The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-08-05

sumo the Filipinos find farming a profit
able business. but am sure white ma2
would not. 1t would be a disgrace to even
suggest that the natives should be made
citizens of this country.
CORPORAL BOYNTON. Company NJ
The opportunities for securing land in the
Philippines, l should Judge. are limited.
Most of it is owned by the church or peo-
pie connected with it. Under existing
conditions. however, it is a poor place for
a labor1ng man to go. The quality OF
ton of improved farming implements
would improve the country immensely,
but al that [ don't think anybody but a
Filipino or a Chinaman could grow rich
there. Their labor standard is extremely
low. You can get niger to perform al
most any service for quarter. They live
cheaper than white man. No, [ think
1t quite impossible TO introduce our labor
system. In fact I believe it out of the
question. Whether or not the Philippines
will ultimately prove a benefit to this
country I do not care to discuss. 1 am
opposed to making the natives citizens of
this country under any circumstances.
They are extremely ignorant, and the ma
jority of them are low-bred creatures.
SERGEANT ARTHUR TODD. Company
M-The islands are no place for a white
man. They are thickly populated with
negroes who are a decidedly low class Of
people, American agricultural methods
could be introduced there successfully.
but the natives only would profit by it.
You see the labor standard is so low that
it is impossible to attempt to raise 1t. The
heat there is eEerVating. In the heat of
day they close the stores and business
is suspended. A white man can stand
the climate put the chances would be
against him. If anybody has an idea that
the Philippines are going to prove gold
mine for our country let them lose it.
Capital will realize whatever benefit
might accrue-nOt labor. As for making
the natives citizens of our country L think
the idea is outrageous
SERGEANT FRANK BAKER, Com
pany M-The population is unusually
large for a country its size, but its ma
tives are a crude race In Manila there
them live we'll and dress exceedingly
neat. A white man can live there if he
has to, but for his own choosing it is
poor country TO live in. The idea of in
Producing American labor customs is ride
ulously absurd. They have their own
customs, and it would take years to raise
and productive, but at that / don't think
it would enrich a white man enough to
compensate for the Inconvenience and
hardshps he would have to endure on
account of the country's peculiar weather
conditions. In the daytime it is everlast-
ingly hot, so hot in fact that the natives
do much of their running around at night
and early in the morning. They do most
of their packing on their backs. OF course
if horses and modern farming implements
were imported there the work would be
much easier. l don't think the islands
will benefit the masses financially. 1t
may prove a gold mine for capitalists.
SERGEANT F. L. HULL. Company NJ
The islands are thickly populated and
most of the land is cultivated. In fact
every bit that we came across was laid
out in corn fields or sugar cane or rice
patches. The opportunities for obtaining
land l know nothing about. [ presume
a man could buy land there, but l don't
think there is much desirable land there
now that is not under cultivation. The
priests own much of the land. Labor is
cheap and the introduction of our labor
principles is entirely out of the question.
The corn they raise is not nearly as good
that raised in this country, but it
grows abundantly. over at Malolos we