Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-02-09
AMER|CAN|zED MANILA;
Effects or New Con6ltions-Fiiipino
Surprised by Full Wages.

Most of the houses are one story, but
there arc number of handsome
buildings, including the palace, and
some fine private residences with
beautiful grounds. What did VIC eat
A man never asks that in Manila
for if he did he never would cat
He'd starve. That is, an American
would.
GA lot of us dined one day at q
restaurant. We were hungry. The
proprietor told us he made tho rag.
out in Manila. We ordered it and
rice and fruits. We dined gener.
ously. 1t was the very best stew OF
ragout ever eat. We were liberal
in our tips to the landlord wo GOV,
cred him with compliments and
promised to make him frequent visits
Alas how our dreams are sometimes
shattered.
awe slipped our coffee and smoked
our Manila cigars. Cigars are sc
plentiful! that the cafes and restau.
rants keep quantities OF them on a
y table, free OF charge, for their guests
"We sauntered out into the moonlit
street and into the garden adjoining
the restaurant. We saw, as VIC
thought, evidences Of n cemetery
Arms, legs, skulls glistencd there in
the moonlight. We all had quee,
thoughts. spoke up.
"Boys, it looks as if we had been
eating babies,' I said. All turned
white. The shock was terrible. We
stopped passcr-by.
"Is this cemetery one of us
asked.
"'No, SIR
"What are those heads, arms
legs2'
"IIe laughed and said 'Monkeys.'
"Wcll, that was not 80 bad as Fill
pino babies, but it was next to it
We wandered home sadder but wiser
men. After that we ate fish, OF
which there are many varieties, and
watcrox, peculiar looking animal
with long horns, that lives as much
as possible in the water up to its
neck.
"The people are good naturcd
kind, lazy, but quite intelligent and
can be made good, sclf-supporting
citizens. Under Spanish rule they
were cowed and cheated. For in
stance, the fircmen were paid off by
one of our paymaeters. One of the
Filipino firemcn got &22. He kept
$8 and placed tho other S14 back or
the table.
"tWhat do you mean by that 2
asked the paymastcr.
&C. never get but 49, answered
the Filipino. 'The chief fireman
gets $5, the assistant chief gets 81
and l get $8.'
"'You arc under Americans now
and you get $22 for yourself,' said
the paymastor.
"Tho Filipino looked surpriaed
took the money, marched over to,
ward some of his friends and ex.
planned matters. They huggcd and
kissed each other and looked thor
oughly happy and mystifled. Anne.
rican honor, as yet, was almost be.
yond their comprehension.
"The Spaniards are cunning fnan-
clcrs. They knew how to increase
their revenues in the PHILIPPINES
All the servants and laborers were
obliged TO pay tribute. AS soon rs
men or women reached the age to
work or serve as servants they were
obliged to get cehula or written
permission or passport from the au-
thorities In their city or village, and
to pay certain fee for it. In this
way great sums OF money were col.
lected. 1t was far from fair for char.
acter depended mostly on tho kind.
ness or unkindness of tho employer
Certain fines were given for bad
character, so even if an employee was
everything he should be, the cnmity
of the employer might not only pre-.
vent him from securing better place
but might also subject him TO cxces
sive fines. Thanks to American
yalpr, the character passport is dead
and the Filipino can breath frcer.
eyes, | saw many marks of cruel
ty, but one Of the saddest scenes
witnessed was on the day the politi
cal prisoners were released from
their chains. Some 800 Filipinos
were in the political prison in chains
for offences, or so-callcd offences
against tho Spanish government
ihe prispp was nDt over-prcscntablt
apd every prisoner was manaclcd
Ahe irons on his wrists were fastened
together and few were chained tt