Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1898-11-30

seems to have great strength and q
docile disposition. There II an abund-
ance Of the little Philippine ponies.
They draw the two-wheeled covered
carts, which take the place OF thecab
In American cities. The ponies are
stout, hardy little fellow from eleven
to thirteen hands In height, 1 should
think, those OF the latter height be-
ing comparatively large. They seem
easily kept and have considerable
speed and great endurance. Their
names are all reached and their tails
all docked. Some OF the larger are
used as saddle horses, and appear to
serve this purpose well enough II the
rider is not too heavy. They also
draw the street ears in Manila, which
labor is far too severe for them, and
much abuse is inflicted upon them In
the endeavor to make them do this
hard work.
The various street sights and
sounds of these truly Oriental cities
are very interesting. The business is
carried on in little shops, open to the
street in front. Behind live the pro-
prietor and his or her family. The
second stories all project over the
first and above the sidewalks, and in
the better class of shops curtains are
sometimes hung from the second
sfOrv IN tho rroupd ohr,t<ipD .ruf
the sun and rain when necessary.
Many of the shops are filed with in
teresting and costly wares. especially
those conducted by Europeans, of
whom there are a few in Manila, and
by Chinese and Japanese, of whom
there are q great many. One Japan
ese store which 1 visited was filled
with desks, cabinets, sideboards and
similar articles, made of hard tropi-
cal woods and most beautifully
carved and otherwise ornamented.
In the same place was a great vari-
ETY. of screens, vases and lacquered
wares, most of which were very
cheap, according to American stand
ards. The reason for this cheapness
is not inferior material OF workman
ship, but the extremely low price of
the labor put into these articles. 1t
is all hand labor and much of it is
highly artistic, according to Chinese
and japanese standards. The sons
of China and Japan are very much in
evidence. Patient, thrifty. industri-
Gus, keen, they have in their hands
apparently the best of the trade of
this country. Many persons and even
despise these people. but they will
sooner or later find out that it is a
grand mistake. In Il very great
many kinds of work demanding con-
centration. patience and persistence,
Americans and Europeans would fare
very ill in competition with their
Acknowledged brethren. 1t is always
a foolish thing to underrate an act
ual or possible competitor. Our
probably closer commercial relations
with the Orient in the near future
will teach us that China and Japan
will prove no contemplate competi-
tors for a share of the worlds trade
and manufacturing. The ear one
gets to the home of the Chinese and
Japanese the better specimens of
these n~atiOnalities one Sees. 1t is
only 624 miles from here tn Hong
Kong, and it would be a very great
pleasure to make that city a visit,
but Uncle Sam takes no account of
such things.
The PHILIPPINES, a they call them
selves, carry on a great variety of
manufactures-most of them crude
enough, but supplying the needs of
the native population. They makes
blouse and pair of trousers of a good
quality of cotton cloth, and sell them
to the "Ameyicanos." and perhaps to
the other natives, for from two to
four pesos Zone to two American dol
lars). They will make for one a sub
stantial pair OF buffalo-hide shoes for
from one to four pesos. They fit and
make a cloth capfor from a half peso
to two pesos. Every where the Amer
lean silver dollar is worth twice as
much as helocalc coin of equal weight
fact which is respectfully submit |
ted without comment. Ornaments
Of various fundamentally cheap and
gaudy-gratify the native feminine
taste for personal sdOrnment. Lit
tie shops have fruits, cigars, cigar
cites, eec., and similar articles consti-
tute the stock in trade of the side
walk and street vendors. All these
things are sold very cheap, accord
ing to American ideas, although l
suspect that the PHILIPPINE. who is
very far from being devoid of natural
sharpness, has raised prices for the