The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-02-23
Charlotte OJServrr.)

Charlotte OJserv-r.)
The following letter was written
at the personal request of Senator
Morgan by Mr.. Ogden +. Edwards:
Hon. John +. Morgan, United States
Senate:
Ar: resided in Manila more than
% years. | Travelled in Luzon and
visited the principal Islands at the
South: Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Panay
! and Negros, where my firm had
business. | was on many committees
called by the Spanish Government to
report on finance. currency and
social questions, thus knowing the
Spanish and Governmental view,
while my daily intercourse with the
natives taught me their ideas on the
same questions. Being at home in
the use of the Spanish language, |
needed no Interpreter, and acquired
my information at first hand. MY
long residence also enabled me to
unerstand both Spanish and native
modes Of thought and action-which
is quite as important as knowledge
Of the language, and takes years to
acquire.
| claim, therefore, TO speak as an
expert, who has uncommon OPP
portunities, for acquiring informa-
tIon on the Philippine questions now
so interesting to the United States
Government.
The inhabitants are mostly of
Malay descent. Before the discovery
OF the Islands by Magellan, the
brown straight haired Malavs had
driven into the interior of Luzon.
and the other Islands, race Of
blacks, woolly-haired men, akin to
the Papuans. These blacks or
Negritos rs they are called are COM
paratiyely few in number and in
habit the mountain region in the
interior; all the coast lands being
held by the Malays who are divided
into many tribes all speaking dialects
of Malay.
The Tagalogs inhabit the country
around Manila and are the most
civilized Of all the tribes. They are
good agriculturists; their rice fields
being marvels of skillful irrigation.
They are good seamen and ship
builders, building vessels Cf over 10
tons. As Stccrsmen they are pre-
ferred to any Eastern people, being
so cmp'oycd on the peninsular and
Oriental steamships and most of the
boats trading on the China Sea.
If treated with Ustice and kind
ness they are capable of strong at
tachment. | had in the employment
of my firm men Of the third genera
tion-men whose fathers and grand
fathers had served us, and | kept my
own servants till they died or | left
the Islands.
| found them very honest. The
household silver in use by my firm
from 1880 to 1888 was ALWAYS in
charge Of native servants. None of
it was ever stolen. never lost any
thing by robbery, though my house
was open all day long, and in nv
daily absence cared for only by my
native servants.
| was told two weeks labor of a
man and his wife in the planting
season and the same time at harvest
would produce rice enough to feed
them for a year and | think the state
ment is correct. Forty times the
amount of seed planted is Il small
crop; one hundred times is eNcep-
tionally large Perhaps fifty-fold
would be the average. | have seen
three crops of maize (our Indian
corn) grown on the same bit OF
ground in one wear. This land was
irrigated. Planted in good land it
gives 200 fold the quantity of seed
used.
The camote grows wild, and is also
cultivated; when rice is dear there is
Il large increase in the use of the
camote. The banana grows every
where in the Islands and is one of the
staple articles of food, either raw OF
cooked. In ten months after setting
out the shoots gathered ripe bananas
| in my garden. The trees reproduce
themselves and do not require to be
reset oftener than once in sixteen tC
twenty wears.
Sugar is one of the principal en-
ports of the lSlandS-in 1894. valued
at Sll. 900. 900.
Hemp. so called. is 4 fibre of tn,
variety of the plantain trees, know
As maSa teNtiliS. 1t is produces oni,
in the Philippine Islands. Its expor
now reaches about 1000. 900 of bale:
and was valued in 1891 at upwards o
Sl4.0oO.0oo. Its principal use is fl,
binders twine.
Coffee is of very fine quality. and i:
mostly sent to France. The produc
tion is not over 1000 tons. | hav,
known its price to vary from s. It
So per picut of one hundred an.
fifty pounds.
Tobacco OF excellent quality i
grown in different parts of tn
Islands. Its export value in lS9
amounted to three millions of dollar
and could be largely increased.
Minerals are the principal article
of export. Gold exists in MANY o
the Islands and an English compan,
has been formed to work the quart
mines on the Pacific coast of Luzon
\ company has been formed ais
to work the coal mines in Cebu.
enclose the prospectus. Mr. Macleod
the manager. has been a resident O
the Philippines for more than )
years and is we'll acquainted wit
Cebu.
Ever since the first occupation o
the Islands by the Spaniards coppe
of pure quality has been produced b
the savage Negritos and they hav
traded it for goods with the MALAY.
\ large copper mine was opened il
Luzon by Spanish company, VIII
lost all their capital owing 10 tn
difficulties of transport in countr