The news & observer., 1898-05-08
9pain8 Mi8rUl0
In the Philippines
Like AttIa No Grass Grows Where She leads---A Tale
of Blood and Disaster.

which was SuplloSeu 10 ne inspired. OD'
served: The result in Manila is really
a consequence to some extent of the
rising power of Japan in Pacific waters
Having acquired Formosa and become
ambitious of II territorial and commercial
empire the eyes of the japanese have
lately been directed toward the next is
lands on the south. The weakness OF
Spain is regarded as the opportunity OF
Japan"
1t is remembered by some who met
General Grant on his return from Asia
that that far-seeing statesman predicted
the acquisition by Japan of all the is
lands lying off the Chinese coast.
When the mikado was studying the
Philippine petition, the rebellion broke
out more fiercely than ever in LuZon
though force of 10000 Spanish regulars
had been imported to suppress it. Bat
ties were fought at scores of places, and
shocking maSSacreS enSued. Both sides
were imhued with tiendish ferocity.
Whenever an insurrectiOn breaks out,
the captain general calls for volunteers
to assist the regular troops. a prompt
response generally comes from the ma
tives of all races and colorS, but on Il
recent OCCASION when the new recruits
were examined by II surgeon, it was
found that most of them bore on their
arms or legs sears of the ''bloOd com
pact" which showed that they were
secret members of the Katipunan.
Less than Il year ago the insurgent
forces in Iuzon were said TO number
10000 about 5000 of whom were armed
with Mauser rifles, the others hearing
Epi fnrn1II1 hlp
bamboo lances. They have n few can
non. mostly east from church bells, ana
Il mitraileuse or two, fashioned from
east iron water pipes. Last October they
were in undisputed possession of Cavite,
San Mateo. linus and Novalete, four
miles from Cavite. Bodies of insurgents
were encampcd within three hours
march of Manila, which they might have
captured by a sudden dash.
Mr.. Foreman. who travelled through
the islands, looking mt the case from
the standpoint of an Englishman con
cerncd for the safety Of the British mil
lions invested in Manila and in the sugar
plantations of the island of NegrOs,
hopes the insurrection will be suppressed,
but he cannot help remarking that the
theocracy which, after three centuries of
European domination, still rules the is
land group has proved Il failure.
Yet, these islands. like Cuba, would
be a veritable paradise if order could
be maintained. John Barret. who was
United States minister to Siam, wrote
of them last year: THE prodigality of
nature impreses the traveller wherever
he travels. In the forests he sees eb-
ony. logwood, irOnwood, sapan-wood and
cedar: between the forests and the gar
dens the fruit trees, orange, mango,
tamarind, guava and cOcoanut; in the
cultivated area. sugar-cane, tobacco. rice,
hemp. cotton, bananas, vanilla, caSsia,
ginger. pepper. indigo, cocoa, pineapples.
wheat and corn The minerals include
gold. copper, iron, coal, quicksilver and
saltpetre. From the sea, mother of
pearl. coral. tortoise shell and amber are
derived. The animal kingdom keeps
pace with the vegetable and the mineral.
To say nothing of the water buffalo, the
NEST useful beast in the tropics. goats,
sheep. swine and tough little ponies, the
jungle swarms with such variety of
fauna that the naturalist finds here a
paradise Snakes and lizards, spiders
and ants. tarantulas and crOcodiles
abound Strange to relate, there are
few beasts of prey worthy of note. The
fora of the country is as rich as the
fauna The physical formation of Luzpn
is conducive to extensive cultivation and
large population. The high mountain
range in the interior gradually lowers to
the sea. making beautiful valleys, rolling
hills, upland and lowand, forest and
field. drained with numerous rivers, and
Lob
coast line is irregular, and bays and
bayous extend far inland"
1t is the boast of Manila that its
foreign trade now amounts to $50, 100000
year, and comprises an export of over
IS. S.000,0000 of hemp, S6,000,000 of sugar
and $4,000, 900 of tobacco. But this
volume of foreign exports seems slim foI
such Il region, inhabited by 8,O0O,00C
people. Under Il more enlightened gov
ernment the commercial movement woulC
be very much larger. Like Cuba ant
British India, the colony is cherished by
the mother country because it furnishes
IL nursery in which men of good family
in Spain and young men with Influential
connections can grow rich i'll sh0r
| period of time. Until lately, when th'
expense of putting down rebellions iii
| volved Il drain on the Spanish treasury
| the Philippines were also valued because
| of the coin they supplied. Everything il
sight is taxed, including the natives them
| selves. and thus the islands are made
| to yield an annual revenue of some SS,
| 100000
Danna G. Worcester states that botl
| the poll tax and the taille are eXactet
| by the officials. In some cases the poi
| tax amounts to $50 year, and womel
have to pay it as well as men. Ih
| Chinese pay special tax. There ar
! taxes on stores and shops, on weight
and measures, on house property, tay
erns and the smallest factories a MAJ
must pay tax for the privilege o
| knnng his own buffalo or pig for meat
| or for owning horse or of pressing Oi
out of his cocoanuts. For the collection
of these taxes Spanish ingenuity ha
! revived the plan which was in use il
France before the fermierS gcncrau
came into vogue. For each town 0
| district n tax collector is appointed b.
tbe governor Of the province. He
called n gobernadorcillo, and he is re
snonsible for the estimated amount whic
| his district should pay in taxes. So tha
if collections should fall short he mus