The times., 1898-05-15
F. CROKER, 93O Pa. Ave.


personally responsible for the amount
expected from each. If they fail TO pay
up he disJrains their property and sells
il. If the proceeds Of the sale fail 70
cover the Indebtedness, the delinquent
debtors are imprisoned or deported. At
Siquidor Mr.. Worcester saw a mslan-
choly procession of fOrty-four men who
had lost houses, cattle and lands. and
who still owed sums ranging from s. 10
$50; they were being sent prisoners to
Bohol, and their families were left to
shift for themselves.
The natives get little or nothing in re-
turn for this frightful burden Of taxation
The courts Of justice are a farce the
Judge makes no secret of his veuaIity.
In few towns there are a few schools. In
the villages and in the country there are
none There are no roads which are
passable except at the dry season, and
then only by buffalo sheds. In the rainy
season intercourse ceases There are no
bridges. Now and then a military bridge
is built by an enterprising general No
attempt is made 10 repair it. and it soon
falls into decay. Thus wherever II Is pos
slble people travel and send their produce
10 market by boat. Lots Of brigaudage
still fiourishes at the Laguna de Bay,
close 10 Manila, and the island of MindO-
70, at the mouth Of Manila Bay. is a safe
refuge for pirates and cut-thTOats. Ma
tives who travel cannot protect them
selves, for no one can have a weapon in
his possession without procuring IL
eense, and that is expensive.
The weight Of taxation is aggravated
by the rapacity of the governors When
Gen Weyler was governor general ne re-
eelVed a salary of $4,000 q year. but It
was said that the calls upon his purse for
entertainments and charities left him no
savings at the end Of the war Neverthe-
less, at the close of his term he had living
70 his credit In the banks of London and
Faris a sum which Madrid variousIy esti-
mated at from I.000,0o0 70 Si,000, 600 How
he managed to accumulate SO large a for
tune may be inferred from an anecdote
which was current talk at Manila. He
was succeeded by Gen Despuyoi. who.
strange 20 say, was an honest man. He
mad no sooner taken his seat in the gu
| oeTnatorial Office than he was visited bv
! one OF the richest Chinese merchants of
Manila. Behind the Chinese came SER
, wants bearing bags which contained SO
! 900 in silver coins This triffe the mer
( chant begged the new governor to accent
as slight token of his consideration He
/ was nightly astOnished when the new Of
/ fetal promptly knocked him down
/ There have been other Spanish officials
/ of the type of DespuyoL Some years ago
/ Col. Arolas. who had incurred the i'll
/ will of the colonial Office at Madrid. was
/ da. 1t was intended to be an exile. Suda
/ was a most unhealthy spot, in which ma
/ lartouS feverS ragged; most OF the province
( was inhabited by a tribe called Moros,
, who were brigands by calling and fight
ers by choice. 1t chanced that ArOlas was
! man of resource. He drained the town
and diSpelled the fevers He enrolled a
/ body of natives and drilled them till they
were fit to put in the field. and marched
! on the MorOs. Choosing his battlefield
/ he met the brigands, and inflicted such a
! castigation that they gave no further
/ trouble during his administration Re
turning home victorious, he improved his
/ town. founded a hospital and schools. in
/ troduced water, and laid out fine broad
streets, paved with coral But his heart
was in Spain, and at an early opportuni-
! ty he returned there. and rose to high
rank in the army If there had been more
Spaniards OF his stamp the Philippines
would not now have been dropping out of
the clutch of Spain
Manila is a beautiful city, about the
size of San Francisco. 1t is built on both
side of the River Passig. which is navi-
gable to its source. Old Manila lay on
the left bank. Parts of the masonic stone
wall which was built around it two hun
dred years ago are stu visible. and some
of the gates survive, through which a
stream of solemn friars. grinning Chi
! nSSts FcSpielIGnl spanish OFuCisltS- peg
gars in rags, piOus nuns, handsome SEN
Oras. gay native girls. mestizOs in uni
form. natives in breech-clOuts, f0ur-hoTse
carriages, twO-wheel pony wagons anG
creaEing buffalo carts pours from morn
ing till night. The cathedral. mOnaster
les and government offices are iE old Ma
Mia; the business quarter. the foreign
shipping houses, the banks, stores and
custom house are in BinOndo. or the 9th
er side of the river. Between the wall:
and the shore is the Luneta, the fashion
able promenade where the band play.
and society enjoys the evening breeze
firts under hundreds of elecrtic light.
and drives around the circle in carriages
which follow each other in a slow. dig
nified procession The best houses in Ma
Mia are built of stone. and are handsome
residences. though there is no window
! glass used in their construction Instea'
+ of glass the windows are cut into square
, so small that window eight feet by fou
: will contain go OF them 1t is found tina
! they temper the fierce glare of the SUI
5 and soften the light.