The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-02
SPANS Asiatic Possessions.

1
Spain has reason for fear that the loss
of Cuba will be but one of the disasters
| to befall il in the present war with the
| United States. II is recognized in all quar-
| tiers that the queen regent would have
been willing 10 let the Cuban Instruction
/ lists have their island without further pro-
test had it not been for the fact that Civ
ing up probably would have melted an in
surrection at home. resulting in the loss
of the crown to her son before he should
have a chance to wear It. II is quite as
reasonable a probability that the Phillip
| pine islands, that splendid colony OF Spain
| in the East Indies. would have been lost
| to Spanish control at the same time. and
that the island OF Puerto Rico. the last
remnant of SPANS great colonial posses
sions in the western hemisphere after
Cuba is gone would have gained freedom,
too. Now, having spurned the only course
| in Cuban affairs the United States would
| permit; with American warships in Cuban
waters and other American warships
moving on Manila. Spain bids fair 10 lose
the Philippines quite as surely as If IL
had taken the other horn OF the diem
ma.
| Information concerning the Philippine
islands is not very plentiful. They are far
voyagers around the world reach them.
Enough is known TO prove that the colony
is of great value to Spain; that its history
has been succession Of revolt against
| Spanish rule and Spanish cruelty, and that
it viii be very easy for the American
fleet now advancing on the colony TO cap
ture it promptly.
Manila the capital city of the colony
and of LuZon, the largest island, lies 62s
miles. or 60 hours easy steaming, south
east of Hong Kong. and twice that dis
| lance northeast OF Singapore. The popu-
lation Of the city is about $50, 0O0 OF whom
10. 000-including troops, government Off
Gals and clergy-are Europeans, and not
more than 500 are English-speaking peo-
pie. A few American houses have branch
es in Manila, so that there is an Amerl-
can population Of perhaps 100. The city
faces fine bay. into which flows the Riv-
er Passig. Most of the Europeans live in
Btnondo, a beautiful suburb on higher
ground, across the river. There are many
native dialects, but the social. official and
business idiom is Spanish. The army OF
Spanish civil. religious, military and ma
val officials is a leech on the people in
the same fashion as in Cuba. All the
places OF profit are monopolized by them,
appointments to choice offices in the
Philippines being given to those whom it
Is desired to reward for service TO the gov
eminent in Spain Ii is quite well under
stood that such an appointee is expected
to gain fortune as rapidly as he can.
by any method possible, so that he may
give way for some one else to be brought
over from Spain for 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 The European COL
ony has its daily papers, which are how
ever, under strict censorship religious
and military. and keeps up with the news
and the fashions of the day. Until the
insurrection OF the last two years, the
army, except two Spanish brigades of ar
tillery and corps of engineers. was COM
posed of natives and consisted OF seven
regiments of infantry and one OF cavalry.
There were also a body of Spanish militia
in Manila. a volunteer corps similar to
that of Havana, which could be called
out by the captain-generaI in the event
Of need. When the latest insurrection be-
gan, Spain shipped to its far-off colony
all the men who could be spared from SER
vice in Cuba, and after few months Of
fighting it was announced that the rebell- |
ion was crushed. As a matter Of fact, how !
ever, Spain has control of but a compare
lively small part of the islan1s, and the /
natives elsewhere are as FREQ from ebliga- |
ton to pay Spanish taxes as they were |
before the discovery. Spain has Manila !
and the other ports and the plantations |
near the cities. The rest of the country /
can not be subdued by any force that /
Spain can bring to bear unless the leaders |
of the insurrecuon choose to lay down /
their arms.
The Philippine islands were discovered |
in 1921 by Magellan, the ciroumnavigator, !
and were conquered by Spain and made /
a colony in the reign of Philip IL, for /
whom they were named. half a century .
later. Spanish sway never was extended !
over more than half of the 1,400 islands
of the archipelago, the others remaining
under their native wild tribes and Mo-
hammedan rulers. The conjectured area
Is about 10000 square miles, and the es-
timated population about 1905 900. About
half this area and three-quarters of this
population 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 10
their own customs, by independent native
princes. Education IS exceedingly back
ward The Roman Catholic clergy have
been industrious. and probably $50 900 ma
lives are nominal converts to the Chris
tan religion; but education has advanced
very little among them. There is a Ro-
man Catholic archbishop Of Manila, be-
sides three bishops.
The history of the Philippines has in
,luded a succession of revolutions against
Spanish authority, put down BY feroclOus
warfare and cruelty on the part OF the vic
.ors. The conversion and subjugation of
he islands were not accompanied by quite
he horrors that characterized the Span
sh conquest of South America, but the
-ecnrd is second only 10 that Manila was
,aptured by the English in 1852. and WAS
leld by them for years until ransomed by
he Spanish By payment Of ElGe0. 90.
Contests with rebeIlious tribes, attacks
~ pirates. volcanic eruptions. Garth
luakes and tornadoes help 10 break the
nonotony Of the history.
Trade restrictions have hampered the
commercial progress Of the colony, but in I
pite OF that fact their trade with the out
ide world is a large one. For many years Z
-fter the conquest but one vessel a year
vas permitted to ply between Manila and :
he Spanish-American port OF Acapulco. ]
Then the number was increased 70 five. Z
'hen Spanish chartered company was
1ven a monopoly OF the trade OF the IS ?
anGs- When that monopoly expired 9TH
T houses began business and now many !
arEe English and German firms share the
-ads with fhA Soauiards Ehffa Ause-fcsr
ouses and American SHIPS are by no I
$3.50 ia - ! 7