Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-11-14

Observation-Disclosures of the Soil Is
Necded-VaIunbiew woods Found In
the Forests.
The Manila correspondent of the
New York Times, writing under date
of Sept. . about opportunities in the
Philippines, says:
The questions whether or not there
are opportunities for American young
men in the philippines and the adj
visibility of going to seek them may
be answered by both Yes" and No"
American energy will succeed any
where, but in this instance the follow
ing conditions should be satisfied:
First, he should be in the best OF
health and determined to eschew all
strong spirituous liquors. Moderate
drinkers get along all right. but even
they might leave whisky and brandy
alone Second, it is very important
that he should have Il working capital
of not less than $4,000 or $1,000, with
more behind him. so that when open
ings are presented. and there will be
plenty, he may take advantage of
them. Without money he will be like
the old Chicagoan. who. pointing to
Marshall Fields building, remarked to
IL ',
this town, l could have bought that
for pair of old boots"
well. why didn't you?"
"Cause l hadn't the old boots"
In case he cannot control n reason
able amount of capital, he should be
assured of = paying position with some
reputable concern, and then progress.
though slower. will nevertheless be
certain. He must come contented to
settle down in strange surroundings
and not be distracted by thoughts of
home and friends.
In Manila he will meet many charm
ing people-Spanish, English. German,
and. as time goes on. American. Ash
atics and mestizos. dark, copper color
ed half breeds containing Filipino and
Chinese blood, are. however, most in
evidence. If the American be merely 4
clerk he will meet with sharp competi-
ton from the older clerks, Filipinos or
foreigners. who are content with the
most paltry wages. He will be further
handicapped from ignorance of the
Spanish language. Manila seems at
present to be overrun with doctors and
dentists, but recent military orders re-
quiring examination and the possession
q
their numbers.
There seems to be a good field for
schOolteachers and stenographers,
male and female, but at present the
salaries are inadequate. American
lawyers, unless familiar with the Span
ish language and laws could only con-
duct their pleadings through native
abOGadus, as all court proceedings are
IL
some time before English can be sub
stituted. Even interpreters do not al
ways get exact shades of meaning. as.
for example. when we find that a
translation of "A Hot Time In" etc,
reads 1T Will Be Warm In the City
This Evening
The remarkably low cost of living,
which has been so widely advertised.
is rapidly passing away. The large eX-
penditures of the troops. the consump-
ton of supplies by the army and the
American habit of paying the price
asked and not hagglinG over it. as the
orientals do, are effective factors in en-
HANGING prices. Americans everywhere
soon spoil low prices. 1t seemed to me
that Honolulu was the most expensive
town l had ever visited in the United
of provisions are more exigent and
varied than those of the natives. The
time is past when a gentleman belong
ing to Il small mess could have several
servants and keep his own horse at a
cost of $50 or $50 month. Four army
officers, who mess together and live
rent free in a government house in the
city, find that their shares average $50
each.
Many catables to which Americans
are accustomed are lacking. The few
Australian cows in Manila afford a
very inadequate supply of milk, and |
it costs 60 cents (Mexican) per quart, |
so that canned condensed milk is the |
more widely used. Butter also has to |
be brought from the United States or |
Australia in tin cans. and, not being |
refrigerated, the severe tropical heat |
makes it too strong for use. Our doc |
tor prescribed milk in a typhoid case, |
but the patient didn't find condensed |
milk appetizing. so the milk of the |
caribou, the water buffalo. was substi- |
tuted. If this milk be poured, boiling |
hot, on toast, served with n piece of |
rancid canned butter (aIl the butter is |
rancid, and favored with pepper and |
salt, you get milk toast that looks |
like n cheap oyster stew and tastes |
like caribou. 1t was a desperate rene
dy. but it cured the sick man. milk |
diet is very efficacious here in cases Of |
indigestion.
There are many kinds of wild fruits,
but the newcomer had better not ex-
pertinent with them. Bananas. man
goes and pineapples are quite choice
and plentiful. but other varieties are
rare, though there seems to be no
good reason for the scarcity. Oranges
and lemons are not grown, probably
because of the native Incidence. but
careful cultivation would likely de-
velop as fine q grade and as valuable