The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-27

WOulu cease 10 RAISE uTblctos VI cOInHueTCS hue
would devote themselves to war.
On the other hand. the natives stand wnitini
for the Americans with outstretched hands
They do not know the Americans personally
They ask the EnElishmen who are engaged In
business throughout the southern islands. no
only what we are. but also what we look like
The EnRlishmen assure them that the Ameri
cane are Just the same In appearance and In pur'
pose as themselves. The natives understand
something OF what the Americans stand for In
the way Of liberty In general and pertopal free
DOM, and they recognize that under American
protection or under American government lies
the possibility Of the largest attainment oil
their own dearest ambitions. So they stand
waiting to see what we are going to do. II II
turns out that we are to keep these Islands. we
shall have no trouble whatever In the south.
They will receive us gladly. quietly, peace.
fully. But II IL turns out that we 20 away.
there remains for the Vlsayas only a prospect
Of nre and blood and utter devastation.
IL has been said repeatedly, aud the story
has had Rreatcredence here andhRs been large
" circulated from here. that Aguinaldo has
small in influence with tho people OF the Visavas
and the south. II has been a common assar-
ton that there is great division among the ma
tives'themselves. great auspioion OF ARuinaldo
aud his motives, and that there certainly will
Do 1actlonhi Strlte among tne lnburgonus snouiu
Aeuinaldo ultimately attain the success for
which he is striving. l found none OF this in
the visayas. The leading men OF Panay. Ne
gros. Samar. Cebu. Leyte and Maspate say that
Aguinaldo is regarded with the highest es-
TEEN throughout The yisayas. He ia the idol
OF the people there. because he stands for all
that they most dearly desire. and they VIII FOL
low him even more biindly than his own Ia
Ralogs, among whom there H.. In truth. a
great deal OF division. This Is undoubtedly
the actual situation In the south.
There was q time when nearly all tbs bust
ness OF the Philippine Islands was In the hands
OF the Americans. The great firms OF Russell
d Co. Peele. Huobell 1t Co.. ana warner.
BlodEett.& 20. handled nearly all the hemp and
sugar produced In these islands. but one Of the
most salient characteristic OF the American
business man operated to change all that. The
irresistible temptation to speculate ultimately
brought these great firms to their downfall.
They shipped great carRoes OF hemp and sugar
away from Manila and lloilo unsold. and they
lost thousands and thousands OF dollars by 1t.
Their trade went over to the more eonserva-
tive English houses. and now many an Eng
lishman who began business out here In the
employ OF Americans 10 at the head OF n British
firm. 1t Is. OF course. possible for the Ameri-
cans under American control OF these islands
to regain n great measure OF their commercial
Importance. II not their old supremacy. but
they must do 1t on conservative lines.
/ shall not undertake to go to any extent into
the question OF exchange. 1t Is one OF the most
important questions which concern the
Americans in the Philippines. l shall only say
this: This wages paid to the native laborers,
to the servants. and to workinGmen generally
throughout tho Philippines are practically the
same now in the number OF dollars that they
were fifteen years ago. when exchange was
double what it is now. As the dollar has de-
preciated in value, the man who gets it for the
labor OF his hands has been cheapened. The
men who get pay In gold-tho Englishmen who
represent London houses. the American SOL
diers the business mon generally receive here
actually Just double what their nominal salary
is. The Treasury and State departments
have had AL expert out hero making a thor
ough Investigation OF this subject. He is now
on his way home. and will make an elaborate
report. which will go thoroughly and scientif-
cally into this subject. 1t will embody the
views OF men out here whose long service and
whose business connection most amply qualify
them to speak with authority on the subject.
One thing more. one OF the most delightful
things which came under my observation in
Ilollo. 1t was a single action of Mr.. Duncan.
the Vice-Consul, and was an Illustration OF n
British characteristic which Is one Of tho
things that make British supremacy SO sure
and certain throughout the world. The Brit
fish gunboat Rather came into Iloilo while we
were there and a lot OF the crew got shore
liberty. Shore liberty for the Anglo Saxon
sailorman the world over means that he is
going to get drunk and have his fling. That's
what he goes ashore for: that's what is ex-
pected by his officers. 1t gives him a chance
to let of steam after three months bottling
IN on the ship. The RATHER. jackies came
up to Iloilo. went to the solitary cnfe in the
place, had several drinks and ordered a meal.
1t took a long tina to prepare the meal, and
they sat around waiting for 1t and having other
drinks. Some Of them went 10 sleep. 1t
happened that this cafe was very much fire.
quented by Spanish officers. and in the course
OF the afternoon. as they began to drop in. they
IOunO the pace nTdcJlCally pre-emDteu by the
.U' my "eio ansrS anu Cd
""'''