The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-10-13
A REGULAR HE'LL HOLE
Mr.. Peyton Thinks Manila. tie Blame'
the Americans. Says there are
$4,000 Drunkards. Rakes and
Gamblers There.
Mr.. Peyton Will Report TO Protestant
Episcopal Church.

retary Pevton of the Brotherhood OF
st. Andrew, who has just returned
from stay of six months in the
Philippines, declares that the Uni
ted States has 45, 900 "drunkard-,
rakes and gamblers" in and around
Manila, and that religious progress
is quite out Of the question while
American soldiers are there. He
saws the Roman Catholic priests
have made up with the Taealos and
are losing no time and spaiing no
money to tell the Filipinos that the
Americans now in Manila who have
made tlat city what MIR. Pey on
calls shell hole, - are fair speci-
mems of Protestant civilization. Mr..
Peyton went to the Philippines un-
der a commission from Bishop
Doane. of Albany, Chairman Of the
board of domestic and foreign mis-
sions of the Protestant Episcopal
church, charging him to examine
conditions and return in time to
report at the missio 'ary council,
which will meet this month In st.
Louis. Mr.. Peyton visited five OF
the islands and enjoyed exceptional
opportunities OF observation. He
is an ex soldier, having seen service
in the Spanish American war and
having served at Montauk while the
convalescent camp was there. In
the course of an interview he said
rHE TAGALos RELIGIOUS.
without any qualifying excep-
tions the Tagalos are the most NOR
al and the most religious people |
ev saw; but they are mere child
rem in ability to govern themselves.
1t would never do, in my judgment,
for the United States to abandon
them. The Tagalos could not hope
to control the other principal races
of the islands, and there would re-
suit lot of petty states too weak to
take care Of them selves, and too ig-
norant and TOO prejudiced to join in
one united state. But the Tagalos
could not even govern themselves,
for, with American power gone, the
frars would not let them do so.
At the present time there is no
chance for protestant effort. 1t is
practically useless to undertake to
do anything there until the United
States troops depart or reform.
The United States has in and
around MaAila at this moment, Or
had when | left "A few weeks ago,
1900 drlnkards, rakes and gam
blers. OF course, there are excep-
tions but they are not worth men
tioning. The statement is suilicl-
emily accurate. When the Ameri-
can troops landed in Manila there
was only saloon or two IN the
whole place. To day Manila is a
hell-hole. There are 430 or more
saloons, typical places Of the west
ern frontier, or worse, and the sa-
looms are more respectable than are
many of the other places within the
city which the Americans have eth
er planted or kept alive by their
support.
THE DANGER.
While the insurrection was at its
heighth many Spanish priests were
driven out and left the island.
With the coming Of the Ameri-
cans common danger has brought
Tagalos and Spaniards together and
old sores have been healed. Today
not only Luz,n, but the islands in
the west and south, are covered
with friars who are active "a theT
never were before. Everywhere
they are preaching to the people
this:
"Behold these menl They are a
sample of Americans America is
an infdel, or what is the same thing
a Protestant nation. See the dan
ger of ii ighting the mother church.
An iEfideI nation has sent the i.ow-
er Of its men here, and behold them.
Your lots may be hard. You may
have had grievances in the past.
We may have sinned, but your state
is certainly better than that of
Americans. You are moral, you
are religious.
Just as long a. these priests have
45, 900 Americans there, and such
Americans, as examples OF what
they are pleased to call an intidel
civilization, so long it Is useless for
protestantS to try and convert Ia
galos and other Filipinos. Let the
army do its work inl get away.
Then. aud not till then, will Meth
odists, Presbyterians and Episcopal
lians stand any chance.