The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1898-06-21
IN SPANS PHILIPPINES.
HER CORRUPT RULE A CURSE TO
THESE FERTILE ISLANDS.

The Philippines lie wholly within
the tropics, reaching Mt the south ia
within four and n half degrees Of the
eqrator, writes Dean g. Worcester. of
the University OF Michigan in tho New
York Independent. Big and little: they
number some six hundred. varying IN
size from Luzop, with its 10, 900 square
miles. to tiny islets hardly worthy of
the name. Destructive eruptions have
occurred within recent times. while
earthquake are frequent sud often of
great violence.
The climate is intensely hot. and in
many of the islands very unhealthy for
Europeans. There are four months of
rain, four OF St:r, with intense heat.
aud two months of variable vcather at
each change of the monsoons.
The tropical scenery in the forests of
this archipelago is of unsurpassed
splendor. the heat and moisture com
o,ningto produce vegetation of mag
hiicente which heggors description.
Gigantic trees, towering TO q height cf
200 or 800 feet are festooned with
graceful tattSus, beautiful ferns. and
exquisite orchids, while Underneath
splendid tree ferns rear their lovely
hoeds thirty or forty feet into air.
The population of the islands il es-
umated Mt from eight to ten millions.
Excluding foreigners for the moment.
wa find the natives divided into some
thing like two hundred tribes, each
With its peculiar dialect and customs.
with The single exception Of tho Ne
grItos, these tribes are ~ Malay ex
traction The Negritos are race of
dwariish blacks; confined ut present 10
Few of tho loftiost mountain ranges.
They are commonly believed to he the
aborigines of the islands. They are
n puny, ~sickly race, and are rapid
ly becoming extinct.
Tho tribes of Malay origin vary in
their development from II state of nb
solute savagery 10 civilization.
Extreme poverty is the rule nmono
the civilized natives. and its cause Is
found in the heavy burden Of taxation
imposed upon them 10y their Spanish
masters. Every person over eighteen
years OF nSe Is required to procure
annually n creduln personal; or docu-
ment of Identification, the charge for
which Writes from $3.50 to S25. nc
cordlng to the means of the applicant.
Should these sums seem fnsipuificont
1T must be remembered that the aver
age native has little or no opportuuitv
to work for hire; that if he does guc-
ceed In securing employment his wages
are OFTEN not more than five cents per
day and that he is usually unable tn
dispose Of his farm products for cash.
being compelled to EXCHANGE them for
other commodities. In addition to
tins personal tax there is Il tax ON CO
connut trees, n tax on beasts of bur
den, tax OH killing animals for food.
a tax Tor keeping shop. q tax on
mills or oil presses, Il tax on WEIGHTS
ana measures, tax on cock fiphtiuo
ana so Oh to the end Of tho chapter,
AZ every turn the poor native finds
Llmsclf face to face with the dire ne
cessity of paying tribute; aud he fire.
spends his life in an ineflect-
nal effort to meet the obligations thus
imposed.
Delinquent taxpayers arc treated
with the utmost severity. The first
step is usually to strip them to the
waist, tie them to bench or post and
beat them numerically. Women arc
subjected to this treatment. SbouId
none OF these methods prove effective
deportation follows, with confscation
OF property and the leaving of women
and childrent TO shift for themselves.
once saw forty four men deporfe5
from Siquijor because they owed taxes
varying in amount from two to forty
dollars. / was informed that they
would be allowed to return TO
their families, if they could find
them, after working out the amount
OF their several debts. The WAGES
allowed them were to he six cents nor
day. Board was to be furnished them
Mt cost of five cents per day. and
they were to clOthe and shelter them |
In other words, their sen
fence amounted to deportation for
life.
Should native manage TO get
abroad and secure some little educa-
ion, he is likely TO be invited ON
board gunboat some evening and NOT |
heard from thereafter, the reason for |
his disappearance being that he knew !
TOO much.
The Governor General is surroun J. |
ed by numerous corps of officials 70 |
nd him in the performance of his dn-
lies, while the islands are divided |
INTO provinces, over each OF which 4
oresides - Governor aud q horde of
minor officials The whole Admins.
ration IS rotten from skin TO core
with few exceptions, these officials
have come from Spain with the delhi.
crate and frankly expressed intention
IF improving their pecuniary status
A few years ago it used to be said
mat the Governor Of province who
ailed TO become wealthy in two years
vas fool
Hostility toward foreigners in in.
ense. The extensive export and i'm
port trade Of the islands is in The
hands Of foreign houses. to the great
disgust Of the Spanish, who never
weary in their attempts To- frame leg
station for the ruin of these money
making iutcrlopers
All in all, it can hardly be said that
he lot Of % Philippine native is n
iappy one. lie constantly chafes nm
Ter his burden, while the half cas.es
With their greater CONSTITUENCIES and
superior intelligence, are perpetually
polling with more or less WELDON