The suburban citizen., 1900-04-07

N Suy thaN NeNclOp-
NJ ment in the islands
= & is impossible with
253&G out the patient,
submissive Industrious Chinaman,
writes an American correspondent
from Manila
The history Of these people in tho
Philippines is long tale OF tena-
cious struggle against opposing con-
ditioHs No one knows just when
these relations frs. began. Chinese
trade with tine scni.barbarous abor-
igines probably very greatly antedates
Spanish discovery and settlement.
Their position in the islands has al-
ways been peculiar one. They have
been toleratcdrather than encouraged,
because Of manifest necessity for
their presence They have never been
really welcome, never popular, always
regarded as a thing apart, a sort OF
necessary evil. Again and again their
total expulsion has been considered,
and about the mildleof the eighteenth
century it was actually ordered, but
the order was suppressed. The COM
plain. brought against the Chinaman
in the Philippines is the same as that
too Oiten heard in the States. He does
not form or become an integral part
Of the social and political organism.
lie is kind Of commercial parasite,
or leech. lie goes to another coun.
try than his own simply to make what
money ne can ont Of that country, and
then return to his own land. He will
work cheaply and sell for narrow
margin. His patient industry, his
economy aud thrift are offensive
rather than otherwise to the indolent
and improyident native. The Filipino
would not do the work that John does,
but he clings to an ilea that John is
his industrial competitor, and, by
working at a cheaper ra.a, is taking
the bread out OF his mouth. AS q con-
sequence. John is not approved.
Throughout the ISLANDS the China
man is the general trader. His shop
is seldom much larger than a dry
goods box, but he Grams lot of mer-
chandise into it. In many sections
he is tho middle man between the
producer and the English or Eu-
r0peau trading house. He buys hemp,
copfa, and other products in small
lots, often takes them in trade by
barter for his wares. lie stores his
hemp until he has a bale or two,
which he may sell direct to the ex-
porter or turn over to a compatriot
who deals on a little larger scale than
himself. His general transactions are
on O small scale though here and
there one finds a Chinaman of very
extensive trade relations and large in
come. Such men, a. rule, are the
gatherers OF the small lots picked up
by their fellow-countrymen. The
Chinese pack -peddler has also been a
feature in island life, and many Of
them hayo lost both lie and pack at
the hands of those with whom they
sought trade in outlying aud isolated
sections. Ln a certain way, John does
not seem to have tho pluck Of sheep.
But hs viii seek trade ct tho risk Of
his life among those VINO hate him,
and the Chinese litter-bearer Jogging
along in dangerous spots on the firing
line, seemingly indifferent TO bullets,
is well-recognized feature in mill
tary experiences here This apparent
temerity is probably less duo to cour-
age or pluck than it is to the fact that
the King Of Terrors ia less Of buga-
boo to bin than to many OF greater
physical and moral courage. His be-
lief in a bliSsful immortality seems to
be a bit more firmly anchored than
that Of the average Christian, aud
death is an incident which does not
scare him as 1t does most of us.
John is Il shrewd trader, cle7er
evader OF custom tariffs and an eco
nomicel merchant. Yet he is surpris-
ingly honest in commercial transac-
tions. From the stocks displayed in
the Chinese shops in Manila, in Ilo-
ito, in Jolo, ia Zamboauga and in the
smaller citias OF Luzon aud Usaiia,
one might readily infer, probably with
corroctness, that the Philippine trade
was chiefly in the hands of few
houses in Hong Kong and Sinapore.
There is a very noticeable sameuess
in the articles and patterns displayed
Tho Jolo store might almost rs well
be N San Fernando or APART and vice
versa. This may be due iu large
measure to q certain conseryatiyeness
on the part OF tho patrons. Certain
colcrs, certain wares and certain pat
terms seem 10 be staple. Fashions DO
not change, as with us.
The position of the Chinaman in
the industrial and agricultural life of
tho islands is probably one Of supreme
Importance. lie works patiently and
persistently. He will work all the
time, and, if necessary, endless hours
day. He can be counted on for
eight hours, for ten hours per day.
/ The Filipino cannot He employs
his time to suit his own ideas, not 20
suit those Of his employer. Almost
no reliance is to be placed upon him.
That is one Of the things we have to
teach him. He has 60 learn that he
will he a great deal happier il he will
work himself half TO death for the