The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-19
Don Carlos. the Millionaire. at Home.

about them.
Don Carlos. the Millionaire. at Home.
1t was in the grandest OF these rooms
that Don Carlos received me. came
by appointment and found him at home
with his whole official family about him.
There was dozen fat Chinese. all
dressed In silks and satins and each wore
n cap on his head One of the men spoke
excellent English and II was through
him as interpreter that ! talked with
Palanca-
moment after entered Don Carlos
came In. He is bright-eyed fellow OF
ffty-seven years OF age. His face Is as
brown that of Tagalo His eyes are
black and twinkling. He has n long black
queue and his features are Chinese. He
wore flannel paiamas and had a soft white
travelling cap on his head. He shook his
own hand at me, in Chinese fashion. and
took a seat on the opposite side of the
table from me. He was exceedingly
nervous during the interview. His body
was never quiet. At times he would put
his stockinged feet upon the table. next
he would take them down and rise and
gesticulate like n congressman making
speech. and again would leave his chair
and walk about the room. He II good
taiker and has practical ideas. He gest-
ured violently at times and changed his
features with every sentence. He knows
this country from residence OF almost
half century, and his views OF the is
lands and fhe people are OF value.
The Chinese Residents of the Philippines.
asked first Ms 70 the Chinese. who they
were and where they came from. Don
Carlos Palanca replied:
at Is claimed that there are 100000 Chi
nese In the Philippine islands doubt H.
There are about $1,000 In Manila, and per-
haps 6a.oo0 In the other parts OF the arrhi-
pelago. They are to be found everywhere,
on every island and in every town. They
come from only two provinces OF China
and from small districts in those prov
inces. The most are from Annoy. The
Annoy Chinese have been here for two
or three centuries. They are the richer
element of our people. They own the
stores and do the most OF the exporting
and importing business. The other and
smaller class comes from certain of the
Cantonese districts. These people have
been coming In within the past twenty
years. and we had a great lot OF them
Just after the Americans took possession.
They are chiefly coolies and mechanics.
such as shoemakers. masons. carpenters.
etc"
How did the Chinese happen 20 come
hereT'
They came 10 make money, OF course"
was Palanca's reply. THAT Ii why every
one goes away from home. believe
that is why you people are coming here,
although you say you do n for the good
Of the people. The Chinese were here be-
fore the Spaniardr. our iunks came here
10 trade with the savaRcs hundreds of
years ago. We brought cloths. tea and
rice and exchanged them for gold and
other things. The trading was done
chiefly from the ships. as II was danger
Gus to come on shore. After Manila was
founded the spaniards were anxious 20
have the Chinese come. We had q settle
ment here 500 years ago. ana 80 years ago
there were 10000 Chinese IN the islands.
Later on the spaniards tried 10 expel US.
but they found they could not gat along
without us. The Chinese make Il possible
for white people TO I've here They have
taught the Fiiipinos all they know about
farming and mechanics. and they are do
ing the bulk Of the skilled work today.
! doubt n YOU can do without them'
why cannot the Fiupinos take their
rlacesY'' l asked.
because they are inefficient. iazy and
untrustworthy The Filipino can't do
business. He wili cheat YOU. Take the
English banks here. They win not lend
20 Filipino on good collateral. while
they viii give respectable Chinese
money on his simple I o. q. There are
Chinese here who could borrow n million
dollars IN that way ! doubt whether
there IL a Fglipsno WIN could borrow ten
thousand The Chinese are the middle
men sf the country They 90 about
through the islands and buy up the sugar
hemp and copra for export They have
their stores evsrvwhere, and act an Inn
purtefs and exporters. They are the
wholesale and retail merchants o. this
part ef tbe world"