The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-11

STUDENT OF FILIPIN0S.

and Condition -onc Souise ~
United Statcs-Niust Secure Conil-
dcncc Of tho Leaders and Through
Them Convince the People.
Washington Post; az the United
States would successfully govern the
Philippines It must first convince the
people OF those islands OF It's own good
intentions toward them and It's deter
mlnatIon TO give them just and equit-
able ernment-somethlnG which
I they have never before enjoyed. To. do
this It is absolutely necessary to secure
1 the confidence OF the leaders" ThIs'is
| the keynote OF the Philil o!ne situation
| ut the present time, as expressed ny
! Prof. y. C. Worcester, OF Ann Afbor,
Mich, who was yesterday guest NJ tue
! National Hotel.
There are eighty-thrce separate and
distinct tribes Of people In the Philip
| pine Islands," said Prof. Worcester.
| each with Its own dialect. customs, and
manners. And, first OF all. l must say
| an erroneous impression has gone forth
regarding these people. Particularly Is
| this so with relation to the tribe known
as the Negritos, whom. l have seen IL
stated, constitute the great population
| of the islands. and people have specu-
lated upon the possibility OF Negrlto
being elected to the United States SEN
ate. Nothing could be further from the 1
truth. The NegrItos are Il small. dwarf /
ish. unIntelllgent people, who are sup
posed TO be the abor!Slnes of the Is
lands. II Is true that they are naked
savages but they present no problem.
They are found only in the most remote |
portions OF the islands, In the center or
| LuZon and Mindnnao and close TO the
| tops OF the high mountains. They are
| the lowest type OF the Inhabitants of
| the islands. but they are fast becoming
extinct. Their death rate Is largely IN
excess of their birth rate. and has been
for some years. They have been un-
able TO compete with the descendants OF
the Malays. and will soon cease 10 eX-
list. In fact. there are few OF them now
left. and they are exceedingly difficult
TO find. 4
"The remainder OF the people might
be divided into three distinct groups.
the civilized Filiplnos. vino constitute
100000 OF the 100000 OF inhabitants
of the Islands: the PaSans and the
NIoros, who are Mohammedans. The
civilized Filipino Is decent sort OF
fellow, and has many qualities greatly
to be admired. He Is clearly. builds
himself comfortable homc--the best
That his condition enables him TO pro-
vide-cnres for his family. exercises
self-contro, dresses himself tastcfully,
Is patient, sober, and self-reSpecting.
He possesses the elements for making
good citizen. His family life Is. in
deed. admirable. The women are given
much liberty. and the Filipino consults
| btg ryifa n ri t1fu hi n ffntrg II
fact she conducts many Of them for
him. The Filipino Is exceedingly hospi-
table. even TO people Of different nation
alities, but he expects the same degree
| OF welcome extended in return. His
children are obedIent and well-behared
Notwithstanding all this, the Fill
Pine has been subjected to the worst
sort of lnisrule for years. The Spanish
policy has always been to keep him not
only In subsection. and to use him only
for purposes of taxation. but has also
sought 10 keep him in ignorance. Con-
sequently. the vast majority Of the Fill
pinos are ignorant and unlettered. II
one gains an education for Instance, by
going abroad and studying. when he re-
| turns he Is usually Il marked man. He
will perhaps be- invited aboard ship of
war by some Spanish officers. and never
be heard from again. One Of the pro-
visions OF the law has been that Spanish
should be the language taught in all the
schools, but they have made no effort To
provide the schools. Education has not
only been discouraged, but prevented.
| Again, the use and ownership of fire.
arms has been prohibited. and those
who venture to own wagons without
4 royal order from the captain general
were punished by long terms Of impris-
-, Il. t.r
cess of the last uprising was the fact
that In some manner or another the ma
tives secured something with which to
fight.
lit is Il wellknown fact that the
Philippine Islands have been considered
as nothing more than 4 plundering
ground for Spanish officials. The peo-
pie have been taxed without mercy. and
, they have received absolutely nothing
| In return. They have not even common
roadways. and only very short line of
railway on the Islands. They have no
lines OF communication. and there has
been 10 justice. The man who could
pay the most money always got the YER
dict in q suit. But In getting 1t there
| was no assurance that another court
would not for Il further consideration.
reverse the verdict. for there have been
three or four different sets Of laws.
Neither have they received any pro-
| lection from the bandits who gather in
the mountains and prey upon the peace
able citizens. Having no arms, they
have been absolutely unable TO defend
themselves and have been at the mercy
of the Spanish officials and the bands
Of robbers. Consequently what Is nee.
essnry, IL the United States is to assume
control OF. the Islands, Is to convince the
people OF the good intentions of the
American government and to impress
upon them the fact that they will be
given good government. But the
Filipinos follow their leaders like
| sheep. and theh' leaders must. there
fore. be won over. During my invcsti-
cations upon the Islands. many OF the
better classes Of FiliplnoS often said TO
me that 1t would be good thing II only
England or America would seize the IT.
lands and give them Il good govern
ncnt. But their experience with the
white mans government has been woe
full. AS said. they follow their leaders
|
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