The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-10

which seem to scold like a bad tempered
child The air is cool and refreshing.
round the band stand or stroll leiSurely |
on the sands where the waves give
vent to their annoyance as the tide
comes slowly in. There are pretty
Spanish girls with lustrous black eyes
that speak volumes; there are imnacu- I
lately dressed soldiers who exchange
glances with the senoritas when the
Spanish mammasb turn their heads;
there are handsome, sWeet-faced nurses I
always with bevy of convaleseing sick
or wounded soldiers; snaartly dressed
English cOstumed Fiipinos, who enjoy
music as much as any one else-in fact
the whole world and his wife goes out
for a drive or stroll when Uncle Sans !
military bands play Yankee music on
the Luneta-
The sun fingers a while over the rug
ged mountains of Bataan, paints a
fairy scene on the drifting clouds puts
a few dashes Of color in the placid wa
terS Of the bay and hurrfes on to light
up the lands away to the westward
Twilight, beautiful beyond expression,
steals around and the guns on the war
ships boom salute to the flag. Cen
eraI Otis carriage goes by, the silvery
strains of music cease and the people
Scurry away to dinner. Darkness falls
quietly, swiftly, and through it the
lights on COrregidor CLEAN red white
white red, and the big arc lights of the
city sizzle and buzz and the shrieks of
the night birds are all that can be
heard. By a special order of the gov
half-past eight.
A few evenings ago, I witnessed a
strange but pretty sight. 1t was a
procession of natives celebrating a fes-
tival which is to them equivalent to
what the May pole used to be to the
English in England.
Two native orehestras in the process
sion rendered selections from Spanish
operas. They played eharmingly. The
Spanish throne was represented by a
young woman dressed in white, with
real diamonds. On either side, support
ing her, were two young couriers dress
ed in full Spanish uniforms with he'll
NETS. At the end of the procession was
another Filipino lady dressed like
bride, her train and veil being carried
by group of pages in very tasty uni
forms. This lady was the "Reina del
Flores
followed the pretty spectacle until it
came to a plaza wherein had been built
a rude altar, on which a young man
dressed in yellow tights was apparently
asleep As the procession stopped be
fore the altar this dignitary Of the
unique performance arose and in very
/ eloquent language, greeted the queen
! of the Flowers, who gave him her hand
and she assembled the steps to the al
( tar. After songs were sung and flowers
/ were strewn about her royal majesty,
/ the procession, this time led by the
J knight in the yellow tights and the
queen, filed on to big frame of bam-
/ boo which was decorated with fruits
3
/ Christmas tree. These were distrib-
uted among the hundreds of children
amid shouts of laughter and the sing
( ing of songs; the orchestra meanwhile
! squatting on the Velvety grass and
! playing one selection after another in
| rapid succession.
/ have recently interviewed several
! Spaniards who were fortunate enough
/ to escape from the insurgents after
( having been imprisoned for almost a
/ year. They all say that the much-talx-
ed of ability Of the Filipinos to govern
themselves is a farce. This is the way
| their independence" works:
| There is no attempt at preserving or
| der in the provinces held by the rebels.
/ Murder and pillage are the order of the
/ day. The policing Of the country is alb
solutely nil, and therefore all classes of
/ criminals thrive on gore. Senior Mari
| ano VellejO, who escaped from prison
/ in Dagupan, said to me: over 200
/ Chinese, peaceabIe, Industrious people,
! have been fOully murdered within the
| past three months in Dagupan. and
| their belongings carried off by bands
: OF br1gands, who are plunderfng the
| whole territory north of the American
/ lines. They ride through the streets
/ of the towns, plumber the houses, shoot
| to death all who oppose them and not
/ infrequently outrage young girls some
4 OF whom they carry away with Them
do the authorities, so-called make
any attempt to put an end to these
pillaging expeditions?" I asked.
| robbers
The general run of Fffpinos are a fine
| class of people and in course of time
| viii make very desirable citizens, but
! there are those among them, high in
! authority, who are not good enough. to
| stretch hemp-they deserve to be burn
| ed at the stake.
| The Filipinos in Manila are fast
adapting themselves to American Gus
/ toms and over :. 900 children are now at
| tending the American public schools.
| The natives Of I.uZon's netrODOlfs are
line Of h4T-f
! display great business sagacity. The
4 government is employing them in the
customs house and in other important
| positions.
Great preparations are being made to
! celebrate the natal day of America. in
| Manila in a most inspiring manner
| Ten com bined military bands will fur
/ nish music for the occasion and all the
J school children of the city will sing
4 the national airs. Addresses will be
/ made in several language and General
\ Otis and staff viii review all the troops
/ that can be spared from the front. The
/ natives will heartily cooperate with the
/ Americans in making the celebration
8 one Ions TO be remembered. The senti-
I ment of Manila Filipinos is in favor of
/ peace. They want the war to end
4 favoring as they do the American gov
/ eminent. These are the better classes
I Of natives, many of them possessing
| large fortunes and excellent educators.
1 There is no illiteracy among the ma
tives of this province.
! La Democracia- is the title of a Fill
| pinO daily newspaper published in Ma
/ Mia. In speaking editOrially of the
I proclamation recently issued by the
/ peace commission the editor called upon
/ his cOuntrymen to consider the advan-
/ tages that will accrue to them by the
/ establishment of American sovereignty
/ in these islands.
I'VE are no longer under the yoke of
/ an intolerant government. The people
( of the United States have extended to
US the hand of friendship, and they in
/ vites US to share the blessings of peace
/ liberty and civilization under a Just and