The Saint Paul globe., 1898-06-10
WAS A DENIzEN OF MANILA
FREDERICK E. FOSTER LIVED
THERE EIGHT YEARS
In an Interesting Lecture He Tells
About the New Possession OF the
United States--He COrrects the
Erroneous Impressions Existing
AS to- Climate, People and Re-
sources OF the Philippine Islands.

us tO CliIRate, PeODle and he-
sources of the Philippine Islands.
Frederick e. Foster gave two ours
lecture at Christ church guild house,
on The Philippine, is .andS, last evening,
to an aud d.enca eff ever 300 persons. Mr.
Foster, who was for eight years a resi-
dent of Manila, occupied in the busin s.
of exporting and importing goods to
and from American and European
countries, has gathered sufficient
knowledge of that far off group of isl
andS to make very readable lecture
to Mlnnesotans at this time. To the
many who knew little of the places of
Mr.. Fosters subject, the lecture last
evening was instructive. even to the
smallest details, and valuable, in that
1t gave compl eh MS We desc iption of
what is required of foreig ners in the
way of living end booming a C .imated.
Many were there last n ght who had
relative or friend a. San Francisco
ready to get aboard a transport bound
for Maniia, and to these everything
Mr.. Foster said was listened to with
the utmost easerne SIS. Sad he in part:
Who is there who dreamed even forty days
ago that the American flag would be vicrori-
ousiy flying in the barbor of Manila or thst
We should this moment be contemp; ;atinS the
we live in times which fruitful CT gr. az
events History is made rapidly. This repub-
lie Is tocay confronted not only with tie grave
issues incident 10 war; but it has aso be-
come manifest to every thoughtful citizen
that we shall be compelled in the future to
assume burdens and responsibilities which
have hitherto been co npleteiy foreign to our
political traditions and form of government.
We are in the Philippines! Are we there to
stay? We shall see; "veremos,' as the
spaniards say. Our noble seil:r bays are
there under the lead of the gallant Dewey.
Our brave soldier boys have already COM
menced their long voyage across the Pacific
ocean to give him their support. Who can
doubt the result? Not 1. We shall come to
know the Philippines well; but for the mo
Elent l will endeavor to crafty to some eX-
tent curiosity ard natural desire for immedi-
ate information by attempting to describe the
islands, a knowledge of which | myself ac-
qui:ed through a long residence there l tier =
fore invite your attention to the following OBJ
seryations. which | trust may be found of III
terest, and which viii, l hope, further serve
to correct many erroneous impressions exist
ing as to the climate, people, and resources
Of the island
The numerous islands forming the group
called the Philippines lie between degrees
and 20 degrees latitude north of the eHua or,
and lis degrees and 125 degrees longitude east
of Greenwich. The island of Luzon upon
which is situated the capital city OF Mania,
is the largest and most important of these;
but it is worth while to memorize tie namss
of others, which will doubtless be frequently
operations extended there. MindaDao
is but little inferior in size to Luzon, but is
the least developed of the entire group Of
secondary Importance, commercially, come the
sugar producing Islands Of Panay with it's
port of 1loilo. and Ceby, W tn its port of he
same name; the hemp producing islands of
Sa mar and Leyte: those of Mndoro, Negros,
1naSbate and Boj0l; and las " the extensive
island of Paragua. which remains in almost
the primitive condition existing at the time
of it's discovery.
Mr.. Foster then gave briefly the history Of
the islands and con.inuiDg, said:
think it important to notice the great
debt Of graf .tude the islands owe u the cour-
age and untiring zeal of the Roman Catholic
missionaries, who, during the carly days of
the colony. devoted themselves not only to
the instructing of the natives in the doctrines
of Christianity, but who also patiently school
ed the simple indios IN the useful and
practical arts in use amongs. civilized atoms.
OF all these faithful teachers, no one was
more distinguished than the venerable Pdre,
to construct substantial houses in place OF
the rude shelters which had suffced them in
their state CT savagery.
The climate OF the archipelago is without
exception the finest of that Of any of the
islands of the equatorial latitudes of the Pa
cific. All physical conditions contribute to
great size of the lakes, the deep and swift
mountain streams and rivers, all assist in
reducing the extreme heat Of tropical sun
to an agreeable temperature, while the at
mosphere is constantly refreshed and puri-
fed by the influence Of the monsoons or
trade winds, which, from June till Octo.
from November until March from the north
east. During the change Of the moGsoons
the winds are light and vari liable, the heat
being more intense during April and May
than during July and August, when the rainy
season sets in.
The rainy season corresponds to our mid
summer and autumn. and from June to
November the air is both hot and damp. The
constancy and copiousress OF the rains, how
ever thoroughly drench and cleanse the sur
face; and although the atmospheTical cond.-
tions are more trying at this season, it is
not necessarily more unhealthy than the dry
months, which prevail from November to
June In fact. the enormous fall of rains
washes away all filth and contagion in their
time enG the sun in its turn shines with
such ardor that the soil is baked hard. Ma,
laria, therefore, must be sought IN the man
grove swamps or in the polls which lie in
The iungles through the dense verdure OF
which the suns rays cannot penetrate.
and delightful region, endowed by nature with
fertility and beauty; and possessing, by
reasons Of its magnificent position, healthful
and agreeable climate
hardly less pro7igaiity. Go is found In
many localities. Iron exists in extensive de-
posits and of an excellent quality Copper,
lead quicksilver. arsenic and sulphur have
been discovered in many places. Marble,
granite and other building materials are com
mon. The mountain forests p oduce magnif.
IL. quantities sufficient to supply al! Europe.
In single province CT the i-land of Mind anao
not less than 120 distinct varieties of wood
are found all OF which are valuable for con-
stluction, ship-bui.dilg, cabinet making and
foT dyeing.
Every variety of cereals fruits and vege-
tables are produced in abundance, the ex-
traordinary fertility of the soil, together
with never failing supply Of water. as
suring large crops with light cultivation
Rice Indian corn and wheat form important
o-fio o1o ofa finr1 flo~ orn
sugar tobacco, coffee chocolate and indigo
all of which are extensively imported.
The costume of the Indios is quite the
same throughout the archipelago. The men
wear pantaloons Of white or blue cotton, the
upper part of the body covered with a shirt
the short skirts of which are not tucked in
side, thus securing comfort and coolness. On
the head is either a hat of European
shape, or "salacot,' which is the native
head covering. made of straw, hemispherical
In shape, and contrived as to permit the
free circulation Of air around the head. The
feet are shod in shoes leathern sandals
according to social position. Those of the
wealthy classes display much elegance in
their attire and adorn their hair with shell
combs mounted with diamonds pearls, or
coral. The cut and fashion Of the dress is.
however. everywhere the same, and con-
sists. Of full skirt, over. which is the
or silk. about two. yards long. by one in
width drawn closely around the skirt the
overlapping edge being tucked tightly with
the waist band, thus maintaining it In place
without other fastenings.
shall not deny that Spain is open in the
Philippines to accusation of the. same inius-
tices and cruelties of which she has been
guilty in others of her colonies; but on the
Whole her dominion has been fairly advan-
tageous to the islands till within the last
twenty years, during which recent period the
course she has pursued has been analogous
to her policy in Cuba.