Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-02-15
back to their own country.


New Manila, II less interesting. Is a
much livelier place than the other,
and 1t il here that we find the banks,
cafes and principal business houses.
1t is rapidly becoming Americanized
and a year hence will not be recog-
nized as the same place. The Escotta
is the principal thoroughfare, and at
night it is IA sight to see the wealth
and beauty OF the capital driving up
and down In theircarriages. The &C.
cupants, who are usually proud Span
ish ladies and gentlemen Of high de-
gree, look neither to the right o to
the left, thinking thus to show their
contempt for the despoilers of their
country. The American, however, Is
master here and neither the pride of
the Spanish, the ill-concealed hatred
of the Filipino, nor the indifference of
the foreigner rutlle the evenness OF his
temper in the least. He is king and
he knows it.
The barbarous instincts of the hui
man race manifest themselves in diff
ferent ways, in different localities and
among different peoples. For exam
pie, America has theprize fight, Spain
the bull fight, England the fox hunt,
while France keeps up the harmless
Though barbarous) practice of duel
ing. But the Philippines are par ex-
cellence the country Of the cock fight
IA form OF popular amusement
which, so far as l know, has here
only been brought to perfection.
Cavite seems tn be spot
for bringing off these fights. 1t is
hardly an exaggeration to say that
all of the natives are patrons of the
cooking main, and in the place men
toned there are few OF them who do
not possess a game bird upon which
he il willing to stake his last peso.
Thus 1t IL that cock fights are of very
frequent occurrence in that quaint
old burg, and Sunday il, above all
other days, the M most suitable to
the native mind for INDUCING in his
favorite pastime.
While the Third battalion Of the
Montana regiment was q%nartered in
the church of San Pedro at Cavite, ]
do not think that a single Sabbath
passed without one or more of these
fights coming OFF. They proved to
be a great drawing card for the
Americans, as well as the Filipinos,
and both alike struggled for a place
from whence the best view OF thecon.
test could he had and for a chance t.
bet money upon a favorite bird.
The natives manipulate the birds
with a great deal OF skill. They first
fasten n gaff OF about an inch and a
half in length, and incredibly sharp
to their legs, after which one Of tn,
roosters is held by the beak while tn,
other is allowed to peek him in the
neck. This il done for the purpose
angering them and developing theiI
best fighting qualities. The Other
bird is then submitted to the same
kind of treatment. They are theI
dropped to the ground and a fight
commences which is usually OF shorl
duration, as IA few blows from one o
these sharp gaffs usually suffices tC
place one of the birds hors decombat
1t is withal "A brutal and. to me, {
most disgusting spectacle, and what
pleasure a sane person can see I'm
cock fight according To regulations |,
more than | can imagine. Neverthe
less, the native is simply carried
away by the sport, and no portraya
of his racial characteristics would b,
complete without referring to this al
one of his ruling passions.
Passing events Indicate that grim
visaged war will speedily burst Owe
these islands with all of its fury. LII
the opinion of many who have stud
led the situation that ii cannot b.
postponed much longer. Americ,