New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-21

possible to know what such a person viii a.
for ne does not know himself but II In safe q.
say that he cannot be trusted to resist tempt,.
ton, and that he possesses ilttle hxity Of Dur.
poee.
In his temper also the Tagalo Is boyish. =
have known a Tagaio TO get even" for ,orns
grudge by splitting In his masters soup befor.
serving It. OF course. there are many kinds o.
boys. and the postulate Of immaturty. though
necessary. is not sufficient to the comprehension
Of tire native character. The Tagalo IL thisvisA
by nts and starts, but he IL not wholly vithou,
sense NJ honor and responsibility. He can
better no trusted with $4,000 than with 81. and
Il IL said that when he gives his word IN sun.
ciently Impressive circumstances he will keep A.
Nevertheless, In ordinary matters he seems 10
be a born liar. and IL is his instinct 20 approach
any statement Indirectly. often seeming ncapa-
BILE OF giving a direct answer. II by brow.
beating or otherwise his stubbornness Is aroused
In the effort to extract direct replies from him
this cannot be overcome even by torture. He IL
subject 10 ungovernabe hts of temper, and
homicide IL an excessively common crime. Lik.
other Malays. he sometimes runs snDck."
On tho other hand, the Tagao has a keen
sense OF Justice II he be punished for a fault
which ne II conscious % having committed h.
is said TO bear no grudge. An Insult. even n
merlted, he will never forgive, for bis amour
propre lie stronsl lie has sense OF dignity.
and looks down upon any one who lacks H. In
that respect the Americans will be and are at a
disadvantage. We are the least dignihed people
in the world and Asatics find Il hard to compre-
herd that worth can fall to express Itself in
manner. Dignity u.s. after all. the Latin for
worthiness. and the Spanlards still preserve the
manner once thought to be inseparable from IL
The Tagaio. perhaps because of his appreciation
OF dignity. despses any open exhibition OF anger
He is not lacking In bravery and respects
bravery in others. and he makes a very fair
soldier His sense OF humOr is small. and he IL
far from being a merry person. He is presum-
ing; always on the lookout to how far he
can go: and, just as is usually the case with
boy In Western lands. he needs to be brought 10
order from time 20 time He Is doc!le in the
hands OF those he Acknowledges as his superiors
I'm ability and character. He IL not Incapable 81
affection. but by no means inclined TO II ex-
cepting In his own family. He Is good nus
band and an ndulgent father.
The Tagalo is hospitable and generous, but
impuisively so. and seemingly without expecting
a return of gratitude, ungratefuness being one
Of his marked characteristics. lie Is intensely
ried women IL not regarded ne a matter Of Inn
portance by the Tssalo. Though he has always
had Intoxicating beverages at his command
palm wine. nlpa brandy--he IL not given 10 er.
cess either In drink or food. His great vice is
gambling, In which he knows no bounds. The
Tagalo is considered very Jay. but Il seems to
me that n motive rather than energy IL lack
ing. His ordinary wants are small, and lltus
,,.i.y hal, htf In pae
OF need he is capable OF severe and prolonged
exertion. II higher standard OF living became
the fashion, 1 see little doubt that he would be-
come more Industrious This may happen
through his commercial instincts. which are well
developed, most houses about Manila having
little shop in front where some trife is for sale.
A LACK OF ORIGINALITY.
The Tagalo has little or no intellectual orir-
nality; though he learns easily, he does not res'
son independently. He is not naturally artistic,
and seldom decorates his weapons. utensils or
dwelling; but he Initiates with remarkable tscil-
ity One OF the consequences OF these mental
qualities is that his views Of matters ar. thor.
oughly Spanish in character. IL IL really eafi-
Gus to observe that the speeches and essays Of
the Insurrectos are, so far they go. exactly
such az Spaniards under similar circumstances
would write.
Far away the best quality OF the Tagalo Is his
sense OF Justice. II we are to govern this race
successfully, II must be by an inviolabe regard
for Justice and by appeals 10 the self-nerests OF
the natives Mere kindness they will regard a.
weakness and to honesty and truthtuness IL
will take q long time to accustom them. They
will presume as far they cam and VIII laugh
In their sleeves II not checked. Form ana cete-
mony of n severely simple character should
characterize our official dealings with them ana
any loss of temper will be fatal to the usetui'
ness of an officer. When the natives are once
thoroughly convinced Of our superiority IN orgi-
nality ability and character they VIII sho"
themselves docile and will quickly Initiate our
methods OF Industry. administration and thought
The character OF the Tagalo does not make
for peace at the present juncture. For months
he has been allowed to presume almost as much
as he chose. He thinks the thing he has set Up
at Maloos is a government. He believes tna' no
and not the United States defeated spain nv
breads foreign rule such as he has undergone
has no distinct idea OF the difference oet"es"
the Spani,h and American systems OF govern
ment and does not in the least realize VIVA.
war with the United States would mean. IN
deed some Tazalos suppose that they are mo''
formidable soldiers than the Americans le"
We may be compelled to teach them sharp les'
son-the sharper and more sudden the oe,'e'
But the condition Is one OF unstable equilibrium
90 far as I can see. A small matter eo"'
trining incident, some single speech or le"e''
NAV give the impulse which will land the oo0'
politic on the broad base OF peace Whetne'
peace ,s attained without a war or through
war. the future OF these Islands under American
rule will be one OF almost unheard-of prospenu'
GEORGE r. BECKER
~ nrmnRY OF FRANCIS q. CUTTING.