The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-18
EXPIATING TnElR SINS.
A Peculiar Dance in Vogue Among
the FfliplnOs.

finding Of this decomposed body gave suf
ficient evidence to clear up any impress
sions that the Tagalo was enlightened
The woman had died during the peni
tent dance on Good Friday, and in so DOM
had dsgraced herself to the extent tina
her relatives had refused to have anything
to do with her after death. The nativ
priests have encouraged this relic of bar
barity. Men. women, and children indulge
in the dance with a view to obtaining ex
patton for the sins of the year.
The place chosen for the ceremony Il
always isolated. The more remote it !!
the more pleased are those who partici
pate, for then there can be that abandon
thrown into it which would be impossible
near any town. The fanatics generally
strip most of their clothing and are ther
ready for the dance.
They form circle, giving their bodies
slightly swaying motion, and all the
while cut and lasa each other with tough
switches. 1t is considered a disgrace 70,
any OF the participants to give way tc
fatigue until the dance is over, the only
way to lind favor in the eyes of the Su-
| preme Being consisting of a fortitude that
makes light Of the fearful switching A
dismal chant is kept up during the dance
only ceasing when the chosen leader gives
the signal to stop.
The dead woman had participated in one
! OF these dances, and had held out for
hours. Those who were with her in the
| dance expressed surprise that she held out
| as she did. Late in the afternoon, how
ever, she had succumbed and fallen utter
| ly exhausted. She was dragged out of tie
circle and thrown into the ditch, where
| She had remained until the officers foun.;
her.
The Spanish Government did what i,
could to stop these rites, which closely
| approach those of the American Indians in
their medicine dance. and now the United
States will have something more to con-
! tend against in obliterating such practices.
The most simple methods have been
used by the Health Board in Manila to
master the plague, but the processes have
been SO effective that today the city is
better oil than most places threatened to
the extent Manila has been. Every house
In district where the disease made its
| appearance was treated to disinfectants.
Then the firemen turned to with their hose,
flushing the cutters. sewers. and houses
in which filth had been allowed to COL
! lect. In many cases the stream of water
was insufficient and the walls and floors
had to be scraped.
Raids were made on the markets where
stuff was exposed for sale that might
well carry plague germs. Oranges cut
in two and shown for sale were oonfis-
Gated and the dealers made to cell the
fruit whole. Fish dried by the natives
in the sun were disposed of and greens,
to be sold after having been in the sun
for hours, were carted away. Radical
reforms were introduced all through the
market places these being responsible to
large degree in cutting down the raw
ages of the plague. DR.. c.. S. Luton, of
Melbourne, Australia, who has but re-
Gently arrived to study plague conditions
as he expected to find them in Manila
has been surprised to learn Of the celebrity
with which the disease has been stamped
out.
Superintendent OF Schools Anderson is
in Japan for months leave, it being the
vacation season, but during his absence
the work Of renovating and refitting the
schools is going on as rapidly as possible.
that they may be ready when study is
resumed about the middle Of June. In
several cases new buildings have been
taken, the object being to secure play
grounds for the children wherever pcssi-
Bile, there having been no places other
than the street for the pupils to use dur
ing their brief recreation periods.
The American school system has proven
success here beyond anything antici-
pated by the promoters, the average at
tendance during March, the last of the
school year. having been close to 5000.
Parents who were at first opposed to send
ing their children to the schools have
had their preiudices overcome by the
wonderful progress made, and the schools
are likely to be crowded to overlooking
in be wear
New text books were received from the
United States just before vacation started
and the teachers have been busy in famil-
iarizing themselves with them. The whole |
routine Of work will be changed during |
the next year and made more interesting. |
Merchants returning here from Iloilo |
and Cebu comment On the difference in the
natives of the two places. Both have |
been pacified to some extent, but the work |
done in Iloilo has been SO marked that the |
province is now ready for BOOM 1t may |
not want it, but ii cannot escape, because |
the American looking for an opportunity to
get into business will swoop down upon it !
without further invitation than that which !
his business acumen gives him. Cebu is
more likely to remain as it is, not only
because it possesses fewer natural ad-
of a boom town, but because the
natives are too far from being tanned to
make it possible to traverse the province
in safety.
About the same number of American
soldiers are garrisoning both places, but
there has been a difference in the Admin
istration. At Iloilo it is possible to drive
through the country without fear of an at
tack. Cebu has not attained that cond-
ton. The country there is infested with
ladrones. who think it their legitimate
business to prey upon foreigners. So far
has this been carried that an order has
been issued that no civilian be allowed to
go beyond the suburbs without a military
escort, eight in party being the usual
number. 4t
lloilo and Cebu represent the CONNER
cial value of the islands with the excep-
ton of Luzon and the distant Sulu group.
Iloilo's staple is sugar and there is I'M
limited capacity for this product. Cebu
can turn out hemp enough to make rope
to hang the world. 1t is in these direc-
lions that the American with a little cap
ital can make fortune If the chance is
taken quickly
GOOD WORDS NOT TO USE.