The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-03

About
Philippines


pine islands is not very plentiful. They
are far out of the lines of tourist travel,
and few voyagcrs around the world
reach them. Enough is known to prove
that the colony is of great value to
Spain and that its history has been a
succession of revolts against Spanish
rule and Spanish cruelty.
Manila. the capital city of the colony
and Of Luzon, the largest island, lies
628 miles. or 90 hours easy steaming,
southeast of Hongkong and twice that
distance northeast of Singapore. The
population OF the city is about $50, 600.
Of whom only 10. 000-including troops,
government officials and clergy--are
Europeans, and not more than 500 are
English speaking people. A few Ameri-
can houses have branches in Manila; SO
that there is an American population Of
perhaps 100. The city faces fine bay,
into which flows the river Passig.
Most Of the Europeans live in Binondo,
beautiful suburb on higher ground,
across the river. There are many native
dialects, but the social. official and bust
ness idiom is Spanish. The army of
Spanish civil. religious, military and
naval officials 10 q leech on the people
in the same fashion as in Cuba. All the
places of profit are monopolized by
them, appointments to choice Offices in
the Philippines being given to those
whom it is desired to reward for service
to the government in Spain. 1t is quite
well understood that such an appointee
is expected to gain fortune as rapidly
as he can, by any method possible. so
that be may give way for some one else
to be broughs over from Spain for "a
similar reward. The policy is the same
as the colonial policy Of Spain in Cuba
has been and the same results have fol-
lowed.
Manila has cable connection with the
rest of the world and regular lines Of
passenger steamers The European COL
ony has its daily papers, which are,
however, under strict censorship. re-
ligious and military. and keeps up with
the news and the fashions of the day.
Until the insurrection of the last two
years the army, except two Spanish
brigades Of artillery and corps Of en-
ginoers, was composed of natives and
consisted Of seven regiments Of infantry
and one Of cavalry. There was also
body Of Spanish militia in Manila, q
volunteer corps similar to- that of Ha-
vana. which could be called out by the
captain general in the event Of need.
When the latest insurrection began,
Spain shipped to its faroff colony all
the men who could be spared from serv-
ice in Cuba, and after few months of
fighting 1t was announced that the re-
belliOn was crushed. As matter Of
fact, however, Spain has control Of but
q comparatively small part OF the is
lands, and the natives elsewhere are as
free from obligation to pay Spanish tax
es as they were before the discovery.
Spain has Manila and the other ports
and the plantations near the cities. The
rest Of the country cannot be subdued
by any force that Spain can bring to
bear, unless the leaders Of the insurrec-
tion choose to lay dcwn their arms.
The Philippine islands were discover
cd in 1871 by Magellan, the circumnav-
igator, and were conquered by Spain
and made colony in the reign of Phil
ip II, for whom they were named, half
century later. Spanish sway never
has extended over more than half Of the
l,400 islands of the archipelago, the
others remaining under their native
wild tribes and Mohammedan rulers.
The conjectural area is about 100,
square miles and the estimated popula-
tion about $500, 600. About nalf this
area and three. quarters Of this popula-
tion are nominally under Spanish rule,
but the insurrection has left things in a
good deal Of doubt. The remainder OF
tho people are governed according to
their own customs. by independent ma
tive princes. Education Is exceedingly
backward. The Roman Catholic clergy
have been industrious, and probably
q, 500, 600 natives are nominal converts
to the Christian religion, but education
has advanced very little among them.
There 10 q Roman Catholic archbishop
of Manila, besides three bishops.
Trade restrictions have hampered the
commercial progress of the colony, but
In spite Of that fact their trade with
the outside world is large one. For
many years after the conquest but one
vessel q year was permitted to ply be-
tween Manila and the Spanish Ameri-
can port Of Acapulco. Then the number
was increased 10 five. Then Spanish
chartered company was given monop-
oily Of the trade of the islands. When
that monopoly expired, other houses be-
gan business. and now many large Eng
lish and German firms share the trade
with the Spaniards, while American
houses and American ships are by no
means at the foot Of the list. Even
now, however, the manufacture OF ci-
gars is a government monopoly, and
only half dozen ports are open to for
eign commerce. The total volume of the
exports and imports is about e75. o00,-
600 annually.
The manufactures Of the Philippines
consist chiefly of textile fabrics OF pine
kat -