Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1899-03-29
THE FILIP1NOS
A Correspondent Describes Them M
an Industrious md Thrifty
People.

NO one who has gone 125 miles
through the rich uplands and valleys of
l.nzon and seen the results of thrift
and,industry on all sides can consistent
~ call the native Filipinos Il lazy and
worthless lot. Their movements are
moderate, and they take tiI:" for the
enjoyment OF their simple rastimcs,
ike al tropical races, hui they keep
crerlastingly ut il from sunrise until
dark. In many of the provinces the
title to the land is in the name Of the
Church, for every pretty village is over
shaGowed by ii great, whitC-walieG ca
thedral or mcEaStry, and the tribute
these opprcssors have levied upon the
long suffering natives has made them
"hand-to-mouth" lace. who fully re-
Allied that any surplus hO"rdCG or any
evidence Of prosperity would bring
OWE an extra tax upon their heads
ali The product of their laburs HIS al
avs gone 10 the friurs and the other
j.;if has usually Eccn discounted for
patty necessities Ecforc their crops
:ir"rcd. SO they have plodd2d on
.,;:r after year, tie debt Of The previous
aHOn S!;iIimg mortgage against the
!:.G.r CT lie next.
II" power ana abuse in the name of
the chHi ch are the monsters that Lave
stretched their taIons over TITO Cp-
pressed F'ilipinC.5 for centuries. Every
aspiring ambition has been Gi*cuur-
aged; every atICmpt at the improve
ment Of thCir highways, which can
hardly be dignititd by the nam!c O.
lanes such as run to the Lack Lot. Of
American farms. and every effort at or
gaIi%atiOn CT the diffusion Of ii:t III
gCnce has met with speedy ar@ e.
f"ctivc opposition. With E"lf a ci.tljct
Tie Tagal will E:ake an Industrious AID
ski!lful workman in occupations ether
than agricultural.
The Manila {: Dagupin railroad is OPP
Grated by natives. They run the en-
einCs, buiH the cars, act as conductors,
hrakcmCn. station masters ard i'm the
general Offices at Manila many Of them
act as clerks ard accountants. Keeping
coublc-cntry books, operating the
typewriter, t&lcglarhing, and. in fact.
doing everything that is required IN
railroading. In the shops at CaIoocan
all the workmeu are natives. They re
build the engines, make boilers, 90 fine
iathework and handle steam hammers
and all kinds of improved machinery
satisfactorily and effectively. At
CavitC. III lie shipyards, have seen the
native EulGirg launches. repairing
ships in dry dock and operating in
wood ard iron to the entire satisfaction
of the American naval constructors
and engineers. In Manila have seen
him building houses. erecting masonry,
paving streets, making cigars and
cigarettes, operating street car lines,
working in iron. copper, brass and sill
v"r and engaged in every department of
industry. In the Manila observatory
have seen Linn working over scientific
instruments. computing delicate obscr-
cations in meteorological. seismic. as
tronomical and magnetic rCgigt ration,
where education and sEillrul irtClli-
gencc arc required. l have seen him
as schoolmastcr; rs q cure; as nav
!gator; as stOrckCeper; as Il Surveyor;
As shirownCr. There is TO DEPART
mcnt Of life where labor, brains or
skill i3 required that the native cannot
compete successfully Encourage him,
govern linn ard give him the reward of
his laErr ard he Will develop into an
American citizen Of whom Uncle Sam
will be justly proud. --Lcslic's Weekly.