The Columbus journal., 1898-10-26

Il
Nra L A. Cockson has received th
following letter from her con. . membe
OF Co K First Nebraska:
DRAR FAIHRR, AoTHHR AND ALL A
HoNH:-We arc still in Manila, and j
looks - il 10 should b hero for SOM
time to come. for should tho Unites
States decide to hold the Philippines, "
shall probably have to servo out oul
Enlistment here - il will take . largs
force to kssp The natives in order; 20,OO(
men viii b needed, and we have only
1900 here now.
The natives are lazy. ignorant and
trseohsrous. and sre no moro capable ol
sslf- lf-govsrnmsnt than drove Of hogs.
expect ~ shall have to fight them in
tew days - 5000 Of them surround
the city.
We have had some trouble with them
already. They wanted to enter the city
when We did and loot the town and
murder the Spanish inhabitants, but
General Merit would allow none oi
them into the city unless they left thei,
arms outside.
I expect We shall have to kill fev
thousand to bring them to their senses;
$4,000 are armed with guns and $4,000
with knives, darts and clubs.
Our regiment is squartered at the dock
Colonel Cotton OF David City is collector
OF customs and We patrole the docks and
beach uight and day to calch smugglers
and the natives are inveterate smu9glere
and We catch . good many.
don't consider this Q healthful
climate - there are about one-third oi
the army here laid up With dysentery
and there have been some deaths from it.
The slightest scratch often turns to q
large sore, and some OF the men have
lost leg or an arm from mosquito bites
that took bad ways. I think long stay
here would undermine any but an iron
constitution.
The coolest water to be had is milk
warm, and artificial ice costs 20 cents PEI
pound. Warm beer is 1Ocents per small
glass and cold beer 20 cents. Wines and
spirits are no dearer than in the United
States. but it IL dangerous to drink any
thing SO heating in the torrid zone.
Some things are very dear here and
some are very cheap. Eggs are s cents
each, chickens $l.OO each, fresh pork 25
cents per pound, fresh beef the same
price, small loaves no larger than light
biscuit are 1Ocents each. Good tea is 20
cents per pound, milk 20 cents per pint.
Rice and silk goods are cheap. Shoes are
about the same price as in the United
States. All the clothing worn here is ol
cotton, or linen and that is about the
same price a. at home. Labor is very
cheap and is mostly Chinese. They are
paid about Is cents per day.
I have . better opinion of the Chinese
since I came to this country, as they are
sober and industrious, but are cuffed and
kicked by both Spaniards and natives.
prefer them to the natives, a. the latter
are, with q few exceptions, lazy, drunken
loafsrs. The Simon pure native is nc
good except to fight roosters and stir uE
fuss, and is a. treacher0us as Satan.
The best class Of native is the Chinese
Mestizo, the offspring Of Chinese father
and native mother, and are larger, lighter
colored and better civilized. All the
skilled work is done by this class and
some Of them are very smart and indus
trious. Many Of them are shopkeeperl
and tradesmen, and some Of them ar
quite wealthy. The Spanish Mestizo 4
half-breed Spanish and native) is smart
and we'll educated, but lazy and AFRO
giant; most Of them have been petty
officials Of the Spanish government anG
made their living by robbing and abus
ing natives and Chinese.
had q little fun few days ago while
out ON the beach in charge Of patro
Watching for smueglers. A Spanist
Mestizo was trying to smuggle boa
load Of stuff into the city. 1 took him il
charge to the custom house, after taking
q memoranda Of his goods. After he hat
paid the duty and got permission to lane
them he got several Chinese coolies Il
help him to unload the boat. One o
them was trying to lift largo box tina
was too heavy for him, and instead o
helping the Chinaman lift the box tn
Mestizo struck him several hard blow
and knocked the coolie down. Though
would now take hand in the matte
and gave the Mestizo couple Of kick
that lifted him four feet high. Yo1
never saw a more surprised look on
mans face in your life. He seemed Il
think he had q perfect right to kick th
Chinaman and never thought OF helpin,
to lift the box until / made q move Il
boot him . second time, and pointed +
the box and then he gave the Chinama
u helping hand in hurry. After he ha
gone the poor coolie went into town an
bought me . large cocoa-nut which mus
have taken half his days wages. TIL
Chinese are very harmless and neve
dare resent blow, and they get q goo
many. Our soldiers are getting tired 9
seeing them abused and slap q nativ
every once in . while for ill-treatin
them.
The Spanish soldiers are we'll treate
and have the freedom OF the city, th
officers retaining their swords. Man
want to 60 to the United States a. the
seem favorably impressed by the treat
ment they have received at the hands G
Americans.
The day We took the city, the fir
provisions brought in went to the Spar
ish prisoners, although some OF our me