The Jamesburg record., 1899-09-09
The Filipino as He Is.

we were Steam1ng out OF the city
on the Manila & Dagupan Rail
way" more popularity known, at
that time, as the kansas & Utah
Short Line" but which now, and
under the same management, bears
the more dignifed name of the
Manila & San Fernando Railway. :"
As we were passing through the
district known as "Tondo, one of
the dirtiest spots in all Manila, but
which had recently undergone a
purifying process by means of fire,
it struck me as impossible to estimate
the great amount of good accomplish
ed by that fire. In the first place it
was the cause of many lazy Filipino
having to "go to the Ant or in
other words, get to work and build
him place to live in; and then again
we know of no better disinfectant,
than fire. Think of the smallpox
and other loathsome diseases that
were licked from the floors, walls,
and ceilingsof those wretched novels
which the Filipino call his casa"
or house; his home!-Sure1y not
home in the sense that the word
usually indicates, but hovel, where
you can see him as he sits at the
window, smoking his cigarette,
with nary a care for the morrow"
or for the civilization which a gener-
Gus nation offers to teach him; sort
of moral apathy-He sees the sun
rise and set, and knows when it's time
to eat (his wife will look out for that,
indeed, the little 'deneiro," hard
earned, as it is, which she manages
to get from day to day, is sufficient,
for his wants He is man with a
| future. In fact it is all future with
him, for his motto seems to be Never
do to-day what can be done to-mor
row" or "Manana - as he puts it. In
many cases he is but one remove
from the pig, and that is usually about
one yard considering the peculiar
construction of his house, He has
one redeening feature however, and
that is his religion Cor his supersti
ton, if you please, which seems to
hold him in check, as it were, and
goads him on to church. As rule
he is good church goer, amere Gus
tom of his, however, but, in one
sense good one, for without it we
would soon see him in all his barbaric
glory, welding bolo perhaps, to the
tune of some weird Tagalo war song.
We have not attempted to paint
him in gaudy colors, as photogra
pher sometimes favors the picture of
customer, but have shown him as
we found him.
To say that all Filipinos are of this
class, would be gross injustice to
those who have attempted to oriseabove
the common level. This class usual
ly has some regular vocation or trade
whereby they earn living for them
selves and, be it said to their honor
and praise, families. The wife how
ever, often works with her husband,
especially when their trade is tailor
ing and often in the hope that their
children might be brought up respect
ably, and evincinga desire themselves
to be counted with the better class.
That many of this class are still igno-
rant, or rather uneducated, (for they
are in many cases very intelligent, is
), because in their poor circumstances
it has been impossible toposess them
selves of more than the fundamental
principles of an education-energy
and industry-which they have
acquired.
| What with the fact that their fam
lilies are large (they marry quite
young), and their wages small, and
also that the Spanish rate for educa-
ton was something like $50 per year
for each scholar, their efforts have
been attended with discouragements
on all sides.
These are the people that deserve
sympathy, (and practical encourage
ment along with it). In them if we
find the material to civilize; and we
see the consummation of our efforts
in this, we shall also see the uplifting
of the other class as they wake from
their lethargy, and their eyes are
opened to the good things this world
has to give them.
w. BRADFORD WILLIAMS,
| HoSn CorDc IT 9