The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-23
SHANE OF UNCLE SAM.
Ma Mia ReekinE with the Worst Kind
of Saloons.
(H. Irving Hancock in Leslie's Weekly

IN. Irving Hancock in Leslis's Weekly.
or all the problems that con front us In
the recon instruction Of tbs Philippines,
t1e gravess and wioksdest is one of our
own import ation. The Manila saloo,s,
taken collectively. are the worst possible
kind OF blot on Uncle Sans fair ne.
The cit rs air rseks vita tina odors o rs
worst OF English liquors. And all this
has CONS IL pass since the 18th of Au-
gust, 1881
With the van guard OF American troops
en- tsring Manila rode the newly-appoint-
ed Philippine agent OF concern that
had ship-loads Of drink on the way. He
secured offices, warehouses, options on
desirable locations for saloons, and
opened businesa Some of the proudest
and best youth OF our land marched into
Manila to proclaim the dawn Of new
era of honesty, liberty, and light. 1t was
day Of rare import TO the down. trodden
East. But the saloon-keeper sneaked in
under the folds OF Old Glory
Almost by the time the American
soldier hsd stacked arms in the city. a
scors of American saloons were open.
swiftly other scores were added to them.
Inc number grew and grew. At the
outbreak of the insurrection there were
hundreds of American saloons In Manila.
There not bsing ct that tims enough
A american civilians, SO disposed, to take
up all the licenses, natives were de-
bauohed into the traffic. Spaniards en-
gagged in the business, perhaps with an
ironio purpose Of fastening the corrup-
tlon OF both American and Filipino
Today there Is no throroughfare OF
length In Manila that has not Its long
line OF saloons. The street cars carry
Haunting advertisements Of this brand Of
whisky and that kind of gin. The local
papers derive their main revenue from
the displayed advertisements of firms and
companies eager for their share of Ma
nila's drink money. The city presents to
the new conner ssturnalia OF alcoholism.
For Maniia's climate Is one In which
drink 10 peculiarly seductive and iusidl-
Gus. 1t Is always cppressiveIy hot there,
and glass Of beer, fresh from the ice.
seems to the hot, perspiring. and dusty
like draught OF insofar. He who over
works ir the slighteat degree tinds NOM
entary stimulus Ia whiskey. There Ia
relief-though dangerous reiief-in al
cohol, and SO American Manila drinks,
despite all the warnings of science that
In plague-and-fever infested tropical
| countries alcohol presents the shortest
route to the grave.
The Bilipinos OF Manila are rather siow
10 take to drink. They have always here
tofore been an atsteminus people. Soda
and tonics have Furnished the bulk of
their beverage that WAS not drawn from
the hydrant. Yet slowly hut surely the
natives are veering around to the ten pta-
lions to be found in the saloon. Five
| years more of the present saloon reign in
| Manila will see sad decentralization OF
| the natives. At presant the non-drtnk-
ing majority OF Filipinos feel only con-
tempt for the Americans whom they sea
lurchlngly walking the streets or crouch
| ing Ia silly semi-stupor In the cabs on
their way to office, home, or barracks.
do not mean this as TRADE against
all saloons. 1t is only a much needed
protest against the worst features OF the
American saloon that have crept into
Manila arm In arm with our boastsd
progress. There 10 nowhere In the world
such an excessive amount OF drinking,
per capita, as among the lew thousands
Americans at present living In Manila.
| Nor does this mean that We have feat
the worst dregs of American'sn there.
Far from 1t; some OF the best American