The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-10

somewhat by a cooling breeze that
blows inland over the sea.
For half the year none but the poor
est class OF unskilled laborers venture
out of doors 10 do any kind of work
between the hours Of in the morning
and in the afternoon. Everybody
sleeDs or dreams away the heat of mid
day This is made possible by the al
most universal custom of rising at
iii the morning.
The earthquake is on its native heath
in the Philippines. 1t is an ubiquitous
phase OF the life there and has 10 be
reckOneG with. The average is about
one q week. Though sometimes they
occur at the rate of 10 or L a day and
perhaps this will last for a week at a
stretch They are, Of course, slight
disturbances, and no one seems 10 no
tice them. But severe shocks are by
no means infrequent, shocks sufficient
Il heavy to destroy buildings. These
the natives do not accept with any
particular lethargy; on the contrary
they eVince a lively appreciation as 10
the possible seriousness OF the sItua-
ton. and skurry around at 4 great
rate to keep clear of falling walls and
buildings.
In 1884, the great cathedral at Manila
was nearly demolished and many build
ings were utterly destroyed, only their
foundation stones remaining one upon
the other, while some 1000 unfortu-
mates were entOmbed in the ruins of
their homes. Prior to this, in 1850, there
was a great earthquake on Negros is
land which worked widespread havoc.
During its continuance over 1000 per-
sons are estimated 10 have lost their
lives.
The native population is of the Malay
family. and, from all accounts, sim
themselves, but capable Of both per-
severance and courage Of high and
conmendable order when keyed up to
the fighting pitch, as they now are.
There is often large admlXture OF
foreign blood in the veins of these IS
landers. 1t may be either Spanish or
Chinese, and this mixed race, ''Meti-
zas," as they are called, forms one of
the most influential classes in the Phil
ippines, always excepting the Spanish
official, civil or military, and his circle,
which lords il with high hand, and
that sublime arrogance that would be
absurd were it not brutal.
The Philippine islander is probably
the most persistently taxed creature
the sun shines on in the world today,
for the Spaniard's whole theory of
taxation is nothing fsez'e or less than
an ingenious system Of spoilatiOn. He
wants the natives last copper, and
generally speaking. gets it
One must take into account in con-
sidering this question of taxation, that
the Iaborer or small farmer in the Phil
ippines earns on an average of from
to perhaps Is cents a day, and work
is no more steady there than else
where Yet he yields-Np by way of
poll tax the neat little sum of SIS a
year, while his wife pays a tax of $14.
The -:> IS collected, too. Any at
tempt at evasion is promptly and
sternly dealt with. If the culprit is
man the thumbscrews are used, if a
woman she is stripped and publicly
beaten.
But this poll tax is merely the start.
If the native is a small farmer he must I
secure a license before he can pick and !
market the cocoanuts from his own
trees If he wishes - butcher a COW |
or bullock, or shear his sheep, or cut |
down a tree, ne must Srst pay the in
evitable license fee. Should he fail in I
this he is sold out of house and home, |
sent 10 prison, or what not. according /
to the pleasure and whim of his Span
ish master
He must pay tax if he owns beast J.
of burden of any sort-for this is