New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-07

~ century coloniZer- of the Philip
-" .ovs \ writer in THE For'ngh'y "e-
p'Ho' IA the wisdom To allow the natives they
view "a IN retain to great extent their
ao" =, government. the only change of any
OWL 49, made in the existing system being
l"p'', ,holition OF the form of slavery prac-
'..d While She Spanish ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TOOK
'''' of the sutans and greater chiefs. the
~ feudal lords. were appointed gooerna-
,uos or p,tty governors Of the villages ana
nshns which were termed according to their
'.,or,oncc pueblos and visitas' or retained
'i, native appeation Of barangay. To these
49,. coverCrs and their lcutenants and ca
20. &c the headsmen are termed. were in
I'D tho duties Of mayor. magistrate and tax
'.uac,or respectively They were made re-
'.~.sih,e for the poll tax levied until 1851 under
-. name of tribute. on every adult native; for
-, ,,oner performance Of the statute labor.
",,oh consists Of forty days road mcndng
and other municipal work. and some days
,,rvice as cuadrcros. kind OF munich
-, and cantonal gendarmeric commanded
-, the cobernadorcillO. Such. in brief is
be internal organization OF these islands, in
,,imted at the conquest and pcrpctuatcd till the
,res,nt day. 10 the great advantage Of their
rulers The mass Of the population were prob
.hlv net long in coming to regard faVorably
,eigion and government which abolished sav-
sry and replaced by exact laws the former
,omewhat arbitrary rule o. their datos The
latter finding themselves abandoned 10y their
vassals were naturally glad to secure what
bo,o,s and power were left to them by the con
ouerors through tho cXcrcis" of these new func-
lions Though nominally no longer hereditary.
but elective these pihccs probably continued for
some time to be the appanagc Of the fcudal
lords At the prcsen, day there are living in
Manila desc ianls II these former sovcreiGns
Of the archipelago who enjoy a certain consd-
grafton. and have been invariably loyal 10 their
Spanish rulers.
THE POSITION OF WOMEN
The Philippine laws relating TO the property
Of married persons are exceedingly quaint and
Interesting. being entirely in favor Of the wife
The property Of 2 bride is never settled on the
hush; I'd. II a man is poor. and his wife we'll
TODD, 50 they remain throughout their mar
red lie, he becoming simply the administrator
Of her possessions. but having no RICH, 20 them.
Ii a husband becomes bankrupt in a business
in which he has infested some Of his wfes
fortune she ranks as SeCor d-class creditor
under the Commercial code Even on her death
the husband cannot. save under a deed executed
by her in the presence Of a notary. derive any
benefit from her estate. as her children if she
have any, and il not her nearest blood rela-
tves, are her heirs. Thus it 70, intrcducnily
happens that the :atlcr Of wealthy children is
himself mir -.
generosity for support; though at the same time
he is compelled by law to maraec their af-
fairs while minors. and at their majority. to
render strict account OF his stewardship. a
married woman continues to use her maiden
name, 70 which she adds her husbands with
the prefix de" This she abandons when left a
widow. save for purposes OF business or con
yeniencc Children also bear the M mes of both
father and mother that Of the mother comes
last and IS consequently the more prominent
!, is. however. only since 1874 that the mass
Of he natives have adopted family desiena
tons In that year list OF Spanish surnames
was sent TO the priest Of every parish. from
which the head of each household chose the
cOgnOmen which best pleased him. Thus one
may find such noble names as Lagaspi, de Sal
ceda, Lopez de Vega. etc, borne by the dusky
hued natives Of the interior Of LuzOn.
Such being the legal status OF women in these
Islands it naturally follows that Hey enjoy a
considerable degree Of PERSONAL Independence
which in some localities economic conditions
tend to increase. especially among the WORKING
classes. The "hicf Of these economic conditions
has been the almost exclusive employment II
the Government cigar factories e women. The
staple industry Of the city being thus debarrc'
from men. various occupations and industries
usually performed by women, fall to then
share. Into male hands has fallen 10 a grea
extent the manufacture and embroidery OF tn
rauZn rn.A.- fror,n hD Inn, silkN fiLres Of III