Washington sentinel., 1898-07-23
Our New Fellow Citizens.

The native inhabitants OF the
Philippines, says Professor J. b.
Steere, in the Scientific AWeyseGH,
can be conveniently divided into
four groups-the civilized Indians,
the Mohammedans, the wild Indi-
ans and the Negritos or Atlas.
These same divisions existed at
the coming of the Spanish in 1919,
though their relative numbers,
location and other conditions must
have changed greatly since that
time. The wild and civilized In
dians and the Mohammedans seem
to be all of Malay origin, and are
closely related to each other and
to the native tribes OF Formosa on
the north and Borneo and Celebes
to the south. The civilized Indians
have increased rapidly since the
Spanish occupation, and are the
real citizens and inhabitants of the
Philippines. They occupy the
coasts and the rich, level lands Of
the northern. central and eastern
islands, and have lately occupied
new territory in Mindanao, Basi-
- Palawan and Mindoro. They
er, according to Spanish ac-
5, between six and seven
ms. Mohammedans are de-
ing in importance and prob
3D.. in numbers also, but are still
.rful in the south OF the archi-
pe,ago, where they occupy the
Sulu Islands, a great part OF Min
danao and Basilan and have foot
hold in Palawan. They number,
according 20 Spanish statistic ics,
about three hundred thousand.
They appear to have been derived
originally from native tribes Of the
same degree OF civilization as the
Christian Indians, but have fallen
far behind them IN progress, while
the two religions have caused such
separation and difference OF Gus.
toms and such mutual hatred as to
make them really distinct peoples.
The Negritos or Atlas are sup
posed to be OF Papuan stock, ami
are, no doubt, the oldest living
human inhabitants Of the Philip
pines. They appear to have been
driven by the food OF Malay in
vasion far inland into the noun
tains, where they have dwindled
to few thousand wandering,
homeless savages. They are still
found in certain portions Of Luzon,
Panay, Negros and, according to
some authorities. in MindanaO.
The uncivilized Indian tribes oc-
cupy much oil the interior and
mounta nous parts OF all the large
islands oil the group, except Cebu
and Bohol. in which they have
either been Christianized and
merged with the civilized Indians,
or have been driven out. They
still occupy nearly all the territory
Of the great islands of Mindoro and
Palawan. They number, accord
ing to Spanish estimates, some
three or four hundred thou sand,
belonging to over fifty different
tribes. They are shut off from the
sea and means Of communicating
with one another and the outside
world by the civilized Indians
ABOUT them, and probably remain
in much the same condition Of saw
agery as when FIRST observed by
the Spanish. 1t has been contrary
to Spanish policy in the Philip
pines to subdue them by force
and, as they have usually manned
at peace with their more powerful
and better armed Christian neigh.
bors, they still continue to exist
beside them. Missionary priests
are still making some impression
upon them in a few localities, and
a few are baptized and become q
part Of the Christian communities
but this process is slow one, iol
several reasons. One Of these, nc
doubt, is the general apathy OF the
priests. But the Spanish treat
ment Of the civilized Indians mus
have much to do in making thes'