Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-02-15


Prfests-COnditiOn of Cebu Lepers.
IndIscretiOns of American Soldiers.
Was on the Firing Line.
The views of any unbiased and un-
official observer of affairs in the Phil
ippines are of value just now TO the
American people. Among those per
sons who have just returned to the
United States from visit to the orient
is Mrs. Schwichtenberg, who had
charge of the White Cross society work
at Manila She lived with the natives,
was on the firing line at San Pedro
Macati. went with General Bates to
Jolo, touched at Guam and visited
Cebu. Her observations We're directed
mainly toward the philanthropic side
of the situation. She is very earnest
in her desire to help the people of the
Philippines and hopes 10 be able 10 re-
turn to the islands. To the Washing
ton correspondent of the New York
Post she recently gave an account OF
her visit.
The first step toward AmericaniZing
the people, she believes, should be TAX
en- in the limitation of the religious or
CARNATIONS. The people. she says. are
naturally very devOut and religious,
but are compelled by their priests TO
give up such 4 large share of their
earnings that they must always remain
Door. The people are ready TO go to
church at all hours and to remain there
as long as the priest wishes. and this
applies to all grades of people, from
the rich who sit in the front seats down
to the Door woman who. with only
thin rag TO cover her, kneels with her
taper in some dark corner. AS an illus
tration of the demands of the priests
Mrs. Schwichtenberg said that her
maid. to whom she paid 50 per month,
felt compelled to- give 81 to the church.
This explains General Wheelers re-
cent observation that in the towns he
has visited the church property seems
to equal in value all other property
combined.
One of the greatest needs ut Manila
IS more medical attendants in the hos
pitals-more physicians, helpers and
nurses. At one time HOO soldiers
were in the hospital. with only SO sur
geons. This OvercrOwded condition Is
due in a large measure to the soldiers
themselves. III SlJlle u W
they persist in drinking impure water
and eating unreasonable fruit. and the
result is that they become ill and need
the attention of the hospital workers,
who are already busily employed with
the wounded
Mrs. Schwichtenberg' visit to JOlo
she regards as one of the most inter
esting incidents OF her stay. She was
with General Bates party while he
was holding his conference with the
sultan and was the first white woman
whom the sultan had ever seen. Be
fore visiting him, she called on his
mother, the sultana, who wore white
glove on the hand which shook the
hand of the Christian woman. But
when Mrs. Schwichtenberg was pre-
scented to the sultan and extended her
hand to him. the JolO ruler was so f1us-
tered that he forgot the contamination
and graSped it. This incident afforded
great amusement to the Americans
who were in the party. Like DIR.
Schurman. she regards Jolo as one of
the most beautiful places she has ever
seen, land veritably flowing with
milk and honey. On the way back to
the boat the party's launch was
stranded for many hours on a coral
reef and while struggling to he freed
from it the Charleston's searchlight
was thrown on them and n boat was
Mt once sent to their relief, the Charles
ton fancyinG they had been set upon
by natives.
The most depressing sight of all was
that OF the lepers at Cebu. The situa-
ton there is frightful. Not only in the
city, but in the country. these lepers
swarm about ones carriage. They are
allowed to go everywhere, and IN this
way their numbers are enormously in
creasing. Mrs. SchwichtenberS esti-
mates that out Of a population of $4,000
at least 5000 are lepers. They are in
all stages of the disease, from those
whose fingers have fallen off TO those
whose condition is too revolving to de-
scribe. They beg constantly for mon
ey. and when one filings them n penny
they cross themselves and express
thanks in a most heartfelt manner.
Mrs. Schwichtenberg feels that in Ce-
bu is a great field for missionaries.
She says the church is taking no meas
ures 10 stop the spread OF this horrible
disease. and she fears that, with Amer
lean troops there, it may be brought
To our country. She has little but
praise for the American soldiers at Ma |
Mia or elsewhere. She regrets that |
they are careless and have some of the |
vices that are found in all army camps,
but on the whole she considers their |
conduct as distinctly creditable. 1t |
was an error. she thinks. 10 allow any |
troops to be mustered out in Manila, |
as they then acted rashly and impru-
IDENTIFY because no longer under au-
thority.
The stories OF lootins. she says. are !
greatly exaggerated. and she explained |
OF what much of the so called looting |
consists. On the approach OF American |
troops the natives would hide in the /
church everything they considered of /
value and would then burn the houses |