The western recorder., 1898-07-28

and Chinese mestizos ere the most val
uable- The Chinese. many Of whom
have acquired wealth. are the retail
shopkespers. and the greater part OF
the local trade IL In their hands Their
arrival In the islands Is said to have
anticipated even the coming OF Ma
gsllan. The mestizos furnish the cdu-
Gated and professional class" hold moet
Of the minor ofices and with Indians
compose the army. The IndRn of
Manila Is an indolent creature. given
up to gambling and cock lighting. The
Spaniards taught him gambling 10 We
taught our Indians the taste Of whisky.
or the forms OF gambling. cock-hght-
Ing is the most popular-is. Indeed
almost universal throughout IL is
lands. The Philippine Indian. II Il
said. is as much attached to his Gallo
AS is n Bedouin Arab to his horse"
An early Spanish writer characterixes
the Indians as perpetual idlers. who
go from cockpit to cockpit. those uni
versities of every vice" Investing In
lottery tickets sold on the streets Is
also much favored. and the government
adds materially to Its revenues by TAX
ing advantage OF these practices In
exacting license fees for the mainten-
ance of places OF gaming.
The rnsurrection of 1890.
The characteristics and present at
titude OF the Indians of the Philippines
are illustrated by the insurrection
which was initiated in August. 1896.
and has since continued There had
been previous similar risings. notably
one in 1872. but none where the insur-
gents were so numerous or formidable.
The moving causes of this outbreak are
to be found in the oppressive taxes. ex-
cisen. license fees and other burdens
Imposed by the government and en-
forced by extortionate officials, among
which, besides the grievous and unrea-
sonablc pecuniary mulcts, was the cor
wee of forty days labor for public pur-
poses which every man was compei,sd
annually to furnish. The grievance OF
the taxes was aggravated by the usu-
rious loans to which the natives were
compelled to submit to raise money.
and especially by the confiscations OF
property which were resorted to where
the dues claimed were not satisfied.
The authority to confiscate placed a
great power in the hands OF unscrupu-
lous officials, who used It corruptly
against the more prosperous for the
| purpose OF estorting money. These
| grievances became so general that n
secret Revolutionary Society or League
was formed. which by August. 1896.
rose 10 tine proportions of an army Of
$4,000 men, Cavite being the center Of
the revolt. The original rebels were
Joined by deserters from the army,
vagabonds and escaped criminals. In
the course of their conflicts with the
forces of the government. which was
instructed from Madrid to show no
mercy. a spirit of atrocious inhumanity
was developed on both sides, and a saw
age destruction of life ensued. The
killing OF prisoners captured or sur
rendered. smothering of captlves In
dungeons, burning alive. mutilation
and dsemboweling were practiced by
both, without any regard to the usages
OF civilized warfare. The Spaniards. to
extort confessions. resorted to the
thumbscrew and revived the tortures OF
the Inquisition. Their proceedings
were claimed to be justified by the plea
of retaliation. but no law or exigency
could Justify retaliation pushed to a
point so malignant and brutal. And
its fatal impolicy is shown by the fact
that the insurrection has not been sup
pressed. but is suspended only.