The National tribune., 1900-06-21
THE CHINESE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
WI Ting Fang Says They Must Not Be Ex-
PEELED.
Minister WI Ting Fang in Aiaslee's.

Minister WI Ting Fang in AiRslee's.
There is a great deal Of talk about the
presence Of the Chinese in the Philippines,
and there are those who say that this is a
problem which may cause trouble. do
not see why there should be any difficulty.
The Chinese have been there for centuries.
Why should anybody wish to disturb the
existing state Of things? 1t is said there
is i'll feeling against the Chinese on the
so great as it has been represented to be.
1t is exaggerated. Those who have dis
cusSed it make too much Of it, This is a
fundamental mistake. If the natives see
that the Americans attach importance to
it, they may magnify it themselves, but if
Americans refuse to notice it there will be a
difference. 1t is said that the natives
have some feeling because the Chinese have
succeeded in business, mOnopOliZng it in
some instances. What il this be true?
Is it not the fault Of the natives themselves?
If the Chinese learn TO transact business,
they have that advantage over foreigners,
and the Chinese are naturally business
men. But if the natives would apply
themselves, why should they not control
the business themselves? They certainly
have every natural advantage over foreign
ers. If they will only work and seize the
opportunities, the natural consequence will
be that the Chinese will cease going there.
The thing will remedy itself. There is no
necessity for resorting to forcible measures
To exclude our people. 1t lies with the
natives themselves if they are good for
anything. Let them turn their talents to
account. The fact that SO many Chinese
go 20 the Philippines is only an evidence
that the people there do not live up to their
opportunities. If there were no opening
for the Chinese, they certainly would not go
there. Then it is said there is feeling
against the Mestizos. Why should this
be? The very fact that they are Mestizos,
or half-breeds, is evidence in itself Of in
innate association between the two races.
One is as good as the other. If the i'll
feeling against the Chinese were as strong
as it has been represented to be, there
certainly would not be so many Mestizos.
The existence Of the Mestizos shows that the
natives like the Chinese. 1t seems to me
| that this is self-evident. 1t is true, Of
course, that the cleverest men in the Philip
pines are these same Chinese Mestizos.
| Aguinaldo has Chinese blood, and this is
the case with most Of the leading Filipinos.
| The Mestizos get their best blood from the
| Chinese. Hence they are superior to the
| natives.
Mr. Wildman, the American Consul at
Hong Kong, has said in his report that
without Chinese lahey the trade with the
| Philippines Wossd be ruined, and all the
! indllstsies Would deteriorate. There would
I be no chance for development. He said
| lllS cupilallcaily, ana II IS probably true.
The English people appreciate this They
would be very glad indeed 10 have the
Chinese expelled from the Philippines,
because. in that case, there would be less
10 fear from the competition Of the Philip
pine trade, and because the Chinese when
expelled, would be inclined TO go to the
Straits Settlement, where they will be
welcomed. The English Government has
always encouraged the immigration OF
Chinese to the Straits. They recognize the
value of this class Of population in de
veloping the country. There are Chinese
in Hong Kong. They have recently
established cotton factories there with
Chinese labor, and the proprietors Of these
factories do not relish the prospect Of hav
ing similar factories established in the
Philippines. II the Chinese were ex
cluded from tho Philippines there would
be no danger Of competition from this
source, because the native Filipinos
are not adapted to work Of this kind The
English Government welcomes the Chinese
in tho Straits Settlement and in all theil
colonies. They cannot do without them
They work TO advantage, and the result
Is always good. / am familiar with Singa
pore, and know something Of the Malay
natives there. Many of the Filipinos arr
Of the same race. You cannot make any
thing out Of them, and there il little chanc,
for their development without the presepc,
Of the Chinese.