The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-05-11
WHERE BEWEY FOUGHT.
Some Very Seasonable Information
Concerning the Philippine
Islands.
SPANISH CRUELTY BRINGS RUIN
The Peaceful Natives Converted by op-
PRESTON IatO BloOdthirsty savages
Spirit Of InsurrectiOn
Dominant.
SCARED WITH THE BLOOD COM
PACT.


The latest mails from Hong Kong
bring intelligence that the insurrection
against the Spanish government in the
Philippine Islands, which was sup
posed to have been suppressed, has
broken out afresh in the northern prov
inees Of LuzOn, and that bloody bat
ties are expected. The parallelism
with Cuba is quite curious. The pearl
Of the Antilles and the gem of Malay
sia became Spanish colonies in the last
half Of the sixteenth century; over
both the flag of Spain has fioated ever
since. But both We're acquired when
the Spanish soul was full of sap; when
the blood of Spain became impoyerish-
ed and Spanish fibre deeayed under be-
numbing Influences, the people of both
colonies grew restive, and attempts TO
throw off foreign dominion became
chronic. The insurrectionsry demon
strations were suppressed, but the sup
preston was so cruel and brutal that ii
left in the Malayan mouth taste for
blood and revenge.
The aggregate area Of the 800 odd
islands constituting the Philippine
group is about the same as that of Cal
ifornis bat the population of the is
lands is said TO number 100000 or
100000. The principal island, Luzon,
exceeds Cuba in area by 1900 miles,
and contains over twice the population.
In this population 200 tribes, indigo
nous and mixed, are said to be repre-
sented. Such are the negritos, who
were the aborigines; about 5000 Span
ish-born, and few hundred English,
Americans and Germans; a considera-
ble body OF Spanish mestiz0s, the Off
spring of Spanish fathers and native
mothers; several hundred thousand
Chinese and Chinese mestizos-that is
TO say, the offspring of Chinese fathers
and native mothers; but the great bulk
of the inhabitants are Malays, who
conquered the island long before the
Spaniards landed, and resisted fiereely,
but Intellectually, the European inva-
sion They were originally a mild,
gentle, kind and b spitable people, but
centuries Of cruel oppression have gen.
Grated among them a warrior class
which has learned to Guido the Span
iards in ferOcity. Ia the rebellions Of
1872 and 1895 they made no secret of
their purpose TO grant no quarter.
They were originally Mahomatans,
and the Spanish invaders dealt with
them as their co religionists did with
the Moors in Spain. steadfast adher-
ents to the Moslem creed were extermi-
mated, and the work was so thoroughly
done that there is not a mosque left on
any OF the islands, aud Mr. Foreman
saws that less than 500, 900 Malays now
adhere to their ancient faith. When
called to account for intolerance Senor
Canovas justified himself by alleging
that mild, persuasive, paternal influ-
enee was effective in eounterac.ing the
savage instincts Of the natives. In this
plausible theory the Maiays do not
concur. In 1872 they denounced this
paternai solicitude Of their masters as
intolerable tyranny. In 1895 they went
further, and, finding that they could
no. shake Off the inquisitorial domin-
ion Of governing officials, they planned
the annihi'ation Of the whole white
race IN the islands
EARTHQUAKES, VOLCANOES AND Ty-
PHoONs.
The region is congenial for the de
veiopment of passion. The whole
Philippine group is OF volcanic origin;
one Of the greatest active volcanoes in
the world, Mayon, IS within sight Of
Manila. Earthquakes are frequent,
and they are SO terrible thai msn's
bones are said to shake. Sir John
Browning said: "They overturn N oun-
tains, they ill up valleys, they desDlate
plains, they open passages from the sea
into the interior. and fr0rl the lakes
into the sea-" Ths earttq1akes Of IA
pan are gentle tremors Ia complri-
s)n.
As If volcanic eruptioEs and earth
quakes did not suffice to 2eep up popu-
lar excitement, nature selected the
Philippine group TO be a cradle of
typhoons- Navigators sailing the CHI
ma sea hardly dare lift their eyes from
the barometer to talk or eat or sleep 80
long ss they are in the latitude Of
QnyoD. In the old days many . brave
gaIIeon on her hclneward voyage, such
as the one Bret Harte described as
.iowly drilling atliwart the setting sun,