The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-06-04
THE PHILIPPINES.
A Paradise Under the Human Curse
Its Climate, Soil, Productions,
and People Described by One
Who Knows Them.

The DAILY LEADER is under ohliga-
tions to ID. ID. Holdridge. Esq. of this
city for the following excellent article
descriptive of the Philippine Islands,
recently published in the independence.
Iowa. Bulletin. The writer. Mr.. Gay
lord. is an old-time acquaintance of
Judge Holdridge. and has travelled OK
tensiyely in the old world, especially in
the tropics. the purchaser Of wild ami.
mails and curios for museums of various
kinds. Following is Mr.. Gaylord's let
ter which will be read with interest:
Until qnite recently the average
American was in blissful ignorance Of
that magnificent insular empire known
as the Philippines. But since the bril-
liant victory Of Rear Admiral Dewey at
Manila. and the possibility Of their be
coming our permanent property, all
classes Of our people are eager to learn
more about them. Situated as they
are outside the routes followed b.. the
steamship lines plying between the Pa
erous European and .Asiatic steamship
lines. the tourists have left these islands
out of their route. Another and great
er reason why they have been tabooed
10y the globe %trotter is the trouble and
annoyance OF having to secure passports.
1t has always been the policy Of the
Spanish officials to place all manner of
obstacles in the way. and make it AS un-
pleasant as possible to visitors. They
were evidently afraid that some n
would learn too much about the way
they misgoverned the country.
In this sketch ! will give the reader
some OF the characteristics and pecul.
i%arities OF the country and Of its inhabi-
tants. As there are over two hundred
different tribes in the various islands,
with its own customs. manners and
language. Il description Of those from
one part OF the archipelago would not
tit those OF another section. but there are
some traits that are common to all the
group, chief Of these being l%aziness and
gambling. But when you come to in
vestigate and do a little thinking, you do
not wonder at their disposition to take
it easy, for between the Spanish official
AID the priest the poor native has to
give up all his earnings except barely
enough to support himself and family.
Under like conditions the most energet.
ic race in the world would become indo-
lent. Gambling OF all kinds is encou
aged by the government, which derives
a great eyenue from that source. The
government runs a lottery, and there
are four drawings each year. the main
prize being $4,000. Even IN this the
Spaniards cannot be square, for it is
we'll known that the governor generals
wife draws the big winning once each
year. This, however, does not prevent
the natives from taking their chances on
the drawing. They will pawn the last
article they possess to buy tickets. They
have all kinds Of gambling games and
devices with cards and dice. and all
manner OF Chinese games as we'll.
Their greatest amusement and betting
feature is the cock fight. There are
cooking mains in every little hamlet,
and a match between two well known
birds will draw crowds from the sur.
rounding country, and thousands OF
dollars change hands over the result.
1t speaks we'll for the good nature of