Middletown transcript., 1898-08-13
AN ANCIENT DEBT.
WHAT CALIFORNIA OWES TO THE
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS,

vite attention to California's historical
Indebtedness to the Philippines. Our
chroniclers tell,us that but for the Ar
.gonants who first looted these isles to
Oil the Golfers of Spain, the explora-
tion and settlement of Alta California
would have been postponed for many
years; that alter Cabrillo's report of
the povei y Of the natives of our
Shores, and the absence of that bar
baric splendor which had vainly excit-
ed the dreaming avarice of the first dis
covers. no further attention would
have been paid to this stretch of coast
by The Spanish administrators in Mex
leo, but for the exigencies of the Phili-
pine treasure ships. 1t is romantic
and well attested chain of circum-
stances, this story of California and
the Philippines, bridging three centu-
ries, and perhaps leading to develop
ments of great import to our people.
Spanish supremacy in the PHILIPPINES
was established in 1864, or thereabouts,
and Immediately an extensive trade
sprang up between Mexican ports and
those islands across the Pacific. 1t is
courtesy to call it trade. More prop
erly it was a piracy. The Spaniards,
with the same heartless greed that has
characterized their treatment of all
their island colonies. from beginning to
end, used the inhabitants of the Phili-
pines and their possessions as their
legitimate prey. In the words of Hit
tell, "the annual galleons out from
Mexico carried men, arms. unscrupu-
lousness and chicanery; returning, they
brought spices, silks, oriental treasures
and gems"
Up TO that time the Spanish adven-
turers had beer disappointed in their
search for the gilded spires of the fabu-
lous "Seven Cities" and for the noun
tain of virgin gold they had expected
to find in mysterious California, and
although the ardor Of the Jesuit mis-
sionaries was unquenched, there was
little disposition among the treasure
seekers to continue their researches
along the coast and into the interior.
Then came the glittering disclosures
and enticements of the Philippine
trade to stimulate the tagging interest
in California. Those early navigators
learned little about our coast, it is true,
but they soon ascertained that the
winds and currents of the Pacific
Ocean, while favoring course within
the tropics for vessels westward bound,
necessitated a much more nOltherly
course for the return voyage from
Asiatic waters. Hence the richly
freigh.ed argosies from the Philippines
in the sixteenth century ran up far be-
yond the tropical line, then took ad-
vantage of the westerly winds and
crossed it about the latitude of Cape
MendociLo, to run down the coast of
California to their home ports. This
commerce soon attracted the attention
of English privateers, eager to inflict
vengeance upon Spain; started Drake
on his celebrated voyage around the
world, led to renewed attempts to find
the northwest passage;" rendered the
occupation and defense of this coast
matter of vital Importance TO New
Spain, and thus gave decided impetus
to- the exploration and settlement of
Alta California.
It is chronieled that so valuable were
the treasures snatched by the Spanish
voyagers from the Philippies in the
middle OF the sixteenth century, that
one galleon brought back booty worth
one million dollars, and narrowly es-
capped being gobbled by the English.
For more than 300 years the Philip
pines have been a source of rivers of
riches TO their conquerors; and nc mat
ter what their political destiny may be,
who can doubt that their commercial
development will be of immense value
to these Pacific states under the new
regime. We can confidently believe
that their historical contribution to
the progress of California viii be vastly
exceeded in Importance and profit by
future business relations. No longer
prey TO Spanish rapacity, the CONNER
ciai growth of the Philippines is assur-
ed, and why should not large share
Of the new trade look toward the shores |
of California; Natural Commercial
currents are as strong as were the |
winds and waves which first DETECTED |
the Spanish galleons to this coast. We
are told that this country has bought
products of the Philippines to the value
of 81. .0O0, 900, the past year, but has
sold them only about $125, 600 worth Of
our goods. Experts calculate that the
present population of the islands, even,
has purchasing capacity of $500, ,000,-
600 annually from us. Under Ameri-
can influences, it is inevitable that this
trade should multiply rapidly, and that
if California is awake to her opportu.1
mites, it will contribute more magnif-
Gently to her progress and prosperity
than did the historical galleons of Le-
gazpi.
Yellow Jaundice Cured.