The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-16

tnilH. on Nuic Aah0 duythiub 1ah w
raised that can be raised In any tropl-
cal Countrywide thousand n one
things which this country now buys IN
China. Brazil and the East and West
Indies. II the Spaniards are driven
permanently out OF the Philippines /
will go back there and remain. and /
believe that thousands of other Amer
leans will go there. too"
Living in the Philippines is very
cheap. A good servant can be had for
81 per month. and less efficient ones for
less. II requires. as a rule. one serv-
ant for each member of the household.
Meats and fish are cheap, and suffi-
cient fruits aud vegetables for a day
can be bought for a few cents. Almost
all canned goods are from Germany
m are of a very inferior quality. A
family of four persons can live COM
fortably on $50 a month, this amount
including the rent of a good-sized house
and the hire Of four
The great cigar factories Of the
Philippines are on the south side OF the
river. in the city of Cavite. About U.s.
600 women and girls find employment in
the manufacture of cigars and cigar
cites. the wages running from 81 10 S.
per month. But little modern machin-
cry is used. and but few men are EN-
ployed, the deft fingers of the women
and girls being considered more skillful
than the work OF men.
The chief productions of the Philip
pine islands are tobacco. rice. indigo,
hemp and other vegetable fbers. cocoa
nut oil and coffee. The total imports
into the islands during 1897 were &c.
6S1. $50. and the exports $40. 175. 600.
There are three well-defined seasons
in the Philippine islands. the cool,
from November to March: the dry
hot. from March to June. and the rainy.
from June TO November. In spite If
the extremes of climate Manila is not
unhealthy for foreigners II proper pre-
cautions are used. Malaria, typhoid
and smallpox are the most common
diseases, the latter being considered a
child's disease. just as whooping cough
Is in this country. and very rarely at
tacks adults. Yellow fever is unknown.
A recent newspaper article had the
following about the natives, the snakes
of the country and a few other things:
THE native liz a mixture of Malay
and Spanish, the Chinese characteris-
ties being, as usual. most pronounced.
In some of the smaller towns where
there Is not a single ~pure-blooded
Chinese the Inhabitants have almond
shaped eyes and yellow skins, though
the Chinese strain Is several genera
tons removed. But little is known Of
many of the indigenous tribes of the
interior. There are two general divi-
sions. the Talgalos, in the north, and
the Nisaians. in the south. the former
being more intelligent and susceptible
of civilization. They are a handsome
brown people with fine, straight hair
and Malay features. They are divided
INTO many tribes n speak many dia-
lects. Their food consists mostly OF
rice and fish, and they cultivate only
sufficient ground TO supply their wants.
Near the coast cities many have been
brought under the influence of the
Catholic religion and are docile and
obedient. but the interior tribes are
wholly uncivilized. They utterly refuse
to pay tribute to Spain, and recognize
no power but that OF their wi chosen
leaders among their own tribes. They
worship the sun and moon, certain birds
Of gay plumage n the crocodile. which
(~grandfather). They believe in sor-
cerers and have unlimited faith IN
their witch doctors. Among the nor
thern tribes but one wife is allowed.
but among the Visaians a man may
have any number OF legitimate wives,
and women are regarded as mere chat
tells. In the administration of justice
the leaders OF the respective tribes are
| consulted and their word is law. They
A1Ahph AliAC ny SUNS hAAb ii1poAiss Us II
China. Peace is made by drinking
wine mingled with blood, which is the
most binding of all pledges. They
smoke incessantly and chew the betsl
nut, which produces a mild form of In
toxication.
"In the interior OF a. the islands the
topography is very rough. Unexplored
forests clothe the sides of precipitous
mountains, which are teeming with an
a.--H ne NTAas La.Aa - k.A
In the forest, and. when domesticated.
make the best and most docile of ami
mails for use in the can M tobacco
fields. Snakes are plentiful. one spe-
Giles, the d~amonapody. about the size
of a r~attlesnake. being deadly poison
Gus. death resulting almost Immediate
ly from its bite. Wild boar hunting
is one of the most exciting of all the
sports in the island. and such small
fry as ants, centipedes, lizards n
scorpions are uncomfortably numer-
ous. The largest volcano In the group
is Mayor. on the Island of Luzon.
which continually emits smoke and
rumbling sounds. There are many large
and remarkable caves, many OF which
have never been explored except by
the indian tribes of the interior. who
relate fabulous tales OF their size n
wonders.
During the 800 years thai Spanish
rule has dominated these rich and beau
tiful islands, she has done nothing to-
ward developing the natural resources.
and by her greed and fapacity she has
wrung from an overtaxed people every
cent of tribute that could be collected
by force OF Spanish arms. There are
but Il miles OF railroad in the entire
group n outside Of the few largest
towns no roads worthy of the name"