New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-01

sheep, swine and tough little ponies. the Juheie
swarms with such variety of fauna that me
naturalist finds here a paradise. Snakes and
lizards spiders and ants. tarantulas ana croco-
dies abound. Strange TO relate. there are le"
beasts Of prey worthy Of note. The nora OF the
country is as rich as the fauna. The physical
conformation OF LuZOn Is conducive 10 eXtenSlNe
cultivation and large population Inc hieh
mountain range in the Interior SraduaiIy loweiS
10 the sea. making beautiful valleys, rolilng
hills. upland and owland. forest ana fleld'
drained with numerous rivers, and dotted mere
and there with lakes The coast line is lrresu-
lar and bays and bayous extend far inland
MANILAs TRADE RESOURCES
IT Is the boast Of Manila that It's foreign trade
now amounts to S3J.DOOWO a year, ana com
prises an export Of over $S.OOO.OoO of hemp, SD
OoOOpO Of sugar and S2OuU.OOO Of tobacco But
this volume of foreign exports seems slim FOR
such a region inhabited by S.O)O.0OO people
Under more enlightened government the com
mcrcial movement would be very much larger
Like cuba and British India. the colony Is cher
ished by the mother country because II ilr-
nishes a nursery in which men Of good iamlIy
in Spain and young men with Influential con
neCtions can grow rich in a short period OF
tin". lntil lately, when the expense of putting
down rtbcllionS involved drain on the spanish
Treasury. the Philippines were also valued be
cause Of the coin they supplied Everything IN
sight is taxed. including the natives themselves
and thus the islands ar made to yield an an
mail revenue of some NN.ODONO year
Dana 6 Worcester states that both the pom
tax ana the taille are exacted by the officials
IN som" cases the poll TAX amounts TO 80
year. and women have to nay II as well as men
Tho Chinese nay special tax. There are taxes
on stores and shops, on weights ana measures
on house property. taN"rns ana the smallest
factories. man must pay a tax for the priv
icge Of killing his own buffalo or pig for meat
or ~ owning horse or u pressing oil out OF ms
cocoauuts. For tn" collection Of these taxes
Spanish ingenuity has revived the plan which
was in ms" in France before the fermiers gen
crauN cam" into vogue For each town Or dis
trict "A tax collector IS appointed 10y the Gov
ernor of TIA" province. He is called sooer-
uadurcill,. and ne is responsible for tn" eStl-
mated amount which his district should pay in
taxes So that if collections should fall short he
must max" them good out Of his own pocket
Iic has under him Il number Of deputy-coil"ct-
ors known as cabezas each Of whom collects the
taxes o. from forty - sixty taxpayers and is
personally responsible for the amount expected
from each If they fail 10 pay up he dsirains
their property and sells 10. if the proceeds OF the
sale fail 70 cover the indebtedness. the delin-
qucnt debtors are imprisoned or deportcd. At
Siquidor Mr.. Worcester saw mclano holy pro-
r.ssian Of forty four men who had lost houses
ranging from - To- so. they were being sent
prisoners to Bohol. and their families were lef;
% shit for themselves
TAXED WITH NOTHING ~ RETURN.
Tho natives got little or nothing in return for
this frgh'ful burden Of taxation. The courts o.,
Justice az" farce. the judg' makes no secret
~ has Venplity In few towns there are a few
there are none There are no roads which ar"
Jfssahle cxcep. at the dry season. and then
o1ly lv buffalo sheds In the rainy season
Intercourse ceases. There are no BRIGGS. Nov
and thon military bridge is built by an enter
piising general 80 attempt is made 70 repair
81. and b. soon falls into decay. Thus wherever
g. Is possible people travel and send their prod
ucD 90 market hy boat Lots ~ hrgands have
hocn shot or hanged. but hrigandagc still -four
'eh,s az the LaCuna de Bay. close 10 Manila.
AMI The Island of Mindoro. AZ the mouth II Ma
g.. f.. ..Ff T.ag AZ lff ~
throais Natives who travel cannot protect
themselves for no ono can have a weapon In his
possession without procuring a license, and that
The weight ~ taxation Is aggravated by the
rapac.ty - the Governors When General Wcy-
Ter was aforementioned h. received salary
~ $1,000 year. but II was said that the calls
upon has purse for entertainments and chart
Tics l"ft him no savings ar The md - the year.
Nerrrthe.cgs AT the close II his term he had
living - his credit IN the banks Of London ana
Paris sum which Madrid politicians yariousiy
estimated ~ from - uOD OuD 10 - .0uOUpO How
De- managed 70 accumulate 30 large a fortune
may Doc Inferred from an anecdote which was
current talk ar Manila. He was succeeded by
honest Llau. he had 40 sooner taken his seat
ia the Gu."ruatorial office than h. was visited
lf oa" - 'he richest Chinese merchants of Ma
Mia. Behind The Chinese cam" servants bearing
bags which contained SluunO In silver coins.
This triN- a." merchant begged the new Cover
roy ,o accept az slight token az his considora-
o@c!al promptly Knocked him down.
AZ HONEST GOVERNOR.
There hnvc been other Spanish officials Of the
type - Drspuyol. som, years aeO Colonel
Arolas. who had incurred the ill-wil Of the
colonial Office at Madrid. was appointed Gov
crnur ~ The province of Suda u was intended
- he an exile Suda war q mos, unhealthy
spot In which malarious feyers ragged. most Of
IA" province was inhabited by tribe called
Moros who were hrigands by calling and fight
'rs boy choice. II CHANGED that Arulas was
man 81 resource. IIr drained the town and dis
pcllcd the fovers he enrolled a body Of natives
and drilled them tin they were IT 10 put IN the
Neld and marched ON the Moros choosing his
battlefield. be- met the brigards and inflicted
such a castlsation that they gave no further
trDubl" during his administration. Returning
home victorious. be improved his town. founded
hospital and schools. introduced water. and
laid nuf FIN" broad streets. paved with coral.
But his heart WAS In Spain and at an early
opportunity he returned there. and rose 10 high
rank IN the army. II Their" had been more Span
iards ~ his stamp tho Philippines would not
now have been dropping out OF the clutch Of
Spain
Manila is a beautiful city. about the size of
san Francisco. II is built on both sides Of the
River Passig. which Is navigahle To- its source.
old Manila lay ON the left bank Parts ~ the
masonic ston" wall which WIS built around IL
two hundred years ago are still visible. and
som" Of tn" gates survive. through which
stream of solemn friars. Srinning Chimes. re
spl~ndent Spanish officials. b.ggars ia rags
plOus nuns, handsoni" scnOraS. gay native girls.
mcqtiZos In uniform. natives in hrecch -couts.
four-hor carriages. two-whee pony wagons
and crrakln6 buffalo carts pours from morning
I'll ninht. The Cathedral. monasteri.s and GOV
"rnm'nt Offices ar" I'm old Manila. the business
quarter. the foreign shipping houses the banks
stores ana Custom House are IN BnondO on the
other side Of the river between the walls and
the shore Is the Luncta, the fashionable prom
cnadc. where the band plays and society enjoys
the evening breeze. hlrts under hundreds Of
electric lights and drives around the circle I'm
carriages which follow each other In a slow
dignin"d procession. The best houses In Manila
are built ~ stone. and are handsome residences
though there is no window glass used in their
construction Instead Of glass the windows are
glazed with translucent oyster shell This is
cut into squares small that a window eight
feet 10y four VIII contain 30 OF them. II is
found that they temper the fierce glare of the
sun and soften the light.
TFLEGRAPHIC NOTES.