The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-15
CAPT. MERRITT ON
THE PHILIPPINES.
A RichmOnder Who Has Lived on the
Islands Talks.
PEOPLE, CLIMATE AND TRADE
Hc Thinks II Would BE Unwisc for
the United states 60 Annex the Is
lands BIT That England Ought
10 own Them.
PEOPLE, CLIMATE AND TRADE

llb az NO -lta cast R4"-' 81 lN'f
seen about as much OF this world as any
man. He ls o. native OF Richmond ana
% son OF the late Henry Merritt Inc
captain left home 90 lccome saio1 lh
1864 That was nearly forty years ago
but he would easily pass Tor man Oh
forty or fOrty-hyc.
Captain Merritt IS a modest man ana
while DE dislikcs 60 cIpear in the news
papers be- consented yesterday 10 feia'V
some OF bis experiences 20 a ilme7 .t-
porter Hls familiarity with the fhilp-
pine Islands and with Cuba makes "naI
DE has Co say OF peculiar interest az thIs
tine
The reporter found Captain Merritt at
she store of the mariner ola ireni' MT.
y. b. Lambert. ou Main street near MIMI
THE PHILIPPINES.
n spent about thirty years iu travelling
fuc Pacific ocean and am quite familiar
with the Philippine Islands, said the
CAPTAIN. 'I used 90 have charge of a
vessel that traded between Boston ana
Sow York ana the eastern countries. IL
required from 100 90 1O days Tor us %
make the trim around Cape Horn ana
vou,h OF Java. some times at Australia
aud cities 500 China and then rctch Ma
mia. generally had cargo for Java
or China and would take on "a cargo at
Nfaul or Ilu lilo for some or tho ports III
rho United states or Europe
"Now as TO the Philippine Islands.
There are about six hundred of them
They are separated by narrow channels
az water These islands are very fertile
but the people are lazy and do not cul-
tivatc the soil as they should DO Inc
natives work about two days nm inc week
and idle away the remainder of their
time Notwithstanding AN this the phil
ippiucs produce a vast amount OF HeAiIr
sugar. tobacco and indigo. We import
much sugar and hemp but t is not OIL
Ton We hear Of The Aruila cigars. They
are known all over the east and are prob
ably superior 30 tho Havana cigars. we
make but few exports to the philippines
They buy chiefly from Spain Germany
end England. bat We make large imports
from the islands
THE INHABITANTS.
.,rcu me something of the character Of
Tho people of the islands, requested the
reporter.
"Wcu as said before the natives are
"a Lazy set Thcy are Mal8ys and are or
q vcIlowsh brown color out there they
ere called Indians but they are nothing
like our North American Indians. There
are "a number of native Spauiards I'm the
Islands and some Europeans. The thrifty
merchants at Manila are Chinese. by che
way / suspect the people of Richmond
do not. as % rule. appreciate the eNcei-
Gent qualities of the Chinese. We judge
the nation by The laundrymcn we see
about us jim thc far East the Chinese
Gro progressive DO i5 90 pleasure 10 zeal
with Them THE verbal contract or
chinese merchant is as good as MS bond.
So trusted are these peopie that in tne
great business h0us at Manila. you VIII
generally nud a Chuamm handling the
cash. ln the banks. while they are NOT
the cashiers. they are given responsible
positions.
a HEALTHY COUNTRY
Glow about thc health of the Islands
on regard The Philippines as the health
scst hot country ] know OF. There IS no
yellow fever there often one hears of
cholera among the natives. but Euro
Yeaus are not affected by H. When
rerron takes proper care of himself he
y.u De as healthy in Manila as any
where The rainy season. which begins
about MAY With The s1uthW est monsoon
ss di-aerte1ble. 10 lasts until September
Thcu comes the northeast monsoon
with dry weather and the Islands are
then as delightful as any place ON earth.
Iut to return Go the people. Their chief
amusement is cock fighting. THE man
who does not own two fine fighting cocks
f.- DO standing in society. some times
there are Spanish huIi-nehts.
DEVELOPMENTS ARE SLOW
How about the material develop
mon;s?'
"There are practically none. Spain is
away behind the times al home, and
iu her colonies Money IS voted for in
t.rual improvements. but it is not used
Tor that purpose. The Governor-Generm
at the Philippines is changed about once
every four years when ne retires ne
carries fortune home with him. Up
10 90 few years ago the people OF Manila
"a city of 5000 people. used water from
wells A wealthy man had pipes l3id
at DIS own expense. and now the water
supply comes from O. mountain, ana Us
very pure There is an ancient and di-
l4pdatcd strcol-car line in Manila. As
60 hotels there are practically none. A
MACE az which L used 20 stop was con-
Quoted by q native of Bombay. The
ground floor was used for q stable, and
ON the second floor were bed rooms
kitchen and dmiug-roOms. All of the
nous OF the natives In Manila are OF the
primitive order with matched roofs.
Those of the spaniards and Europeans
are somewhat more modern. but there is
a lack VI progres -.va spirit evident every
where Whom 4 first used 90 go 10 Ma
ulla. Russell. Stursis 81 CO.. AN morl-
can firm were thc leading bankers ana
they practically owned the islands. Ihls
concern failed. and was succeeded by
Peel. Iubhcu a. co. Some six years ago
this house faded. and now America IS
moi known There ia "a business way.
European houses control the business.
SPILL FIW GOODS THERE
CAS- i have before stated. W. sell Few
goods in the Philippines. Tho islanders
Iuv good deal of Kerosene oil from
H.. and some oft our n0W from san Fran
cisco goes 90 Thorn after 30 has he,n SOLD
at Hong kang ercat and prosperous
,itv. Tncre is about ass much une hard
wood for the manufacture of furniture in
the philippines ass one can ind any
where
t.ousf'
"I should say not The last time 1
vas there they were about twenty years
ouf of date. AS Jar as / am aware Dut
Few modern Improvements have been
made. Tho vessels defending tho place
were old ANA dli8pio8tei While 30 was
en oasv matter lor Commodore Dewey
To- reduce the lorilcatons and destroy
the neot 30 required great nerve Tor "a
man 90 20 into "a harbor that was. no
doubt. plenufunv supplied with mines.
7 am quite familiar with C1vite which
A. como seven miles ONE Of Manila. u is
"a small town with machine snops. ana
the Spanish arsenal 1 once attended a
buu fight near there.
ENGLAND SHOULD HAVE THEN.
-Do you think 90 would bc wise Tor the
United states go annex the ISLANDS OF To
assume Jurisdiction over themf'
% do not ON the contrary j uhnk