The Indianapolis journal., 1899-02-09
NEW VIEW or THE FILIPINOs.
They Are Industrious, but Not Able to
Profit by Their labor.

Edwin Wildman, in LeSlie's Weekly.
No one who has gone 125 miles through
the rich uplandS and valleys of LuZOn and
Seen the results of thrift and industry
all sides can consistently call the native
Fidpinos a lazy and worthless lot. Their
movements are moderate, and they take
Time FOR the enjoyment of their simple pas
times, like all tropical races but they keep
everlastingly al it from sunrise until dark.
In many of the provinces the title of the
land is in the name of the church, for every
petty village is oVershadowed by a great
White-waled cathedral or monastery, and
the tribute these oppressors have levied
upon the long suffering natives mas made
them a "hand-to-mouth' race who fully
realize that any surplus boarded or any
evidence of prosperity would bring down an
extra tax upon their heads. Half the prod
uct of their labor has always gone to the
triars and the other half has usually been
discounted for petty necessities before their
crops rlpened. So they have plOdded ON
year after year. the debt of the previous
season a standing mortgage against the
The power and abuse in the name of the
church are the monsters that have stretched
their talOns over the oppressed F'ilipinos for
centuries. Every aspiring ambition has been
discouraged, every attempt at the improve
ment of their highways which can hardly
be dignified by the name of lanes such al
run to the back lots Of American farms
and every effort at organization or the diff
fusion or intelligence has met with speedy
and effective opposition. With half a chance
the Tagal will make an Industrious and
skillful workman in occupations other than
agriculture. The Manila & Dagupin Rail
road IS operated by natives. They run the
engines, build the cars. act as conductors
brakemen, stationmasters and in the gem
eral offices at Manila many of them act
as clerks and accountants, keeping double
entry books, operating the typewriter, tele-
graphing and, in fact, doing everything that
Is required in railroading. In the shops at
Caloogan all the workmen are natives. They
rebuild the engines, make boilers, do fine
lathe work and handle steam hammers and
all kinds of improved machinery satisfac-
torily and effectively. At Cavite, in the
ship yards, l have seen the natives building
launches, repairing ships in dry dock and
operating in wood and iron to the entire
satisfaction of the American naval construc-
tors and engineers. In Manila l have seen
him building houses, erecting masonry, paw
ing streets, making cigars and cigarettes
operating street-car lines. working in iron
copper, brass and silver, and engaged in
every department of industry. In the Ma
Mia Observatory | have seen him working
over scientific instruments, computing deli
cate observations in meteorological. seismic
astronomical and magnetic registration,
where education and slSilful intelligence are
required. | have seen him as a school
master, as cure. as a navigator, as a
storekeeper, as a surveyor. as a ship owner
There is no department of life where labor
brains or skill is required that the native
cannot compete successfully. Encourage
him, govern him and give him the reward
of his labor, and he will develop into an
American citizen of whom Uncle Sam will
be Justly DrOud.