Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-04
Miilias Seen by a W. C. 7. U. Woman.

Dear Union Signal Just as our, white
ribbon friend. Mrs. Monts was DEPART
ana asked her To write me Of the. condi-
ton lin which she. found the Philippines.
etc. Il have just received this letter. IL
is so very interesting that ! pass IL on To
The MON Signal poem and all. It bears
very pointedly upon the dnti-canteen
question ana brings the Philippine Islands
very near 10 us-at any ra1e ihi W'S LIN HIT
brought to with a two-cent United
States postage stamp, - e,,,,,.rxc
No. 6. Plaza De Goiti, Manila. r. j.
March 10.
Dear Mrs. Stevens:-Your request that
J write to you after reaching TINS pI1tt'
i, not forgotten. On the evening 81 req
r,ary o. at . o'clock. the kdsuga Mafu.
of a JAPAN line of steamers. dropped an
Choir Il mile or more from shore. IN trout
~ Manila. Too late to land that night
We stood around on deck. and whlIe
famed by tn" balmy sea breeze. looked
at the wondrous beauty OF stars ~ the
htl vens. ana the circlinS ilghLs 81 me
city that is built for miles along the
curying shore.
we have been here now two weeks ana
five days and are getting little over me
strange feelings that must come to tN-
cry one TOR the first time coming III con-
act with the strange life Of Oriental ana
tropfc.1 Peoples. Everything here IS IN 4
chaotic state, and if our people al nome
dp not hasten 10 give this Rand better
code. of laws ana make some radical
,hangeS W. hail. | think. nave not only
The hatred Of the Instructors blt OF our
avn soldiers ana AL residents of the
island We have heard that coInml>-
sion is on its way 10 plan out ana pat N
Two years standing said sarcastic,liN;
This is the third commission and
things grow steadily worse. Inc ~ltnl-
lion seems To be this All thr ola span
i,b laws are in force except where they
interfere with military rule pr martlti
law.
Prices for everything have gone up
enormously and the a, Nanc" III wages
for the poor workingman IS not enough
to better his condition. The filirtn"s
no doubt. get things much cheaper tnan
W. 10 hut butter-and everything OF TINS
kind f. in cans-is ninetN-three cents anu
A dollar ten cents a pound. Mexican
money 70 know what this IL IN our
money, simply divide by two. can 81
,.yapuratrd milk. fifty cents. Mex; Ten
bounds hard. S,3.50. Mex: six pounds gran
uated or loaf sugar. $50 Mex. These
are samples Of prices ~ given " Whtn
We were laying in SUppiltr me "thef hiN. .
Soldiers families and those who can get
a chance to bug from our commlS~drN
stores get along very Wei. hut only the
Il transition Stage. ana hope The transit
ton will not last :" long that the people
viii Ne utterly impoN erished. We pali
one dollar Mexican. for l|u STICKS *
wood These sticks were perhaps two and
one-half feet long and about Two inches
in diameter. vet within thirty miles 81
the city ana on the Shoft %htt" ldhS-
uortation * easiest. the virgin forests al
Gigantic timber extend over many miles.
Iiut What Of temperance oh. God,
help the poor soldier and al others To
.irt this awful awful sin. Nj that has
nrrn said vi the drinking places IN IN"
E.cnltd-M Manila = pest ~trce;-and IN" de
'hatchery Of our soldiers l. true. ~"
first Two nights we were in Manila W"
were kept awake. or awakened at three
ana four in the morning. by the chink Of
money ana gamblers talk in room IL
rcctly across the narrow street from our
room Al seven in tie morning three y
us stood by an open window ana looked
directly into the room ana saw soldier
boys siill sitting at ne gambling tahle'
where. we have every reason 70 believe.
they mad been al the better part of the
night
coufd not sleep because Of their con-
Vt,rsatipn. 80 arose at . - clock. ana lit
ting by my window. heard these words {:
'.Nuw. how much will y"u.het" SAY. how
mnch viii you be-? Then another V"lce
III hi.rn't anything left hut an Ameri-
can tclt dollar lhll; y"u are maEinE q
which this wa going on has OF its front
tie sign: occidental Hot".' our friend
says this is only one of perhaps fifty Such
places IN Manila.
am nov in the soldiers Institute
the headquarters Of our NJ. +. mission IN
this city W" hold services two evenings
during the week ana On Sundays. but AT
present series of meetings ar" being
held. ana il does my -"ul good I" So 50
many Of these good home boys here. !
have been introduced IL thtm a. their
mother come cut I" mother them whii''
they are 80 tar away from home. ANY
way Il | see th' suppressed feelings ana
tc4rs Springing to- their eyes sonnet imC =
as | shake their hands. and talk - them.
! thank God he has given me this grand
field TO work in.
This poem enclose is written bv i man
who is in the army under An assumed
name. He is trying to have his relatives
i've him because he is such Il drunkard.
h.,g 10 a ooh "a -