The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-05

dShtu AEDlNall' uIOul NltlI lNNHs
courts, judges, lawyers.
I'VE have the old Spanish laws" he
answered, "and although they are
very harsh. like everything Spanish,
yet they insure against lawlessness.
The courts are conducted mainly by
native judges who are intelligent and
able men. We have our native law
ycrs, also, and some of them are men
of great elouuenCe."
/ asked as to their marriage customs:
whether there was any divorce, any
polygamy.
DIVORCE NOT KNOWN.
The rigid old Spanish law and the
regulations of the Roman Catholic
church make marriage a very solemn
occasion" he went ON. THE ceremony
is, of course, the same as that in any
Catholic church in this country, and
the natives out in the interior observe
this the same as the old Spaniards.
Marriage with them is a religious sac
| ramcnt, and is not q. civil contract. 1t
| is binding for all time, No such thing
as divorce is known to the islands, sfor,
| being a catholic country with church
and state united, the rigid regulations
of the church against divorce make 1t
the law of the land that there shall be
no divorce or separation.
| AS to polygamy, that is unhcard of.
! Even the natives i'm the forest, those
| i'm the lowest state, have only one
| wife. Bigamy is very severely punish
ed. and anyone convicted of having two
! wives is punished by Two years penal
| servitudc."
Have your people yet taken ur the
fine arts-paintinG sculpture?' / ask
ed Agoncillo.
| PRIZES IN LONDON.
why" said he with an amused eX-
| preston, Our native artists are adj
mitted to the salons of Paris, and
some Of them have taken in the high
| prizes and medals at the French Acad-
emy. Our chief native artist, Luna,
| exhibited his picture at the French
| Academy and took the silver medal
there. afterwards taking the gold medal
at the Madrid salon. He is Il dark
skinned. full-bloodcd Filipino. His pic
lures have wonderful brilliancy of
,olorinG. and as they are much fa -
ored at Madrid and Paris, where they
rank with the pictures Of the best ar
lists Of Europe Another of our native
artists is Hdalgo. also fun -bloodcd
| Filipino lie is now established in
Paris, and every year his pictures are
| favorites at the Academy exhibition.
| He has also taken the silver medal
at Madrid, but he is no longer popu-
! lar at Madrid, because of his last pic
ture. which represented the old Spanish
| fliarS killing the captain general of
the Philippines. Spain soon took a
Il
placed on canvas, the figures being
life size. with such splendid execution
as to make the picture famous and so
1idalgo has fallen into disfavor with
the authorities at Madrid. could
name you out sculptors also. who are
no less noted than Luna and Hidalgo.
THEATERS FLOURISH.
do the natives have their own thea
ters, actors, etc? II asked to start
him on their forms of amusement.
There are native theaters all through
the island" he said. "and they are
conducted by native actors, who pre-
sent plays written by native authors.
Some Of the actors are very clever,
and have reputation all through the
island for portraying historical char
acters. other are good in humorous
| pieces, and the natives rather perfeG
what makes them laugh.
There is one very bad line of amuse-
ment," Agoncillo went on 'and that is
cockfighting circuses. The natives
have been encouraged into these cir
cuses by the Spanish officials, who
make enormous profits out Of them"
] suggested that IL was strange the
Spaniards did not prefer bull fights t.
coclihghts.
"No, our people will not stand hull
fights" said Agoncillo, land up to the
present day do not remember of ever
having seen "A bull fight on the island.
The old Spaniards wanted to import
the sport from Madrid, and they stood
ready to bring over some of the best
matadors and bandarillOs. but for some
, reason our people would not have bull
fighting. They seem to think il would
ruin cocktighting, which is almost q
national amusement, or curse"
DEVCTEES or MUSIC.
"Havc the natives any accomplish
ments; are they fond of musicP" was
suggested.
Yes, and they are Verv good musi-
, | clans" he proceeded. THE smallest
village has its own oand. The natives
, take naturally to music. There are n
number of fine bands at Manila. AMI
every one of them has a native as its
director. They play all the instrl-
a ments, piano, violin etc, and the bet
: ter class of music: that of Beethoven.
: Mozart and like composers is preferred
our native musicians are making such
, regulations abroad that they arc IN
| demand outside of tho island. Al
. present the big bands at Shanghai and
+ at Singapore are conducted by native
Y musicians from the Philippines, and
!, out people are preferred throughout
the east in making up bands ard giving
| concerts"
When AgonCillo was asked as TO the
| modern conVeniences in the interior
cities and towns he frankly admitted
= that they We're without electric lights
T telephones, gas, water and sewers, sucl
:. as modern cities have.
e 1T is only in the largest cities thai
t these latest improvements have beer
= put in," said he, but the japanese
have adopted such improvements very
J. rapidly, and look for our people to dc
= the same.
- CITIES WELL PLANNED.
g Already our cities are well laid out
= the streets being regular and the house
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