The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1898-05-07
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
Interesting Information about
Them and Their People.

bGhh III AhNAa SOPA~
The Philippine Archipelago extends
from four and five-tenths degrees to 20
degrees north latitude, and from one
hundred and seventeen degrees to one
hundred and twenty-six and ive-tenths
degrees east longitude. 1t includes about
six hundred islands, many of which are
small, though Luzon, Mindanao, Panay,
Negros, Zebu, Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Min
dOro, Masbate, Palawan, Twai Twai and
Sulu are of considerable size. Luzon,
the richest island Of the group, as well
as the largest, has an area of about
fortythousand square miles. Minda-
a comes next in size, with an urea of
some thirty-seyen thousand square
miles, but is of far less commercial i'm
portance, being populated for the most
part by hostile Mohammedan tribes,
which have succeeded in maintaining
their independence. The total area of
the islands is estimated at about one
hundred and fifty thousand square
miles, or nearly four times that of the
State of Ohio.
The natural resources of the islands
are great. The soil is, as a rule, enor-
mously productive. Magnificent forests
afford an almost endless store of valu-
able timber, and gutta-percha is abund-
ant in certain localities. Gold, copper,
iron and coal are to be had In paying
quantities. but to Offset all this, the ma
tives are usually too lazy to work UNI
less driven tot it by hunger or want; the
climate Is in many localities very I'M
healthy, and the Spanish are bitterly
hostile to every foreign enterprise.
The population of the Philippines, es-
timated at about eight millions, is any,
thing but homogeneous in its nature.
The original inhabitants were a race of
curly-headed dwarfish blacks, known
as Negritos. They are a sickly, puny
race, rapidly becoming extinct. They
live like the beasts in the mountains,
whittier they were driven centuries ago
by a warlike Mohammedan tribe of
Malays, who have maintained their in
dependence of the Spaniards in many
parts of the islands.
The population of the more civilized
districts may be divided into several
each of which constitutes a more
or less important factor in the present
political condition in the islands.
The largest class is, of course, COM
posed of pure or nearly pure natives,
who live on the outskirts Of the larger
towns, or in small villages of their own.
are the field hands, day laborers
servants Of the other classes. They
ire peaceful and lazy.
Next in point of numbers come the
jhinese half-castes. They are far sup
to the pure natives in business
and are for the most part mer-
hants and traders.
The Chinese themselves are
the cities, where they form ten to
.fteen per cent of the population. They
re most of them shop-keepers and me-
The Spanish ~half-castes constitute a
mailer class numerically, but a more
Important n politically. Many of
hem are highly educated and hold inn
ortant offices. The leaders of the
resent instruction are OF this class.
Spaniards from the peninsula form a
cry small fraction OF the population.
hey are, with few exceptions, either
1urch or state officials.
There are three or four hundred
nglishmen, Frenehmen, Germans and
.merican in Manila, and a few more
Zebu and lilo lilo. They practically
lonopolize the wholesale trade of the
lands, to the intense disgust of the
paniards, who have placed every o n
obstacle IN their way.