The San Francisco call., 1899-08-03


PRIVATE L. PICKERING Company
H-There are plenty sof people on the ISL
and of Luzon, but of course do not know
anything about the other islands of the
group. I cannot say what are the oppor-
tunities for obtaining land for agricultural
purposes. The church claims most of
the land. but the titles are in such bad
shape that nothing definite can be told
at this time. American agricultural
products could probably be raised there,
with the exception of wheat, of which
have my doubts 1t is not a wheat coun-
try, and l do not think that crop would
flourish owing to the extreme heat.
Americans cannot work out of doors in
that climate. and all the hard work IL
+ done by the Chinese and Filipinos. l do
not think the American labor laws could
be successfully enforced in the PhlliD-
pines, or If they could 1 do not think the
islands could be made profitable to this
country. A white man soon becomes
enervated in that climate and totally in
capable of out of door employment. The
Filipinos are an intelligent race, but do
not think they would make very accept
able citizens.
PRIVATE G. B. MILLER. Company
H-There is no dearth of population on
the island of Luzon, and l of the opin-
ion that the other islands of the group
are equally we'll supplied with inhabi-
tants. 1 do not know what the opportu-
mites are for obtaining land for the pur-
poses of agriculture, as titles are i'm such
tangled condition over there that 1t is
almost impossible to tell who owns the
land. American agriculture can be in
troduced there with some success, but l
think that the climate is too hot for
wheat Corn grows we'll and cattle and
hogs thrive in the uplands. Americans
cannot labor there either in our form of
agriculture or in raising hemp, sugar, rice
or tobacco. The climate is too hot for
anybody but a native or a Chinese, who
| do most of the hard work. l do not think
! the islands could be made profitable by
substituting our labor laws for the con-
| tract labor system now in force in the
! islands. No white man can live in the
| islands without his energy becoming i'm
/ paired. l would be in favor of making
/ the Filipinos citizens. They are intelli-
gent and moral and apparently deeply
interested in everything American.
PRIVATE E. A. KIRTS, Company H
do not think the Philippines are lacking
/ in population by any means. AS for the
! opportunities for obtaining possession of
/ land for agriculture L hardly know
| whether that can be done to any consid-
cradle extent or not. The country appears
! to be fertile, but aside from some corn L
/
! think wheat can be raised there, nor
| oats Americans cannot do hard work in
that climate. All that is done by the
! Chinese coolies and the natives. l think
! the islands could be made profitable If
| the United States labor laws were substf-
/ tuted for the present contract labor sys-
/ tenn. The climate is very enervating for
white men and no Caucasian can live
there and retain his energy unimpaired
l am not in favor of making the Filipnos
citizens of the United States with privi-
/ Ieges equal to ours.
PRIVATE P. C. KURDER. Company
A-The islands are pretty well populated
especially Luzon, where we were sta
toned 1 do not know much about the
opportunities for obtaining possesson of
land for agriculture and l do not think
American agriculture can be successfully
introduced there; it rains too much. They
grow scme corn and raise cattle md hogs
in great numbers, but wheat, oats and
barley l do not think would thrive. Amer
leans cannot work there-that is out of
the question. The natives and the Chinese
coolies do all the hard work and they
work so cheaply that white man
could not compete with them even
if he could stand the climate. Our labor
laws could not be enforced there, as the
Chinese and natives would not pay any at
tention to them, and l do not think the
country could be made profitable to the
United States if they could be substi-
tuted for the contract labor system. A
white man can get along very well in that
climate If he has no work of a laborious
character to do and takes reasonably good
care of himself. But he will soon find
his energy is impaired. I think the ma
tives would make good citizens, as they
are intelligent and easily civilized
PRIVATE DAN RICHARDSON. Com
pany H-There are plenty of people in the
Philippines or. at least. in the island of
Luzon, where we were. 1 do not know
what the opportunities for obtaining land
for agriculture are-that is a question
that cannot very well be answered at this
time. owing to the unsettled condition of
affairs and the difficulty of telling who
owns the land. They raise big crops of
corn there and 1 think very likely other
cereals could also be raised. Wheat, how
ever ] do not think could be grown sue
cessfully owing to the great heat. Ameri-
cans cannot work at tilling the soil nor do
any laborious work. as they cannot stand
the climate The Chinese appear to stand
the climate even better than the natl IS
and they do most of the hard work.
do not think the islands can be made
profitable for the United States by the
enforcement of our labor laws and the
abolition OF the contract ldDOr system.
The climate is unsuited to our race and
Europeans and Americans soon find their
energies impaired. L think the Filipinos
would make good citizens with a little
training and l would be in favor of con-
ferring citizenship upon them.
PRIVATE ALLEN, Company D - The
Philippines are very much populated. The
land is principally owned by the priests
and moneyed men. It is beyond my knowl-
edge whether it would be possible for
Americans to secure land there. I do not
think American agricultural products can
be introduced in the islands. The country
cannot be adapted to any such growth be-
cause it is too hot. l know nothing of the
facilities for raising cattle on the islands,
put / do know that the feed there was of
such inferior quality that we had to ship
q lot of hay there for our horses. There
is no earthly chance for a white man to
get employment there. His only chance
would be to get a position as overseer.
Labor is so awful cheap that a white
man could not make his salt People
raised there can endure the climate better
than those who come from a northern,
country. Most of us stood the climate
el,1 oi%f