The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-22
THREE WEEKS N MANILA.
ARTHUR MORTON CONES BACK oP-
POSED TO EXPANSION.
Thinks fflipinos VIII he Hard to
Cenaa-r-His View. on the Trade

A STAY OF TIRES weeks in tire siege
stricken city &C Manila within ssat 81 the
battle lines % tire insurgents and witnln
hearing ~ their guns s2isaced 70 convince
Arthur Merton. a well known Seattle hasl-
ness mar. taas the F1lip.nos are not
worthy of adoption as American citizens
and that the Philippines are not a desirable
acquisition III view OF that fact. Although
he was an ardent expanstonist when ne
left Seattle toward the end Of sast Jan
aary. Mr. Morton confesSes that he has
altered his opinions considerably since
gaining a personal knowledge Of the situa-
ton. He thinks IL Will be long ana
6if.ciit task 10 suhdne the Eeoelhous na-
tives
Mr. Morton VAS until year ago a mem
her OF the Schwahaeher Hardware Conn
pany, but ts not now engaged IN active
business life. When public interest IN the
Philippines was al lis height last winter
he determined 10 make a personal inses-
tigat;on and sailed for Manila by the Can
aGian Pacific Steamship line from Van
couver. b g. He spent a few days IN
Japan and a little longer time III China and
then embarked for Manila. where he ar
rived on February 70. He had hoped that
by the time he get on the ground the rebel
lion would he practically AT m end and
that ne would he able 20 go into the
interior and look into the resources or the
country and is opportunities tor Amer
lean merchants and manufacturers. but,
as he EXPRESSED IL last night few hours
after his return from the Orient: Il stay
ed long enough 10 find out that / didn't
have time 10 wait for them to get through"
Mr. Merton 5 summing up OF the sltla-
ton from a business mans standpoint Is
that the trade with The native population
OF the islands will not be of much value 10
Seattle and the state Of Washington for
many years TO come. II ever. and that the
present white population Of the islands.
which might have furnished market, has
been greatly decimated by the departure
OF the Spanish soldiers and colonists. Al
together Mr.. Merton is not an optimIst re-
garding the Philippines.
Il found. Manila" said MIR. Morton. I'm
a state Of siege. and not a particularly
pleasant place to live. All trade with the
interior Of the island vas, OF course, sus-
pended and business in the city WAS a
standstiu Fresh fruits and vegetables
could not get IN from the country, and as
the natives are not allowed to go out into
the harbor among the United States war
vessels or beyond them 10 fish. there Were
no fresh FISH either, and famine prices
Teigned. I paid so cents. Mexican, for one
mango. and sf.5o Mexican, for one chicken,
and these were the ruling prices.
II had comfortable quarters. but the
city was a hot, filthy place and with its
canals of staguant water extending in
every direction looked very 9nSanitary
On every hand neglect and signs of wars
ravages were evident. The canals and the
Pasg river were filled with refuse but the
natives did not seem 10 mind, and bathed
in them with an amusing disregard Of the
fact
There are two reasons why white man
can never live and work in the islands
One Is that native labor is so cheap. the
other is that the climate is so rnervating
during half the year More than 90 per
cent. of the clerks, accountants and the
like are natives or Chinese and a white
man there must 30 as employer or over
seer of Iabor-not TO labor himself. The
city, in spite OF the heat, seemed fairly
healthy.
I'm looking about for markets for Wash
ingt0n products | found that there is q
strong objection TO our timber fer the
reason that only a few woods, even the
native woods, will withstand the ravases
Of the ants. which are one OF the pests of
the country. Again. not a great deal of
wood IS used Ia house construction. The
best residences are built one story OF stone
and the others Of framework covered with
sliding shutters OF latticed wood and moth
OF pearl in thin sheets
our food products as rule ere too ex-
pe''SiVe Ter the natives. We can sell them
plenty of canned salmon, a little eheap
salted salmon and fish. and some flour
TN the matter of hardware and sr,.
goods. ne Will nave TO compete with ne
countries Of Europe ana England The
native demand for bniiders' hardware Is
very small. All they Will buy Is kn.,,es
axes. machetes and the Ike. The d,v
goods merchants are rcarly all Chinese
and just nov are doing sman business IN
fact all importing IS doue IN small lois
on account Of uncertainty Ia regard n the
stability Of the tariff
The slhpinos are problem II will BE-
many Years before ;tey are ss31bdi,ed T,ha,.
have, ] think, al least e0ea stands ~
small arms, own powder mills. ana aho,.n
an, ar" able 10 live off Of the country :
gGerftiia warfare WIKI them will continue
'nterm'nabi one American = worth to-
81 them on the field, but disease VIII ktn
ten Americans where II does ono If ;ha,,,
THE Americans I am inclined 70 think
have much exaggerated the number ~
tf3ipin@s Killed in battle. was M the
hrins me several times. and this was the
impression | carried away"