The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-29
FIRST TASTES OF FREEDOM.
MEANING TO THE FILIPINoS OF
AMERICAN RULE

A Volunteer omcer's Observations in Manila
The Spanish Way of Withholding Pay OF
Employces-Tax on tho Right to Work Re-
m~oved-Chnins in the Prisons Abolished.
A volunteer army officer. lust returned from
Manila, talks thus Of his experiences:
The city is rather nice appearing. Most OF
the houses are one story, but there are a num-
Der Of handsome buildings. including the pal.
ace. and some fine private residences with
beautiful grounds. What did we eat? Aman
never asks that in Manila. for II he did he
never would eat. He'd starve. That is. an
American would.
"A lot of us dined one day at n restaurant.
We were hungry. The proprietor told us he
made the best ragout in Manila. We ordered
It and rice and fruits. We dlned generously.
1t was the very best stew or rag out ] ever ate.
We were liberal In our tips to the landlord We
covered him with compliments and promised
to make hin frequent visits. Alasl how our
dreams are sometimes shattered.
we slipped our coffee and smoked our Ma
Mia cigars. Cigars are so plentiful that the
cafes and restaurants keep quantities Of them
on a table. free OF charge. for their guests.
We sauntered out into the moonlit street and
into the garden adjoining the restaurant.
We saw. as we thought. evidences OF a ceme-
terry. Arms. legs. skulls Qlistened there In the
moonlight. We all had queer thoughts. I
spoke up.
BOYS. It looks as II we had been eating
babies I said. All turned white. The shock
was terrible. We stopped a passer-by.
" '1s this q cemetery?' one of us asked.
No, sir
What are those heads. arms. legs''
He laughed and said Monkeys
We'll. that was not so bad as Filipino babies.
but It was next to II. We wandered home
eal1er hI1t wiaer mon Altar that va ata AahF
OF which there are many varieties. and water
OK, n peculiar looking animal with long horns,
that lives. as much as possible. In the water up
to its neck.
The people are good -natured. kindly. law.
but quite intelligent and can be made good.
self-supporting citizens. Under Spanish rule
they were cowed and cheated. For instance.
the flremeD were paid off by one Of our nay
masters. One of the Filipino aremen got $22.
He kept SO and placed the other S14 back on
the table. T..
What do you mean by that?' asked the pay
master.
{" I never get but 49, answered the Filipino.
The chief fireman gets So. the assistant chief
gets So. the Mayor gets 81 and l get So
-" You are under Americans now and you
get 500 for yourself said the paymaster.
The Filinino looked surprised. took the
money. marched over toward some OF his
rlehus ana eNbialheu matters. lhey hueRed
ana Kissed each nther ana looked thorouRhiY
happy anu hl'S'iheu american nohor' as ye''
was almost bevond their comprehension.
THE Spaniards are cunning fnanciers.
They knew how to increase their revenues in
the Philiprines. All the servants and laborers
were obliged to pay tribute. As soon as men
or women reached ohe age 10 WORK or serve az
servants theV were opilgeu 10 9et a ce""td or
Wri'ten PERMISSION OF PASSPORT from 'he au-
'horlties III lheir city or VlIiaee' ahc 10 nay a
certain lee LOT IT, IN this way great sums OF
money were coiiectea' IL was iar from ialI.
ior character depended mostly on the KIND
ness OF uhhthuhesS % 'he empower certain
INES "er" gwen LOT u pnn chhr fcter' so even
an employee was everything ne ehouio De. the
enmlty OF inc emnioyer mlEht not only pre-.
NehI MN rom securing Il oec'er pace. out
might also SUBJECT MN excessive hnee'
i""nh9 y Aiheic"n ~ II c"a'ac.er PASS
por. Is ueau anu 'He fii'niho can orea,h ireer.
les l saw h''iy narhs oi crueilS' pue ohe
VI 'he 9auuesI SceneS l "ihe9Teu was on 'he
Jay 'he ro'i'icn' pr'SonerS were reieaseu iro"
'hrit cna'ns' on " rli'rhos were III II
pon't'"i iri7on VI Chains. lot ohenvea. u W
NC ,''e E""'7' NV anl "o,e,u
lleht' III pliSoh was . rprrseh.apie
~ e,eiS irISonel "n9 n"n"'teu. lne ltons
=" h9 "i,9uo "Iie 'a9'e"eu 'oSe''ei anu"
le" c",''e' !" tno ma"s y oos's. a"
An'ei'c'' 'h'cei " u nonoi ~ iiee 'nen
iron' 'he9e ie'o"'hS p"iishn.nIs. ne h,s'
,'iu mem 'na' .he'r c"SeS w"u'u De cateiuiy
lookeu in'o ana my Shou'u nave luli Ius1ice
ana an honest nearing ana DC uea'I Win iair'
~ aceorulhs 10 thelr crimes u crimes mao
peeh c"'hhlit'ed.
iou VIII never wear cha,ns aRaih. ouo -
treated as Americans are uenit win. ne SAID
Ih9 blacks'n't,ls knocked out the rlVets.
LOOK i'll IHc HiIh u'lu dhhle Cuns. cdTEltu
away the chalhs. ana 7oo men ielt free' IheV
saiu out niue anu looked Volumes, Ihere
years old, careworn. almost a skeleton.
How long nave you been mere chained' he
was asked.
Twelve years
lmposSibie! "hht were you so harsnV
dealt wlth toiE
When was eight years old | attacked
,oma Snanisb soldiers was arrested and