative prosperity which not even 1923
years of Spanish misrule has been able to
destroy. THE wealth of timber is meal
culable," said wel-informed Spaniard to
me while dilating upon the value of the
islands. have convinced myself that resins,
gums, mastick- pastes and dye products may
be had in any quantity, and that an album
dance of fine-grained wood and timber for
building is going to waste. Sugar, hemp,
tobacco and coffee are the chief articles of
export the inveterate Incidence of the
Spaniards, together with their pet methods
of taxation, which nip every new enter
prise in the bud, preventing other and as
valuable resources from being exploited.
They have also consistently INSTRUCTED the
admission of other foreigners, and meal
culable wealth has laid idle and useless.
Minerals of various kinds are plentiful in
Mencayan and Lepanto. In Mambulao one
or two gold mines are being worked, 1 might
almost say secretly. The natives Of Para
Gale and North Camarines are working
some quartz mines under the protection of
the friars, whose royalty absorbs almost
the entire output. Responsible foreigners
who examined for themselves assure me that
the streams of Sapan, Casiguran and New
Ecya contain gold pyrites of a good quality.
Copper is plentiful in Lupac and Agbas,
while Suyne produces copper and iron py-
rites. Hot Strings of acknowledged medic
inal properties are not uncommon. The
"holy waters of Tuii and Sibu are visited
every year by thousands of natives seek
ing relief from their sufferings
The climate is not bad. although. as in
most parts of the tropics, it is enervating.
The thermometer during the year ranges
from about sixty to ninety degrees. The
cold and dry season commences in Novem-
Der and continues until March; then it
grows warm, and from April until the end
of May it is hot but dry. The rainy sea-
son begins in June and continues until No
vember. At this time it is almost impossi-
BILE to travel in the interior, since the riy-
ers and streams flow over the banks. Oc-
casionally, however, protracted drought
occurs, and again swarms of locusts will
ruin many plantation. Another and very
disagreeable feature is the frequency of the
earthquakes. These upheavals and the
typhoons prevailing in the summer season
form the shadow side of life in the Philip
pines.
Spain derived a revenue of about 81 800, 600
gold, produced from direct taxation, Gus
toms duties, monopolies and lotteries. This
amount is very much below what the islands
could produce if thrift and energy were
fostered instead of Incidence and luxury.
Every intelligent Spaniard whom I have met
agrees with the historian Of these islands.
Dr. Augustin de la Cavada, that 1.-The ma
tives have gentle, submissive and respect
full disposition, and are very hospitable."
Notwithstanding this fact, revolts have been
very frequent The most notorious are
those of 1922, 1S41, 1912, 1872 and the last of
1886. The last census gives the number Of
natives paying taxes or tribute as 500, 1856,
while the comparatively small number OF
6O2, 1853 pay no tribute living as they do in
almost inaccessible mountain Businesses
These natives, however, are peaceful and in
terfere with no one.
SPANISH OPPRESSION.
Oppression must, indeed, have been severe
to cause naturally gentle and indolent races
to revolt. 1t was; there can be no mistake
about that Every Spaniard, and his name
is legion who came to these isles in an off,
cial capacity was one Of a horde Of locusts
preying upon the people The Latin race de-
lights in outword show, as the Anglo-Saxon
delights in the comforts of home. Add to
this that every Spaniard with influence
enough to secure position in these islands
wanted to make it evident to his fellow
officials that he was "a son of somebody
or a hidalgo, and we have the impetus
which rendered shameless squeezing a ne
cessity in the absence of sufficiently ex-
travagant salary. TO shine in the Luneta
and other public places during his tenn
porary sojourn and to make nest egg
against the time when his country would
dispense with his valuable service by send
ing out hungry successor, was the sole
purpose of the twenty thousand Spaniards
who cursed these islands with their pres
ence.
The natives would have borne this un-
complainingly. for, after all, the pockets of
twenty thousand mon are not bottomless,
if they had been given the chance to make
the best of their resources. But no. The
curious intermixture of church and state,
almost incomprehensible to us of the nine
teenth century. was thorough preventive.
Motley's history Of the time of Philip II.
after whom these islands were named, fur
nishes an excellent key to the riddle. since
the regulations instituted by that insane
monarch prevail to-day. Think of 1t, three
centuries Of stagnation: Three hundred
years without progress! Exaggerationl Not
in the least. say distinctly that have a
certified copy of the official documents be-
fore me. and. If they are not altogether cor
rect. it is because they do not state the
truth in all its hideousncss.
First, then, as to legalized oppression-I
can't give 1t q more appropriate name. The
tax collectors or cabezas number about one