The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-04
THE PHILIPPINE NATIVES.
An English Traveller Says They Are
can Incomprehensible Race"
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
Judging from the accounts of an
English traveller who has made a care
full study of Philippine affairs, the ma
tives of the islands, that is. the domes-
ticated natives, are difficult people to
deal with. Before beginning his stu
dies of the native character, he ques-
toned a parish priest who had been
living among the natives for more than
forty years. The priest declared the
islanders were an absolutely inconlpre-
hensible race, to whom no known rules
of civilization or savagery had the
smallest application. Here is the re-
suit of the Englishman's personal in
vestigations:
They are absolutely unreliable; they
will serve you faithfully for twenty
years and then commit some such hor-
rible crime as delivering over your
house and family to brigands. They
are patient, sober, and even honest
servants usually, but at any moment
they may break out and, joining a
hand of robbers, pillage your house.
If YOU tax them with the crime they
are not abashed. but disclaim all re-
sponsibility, answering, 'Senor, my
head was hot which they consider
sufficient excuse.
They viii never confess to a mis-
deed voluntarily. They will submit to
a beating without murmur If they
think it is deserved, and bear no mall
ice but if they consider the punish
ment unjust they will seek the first
opportunity of revenging themselves.
They never forgive and never forget
an injury, but they cherish no MEM
DRY of kindness. Generosity they re-
gard as weakness. If you give them
anything unsought they consider you
a fool and treat you accordingly. They
are always asking favors, though never
directly. Borrowing they think no
shame, but they never repudiate their
debts. On the other hand, they never
pay back voluntarily. and If taxed with
their dishonesty look surprised and
say: 'Senor, you never asked for it,
IF you pay man 20 cents for a SER
vice he will be contented; if you pay
him 80 cents he will grumble. They
have no words for thank you in their
language, nor conception of what the
phrase implies. They have no notion
of charity, never helping one another
they acknowledge even the remotest
ties of relationship. If treated badly
they make good servants and never
grumble; If treated kindly they are lost
and go to the bad They never stick
to an occupation, but are ready to turn
their hands to anything. They are
jacks-of-all-trades and good at none
They are brave against equals if led
by superiors, but a real or fancied
superiority in the foe causes them tc
abandon all hope.
"They do not know the meaning o.
hospitality. They will do what you tel
them If you tell them often enough, but
they will never do anything of theii
own accord. They will answer ques.
tions, but never volunteer information
They will let your horse die for want
of corn and never tell you that thu
supply has given out. They are con
| firmed liars and show only surpris,
when found out. They are good hus
| bands, though intensely Jealous; bu
they do not worry about the conduc
| of their daughters or even their wive.
| previous to marriage. They have NJ
| ambition and no ideas Of order o.
| economy, but in the matter of cleanli
ness they are superior to all the in
habitants of the far east save the Jap
| anese."