Washington sentinel., 1900-05-26
BIaokmaiIN Meth DDS in Manila.
Nso0 York Woyla

NeW IOTR WOIE1.
Manila already has its white, native
and Chinese "bosses," The white boss
is G.. w. Carman, OF San Francisco; the
native is Legarda, and the Chinese
Palanca.
Carman is reported to have made a
fortune already. He has furnished the
influence, while Palanca has furnished
the local knowledge and the capital for
their common enterprises. He has the
sole right to store goods 10 bond, and
every article which comes into the
custom house in bond must go into his
warehouse.
About four months ago Carman estab
lished the Travellers Transfer Company,
to carry passengers and baggage ashore
from steamers, the charge being 81 for
each passe niger and piece OF baggage.
The drummer for it was given the special
privilege to go abroad with the customs
guard, and he would tell the passengers
there was no other way to get ashore,
while the fact is that from Japan to Suez
the launch fthe owners or the agent OF
the steamers takes passengers and their
baggage ashore without extra charge.
The company did very well until the
captains of the steamers enlightened
their passengers; then the company's
business slumped.
Carman was equal to the occasion,
however. He got General Otis TO issue
a military order that all passengers
must go ashore in the launches of this
company. So the company is doing
thriving business again Carman con.
vinced Otis that if the landing was done
by his company, and all goods went into
his warehouse, there would be less
danger Of insurrectos smuggling in arms
from Hongkong.
Charges OfcoTruption and iavoritism
against the customs officials and certain
Of the minor officials in the Quartermas-
ter's Department are persistent. and it
IS common talk that the enlisted men
who act as police in the city "collect"
from gambling shops and dlsorderly
houses. A certain sergeant was quite
candid about it, saying:
"The private gets only 'I6 per, and
when he sees those above him making
something on the side, why shouldn't
he have his share1 Month after month
while the lake Uaguna de Bay) was IN
the possession of the insurgents the
guards had orders that only Csrman's,
Palanca's and Legarda's cascoes should
be allowed TO pass up the river. Why
I should they trade when others couldn'tl
Don't you suppose somebody made
something out of that? We ain't saints y
The trust which General Otis places
10 Legarda, formerly a Filipino sympa
thizer is matter Of general regret in
the army. Legarda is the richest mar
in Manila. He seems to be persona
grata TO the insure :tos as well as to the
Americans. He has been allowed to &c
back and forth betw zen the insurgents
lines and to send his cascoes into tn,
insurgent lines to trade. when the sam,
privilege has been denied to others.
Whenever a ship arrives in the bay
customs guard Of soldiers is Immediately
sent aboard her. Their duty is to see
that no arms secreted in merchandis,
get ashore. They occupy a cabin in tn,
ship and the ship leeds them. The,
expect also to be given all the drink
they want. When.the ship weighs ancho
to leave the port they go to the agent O
the steamer IN Manila aud demand
bonus OF s. a day for the time they havu
spent aboard, II the agent refuses {,
be thus blackmailed the guard "ee
even" by insisting that they want I,
examine this or that package as it zoe
over the side for contraband Of war, thu
delaying the unloading OF the ship. who's
time is valuable to her owners. Officer
have been approached about thi
outrage, but they shrug their shoulder
and ask: "What can you expect Of me
who get only 'r6 PERI"
The railroad is conducted by the arm
well conducted so far as the officer
go, but that the soldiers who act a
guards blackmail the natives is unques
toned. About nine tenths ofthe rolhn
stock ofthe railroad has been DESTROYED
Only within the last 10 days, under th
reorganization of the road, have th
natives had a chance to send the gre,
stores of rice tthe staple product of Ii
Malolos Valley through which Ii
railroad runs) to market. With one tra