The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-06-15

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! nights resound with the wierd caterwaul-
ing coming from the singing OF the Pas
sion Songs" which unenlightened ma
tiyes use 10 impress themselves with pen
iterce. A newly arrived observer would
think bedlam had been let loose 10 walk
through a Manila suburb on the eve OF
Easter week From Holy Thursday 10
Easter Sunday the use OF carriages IS
forbidden. and IN days gone by people
were not allowed 70 hoist their umbrellas
or ride in the tram car. All traffic IS
suspended. and besides the ice cart and
the doctor, few vehicles have the right
Of way.
The town Is as still las death. and the
foreign colony takes this as the one op-
portunity in the year to make excursions
to Corregidor 70 the lake and mountains
or 70 the volcanic regions south steam
launches are IN demand. the English Cluo
.s deserted. and for three days Tom, DICK
and Harry battle in the China sea or shoot
birds and rapids IN the country districts
OF Pagsangan.
If merchant vessel ever happens 20 be
short of time and wants 70 discharge OF
load a cargo on Sunday. the Archbishop
not the governor general. IS the only per
son who may grant the permit. and Il IS
no EASY thing 20 make him willing. In
Easter week, of course. work III the bay
is almost entirely suspended. ana WratnAU1
shippers may be seen at every turn ours
ing at the delay.
lust before my last Semana santa III
Manila large American yacht anchoreu
in the bay on her way from Borheo ~
Hong Kong. and contrary to all usage
two soldiers from the civil guard We're
placed aboard 70 see that nothing was
sn,uegled ashore. Instead OF receiving
the courtesy of the port. as do generaHy
all war ships and yachts, the Eleanor
was obliged TO enter at the custom NUS
az any nerchantman, while native cara
bineros" paraded her decks with loaded
rifles. The Wednesday before hCS
Thursday came, and the yacht was 10
start for Hong Kong, where her guests
expected 10 spend Easter. But when the
CAPTAIN went to the custom house for ais
papers he found that the captain OF the
port" had gone home for siesta ana
would not return until the following Mon
dav. Although it was early in the after
noon. the officials who were left remarked
that nothing could be done and that the
Yacht must wait at anchor in Manila bay
for the passing Of the holidays and the
return Of the chief But the captain OF
the Eleanor was a Dewey In his way ana
going back aboard his vessel he told the
civil guards he was going TO sail But
YOU haven't had the inspection and have
not got your papers" said they. we
refuse to let your vessel go"
Armed with four Calling guns on her
rails and with a show of rifles and cut
1asses in the compa nionway. the Eleanor
was fair type of the auxiliary cruiser
The guards refused to leave. the captain
insisted and finally dumped them of into
a native boat that lay longside, threten-
ing to fire if they showed resistance
Then the Eleanor got up her anchor and
steamed out Of Manila bay right across
the bows Of the old Maria Cristina-the
Spanish admiraTs flagship destroyed on
the 1st of May.
Diplomatic relations Immediately be-
ctme strained. The American consul was
threatened and cabed to Japan for war
ships. The governor general read the
message, a copy being sent him from the
sentative. Explanations followed and
the matter was at length smoothed over.
This is but one instance of Spanish meth
DDS, both in feast seasons and out Of
them.
To cite another example I have only to
go back to the time of my own arrival on
% Lnr
were sheep coming over from China 10
stock the markets of Manila with mutton
and one of the animals died just after the
steamer had been boarded by the doctor
down the bay According TO Manila law.
man or beast dying during the day has 10
be buried before sundOwn, and the pen
atty for the neglect Of this rule is $50
Phe captain couldn't throw the carcass
overheard, for the ship was steaming
into the narrow river, and the doctor
eyes were open. On the other hand, If he
buried the sheep and turned out one short
at the custom house next morning the
fine would be 500. Our skipper stood be
tween Scylla and Charybdis, but believ-
ing Il was worth the extra so 70 obey the
board of health he sent the sheep ashore
and had Il buried at some expense. Next
day his cargo turned out one sheep short
and the fine was 800. One hundred dol
lars for each piece over or under the
amount called for by the ships manifest
is the rule. and the story OF tn eunfor;un-
ate skipper who brought paving stones
from China is now a byword with the
foreign houses. His good snip. it seems,
brought seven paving stones too many.
and for that addition some one had 70 /
pay the fine Of 500.
For years and years trade has been re-
tarded 10y methods such as these. and q /
shortsigh.ed policy OF imposing huge ex- !
port duties on local products has impeded I
business instead Of filing the Spanish /
treasury. IN loading hemp, for instance, /
one must pay an export duty or the whole |
cargo before It Is put OF board, and not /
one person in 1850 can estimate the *
act capacity Of steamer or sailing vessel 4
II your snip carries more than the 4
amount on which you have paid the duty I
loading must be stopped until 4 couple 4
81 DAYS have brought the additional re-
-eipt. And II less. your claim FOR refund
has 10 60 70 Spain for adjustment For
.unate is tae house which gets a settle
nent within two years. and more than
fortunate the one that gets settlement;
AZ all
Church and state are both undermining
heir own power by excessive Ievies ard
excessive taxes. The big churc1 n the
enter Of a native village. with its gor-
-e0us affairs. ard priceless floats. whose
lgurss are clothed win the costiiest