Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-08-31
Letter From the Philippines.
MANILA, P. l.,

MANILA, Z. L.,
July 6, 1899.
DEAR REGIsTER-lll try and let you
know how the 4th Was celebrated IN Ma
Mia I'll also send you today's AmEr1-
can, and you can also judge from that.
Everybody, regardless OF nationality,
Joined in and helped celebrate, so our
first 4th Of July celebration in Manila
was grand success. The city was
dressed in Old Glory, and the way the
people celebrated would make any OF
our American cities ashamed OF itself.
The Filipinos joined in and seemed TO
know they were celebrating their own
independence Bands marched through
the streets and played at all the public
parks, and speeches were made. But in
the afternoon on the Lunetta the chief
event of the day came off. a Filipino
band of 100 pieces. with an American
professor played all of the national
songs, and the national songs were sung
by 5000 school children. The children
were of every nationality. The girls and
boys were all dressed in white and car
ried a pretty American flag. 1t was
funny to see some pretty little white
girl. perhaps the daughter of some Amer
lean officer, standing by some little dark
Filipino maiden, or perhaps Chinese
or Jap. Nevertheless, all seemed to en-
Joy it, There were speeches made and
fireworks. The crowd was immense.
The Lunetta is large place, but III bet
it never was crowded like that. Manila
is fast becoming Americanized, and has
bright prospects in the near future.
Business Is growing in every branch. l
never saw such change as has been
here in the last ten months. When l
first came one could see the old-style
milk pedlers with two jars on pole
running from house to house. Now fine
dairy wagons, laundry wagons, bakery
wagons and fine delivery wagons OF diff
ferent mercantile houses are running.
None of this was done here under Spain.
Great new buildings are going up
not any sky-scraperS, but good three and
four-story buildings Our next improve
ment will be electric street cars.
Well. since last wrote ! was out in
the country for five days. went through
part of the province of MOrang. The
last time | was there you could hear the
pat Of the Mauser and the boom Of Law
tons guns. General Lawton left three
troops of the 18th Cavalry and the North
Dakotas in Morang, the capital We
visited them and found everythingquiet.
Our first day out we camped in Teytey,
a nice little town. Here Lawton had
good fight before This time the natives
met us and gave us fruits and were very
friendly. From there we went 10 Anti
Polo, nice town up in the mountains.
On the third Of June we had hard
fight, and lost at least twenty men killed
and wounded in the 4th Cavalry, be-
sides the other troops suffered The
people Of Anti-Polo seemed 10 be glad
TO see us. They brought out brass
band and played the Star-Spangled Ban
ner Dixie, and many other American
airs. We Camped there over night. The
next day we went into MOrang. We
found our soldiers there in good health,
and the town full OF natives. The ma
tives had opened their fruit stands and
little stores and were doing business
with the soldiers. American money was
good. when one month before they would
not take our money at one for two. But
now they are glad to get it. From there
we came around by the lake and stopped
at different villages, and then returned
to Manila.
That is Lawton S way-tO send troop
OF cavalry through the country that we
have conquered and see how the people
are getting along. He goes out himself.
He Just returned from a trip TO Cavile
province and started a civil government
there. You can see an account or 1t IN
the american
| think the insurrection is about over.
but there are bands OF insurgents scat
tered through different parts yet, They
are principally north Of San Fernando,
and are trying to hold that part of the
island. They can hold il during the
rainy season, but when fall comes Mr..
Aggie will vamooSe very promptly.
The Americans have tours train run
ming from Manila to San Fernando, two
each way every day The farmers in
all the districts where the Americans
are are working and planting crop of
rice. General OtiS has opened the north
ern ports and many southern ones.
! guess the aunties are still yelling
eve don want the PhilippineS-letthe
Filipinos have them. lis nice to stay
home and talk about things you don't
know anything about | know many
good thinking men who were opposed to
the United States having anything TO do
with the Philippines. but since they
have come here and seen how things are,
and got acquainted with the Filipino
people, they have gotten different ideas.
Aggie and bis band of cut-throatS are
not the only people on the island at this
time Of the year and he knows it, too.
Well, if anything happens Of any i'm
portance III let you hear from me again.
Yours respectfully, BUB.