Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-10-12
. Words Of an Eyewitness.


custom house j. VIGOROUSLY corrupt,
says 5. +. DcHacken, who resided sew
eral months at Manila, and blactmail
by American officials, civil and mill
tary Is carried on to an extent seldom
il ever cIuallcd by the Spaniards
This is looked for 10y the Filipinos, rs
they have been used to it Tor genera
tions, but they never before saw it ac
companicd by lofty professions Of pur-
ity. The native press of Manila is
filled from day to day with biting sar
casm and undisguiscd contempt for Il
people who profess their honesty of
purpose, in season and out of season,
and at the same time pick the pockets
OF their not unsuspecting victims.
They say that the people Of Manila
are not blinded by the halo which
adorns the brow OF official station, but
that those who have business to tran.
sact at the custom house find it
cheaper to scratch an itching palm
with the rough edges Of few golden
eagles than be delayed and discrimi-
mated against in the thousand-and-one
ways which are resorted to to force
contributions from those who are help
less and unprotected in the clutches
OF mercenary soldiery.
These charges are not new. A spe-
cial government agent made an ex-
haustive report several months ago,
but the report was promptly suppress
sed. Before this was done, however.
many of its features became known,
which prove the many charges of cor
ruption which are constantly being
made by those returning from the
Philippines. In part, the report says:
There are many Americans going
into Manila who do not represent even
the average class Of American citizens.
There is Mr.. Brown, alias Barinski,
and Mr.. Carmen. associated together
in the American Commercial Company.
This company is selling tomatoes at
$3.50 a case whereas the duty is SIS per
case. 1t is said that Carmen came to
Manila six months ago penniless man.
To-day he has monopoly OF the nipa
thatch and cascOs for transportation on
the Pasig river. Brown is often seen
with American officers when these Of
ficers are intoxicated taking them to his
home. There is no use of any American
civilian trying to get into Luzon Just
now to start business, for ii he takes
in his merchandise honestly throuc
the custom house it would be impossible
for him to make a living"
Mr.. McRacken says: "While 1
was in Manila, a thousand tons OF
military stores were condemned and
sold for song. These same stores
were shipped to Hong Kong and re-
sold to an army purchasing agent, re.
shipped to Manila and used. It is
said that $4,000 was cleaned up on
this deal alone. was told by reputa.
BILE authorities that the same thing
had happened many times. In Ma
Mia, however, where human life is
scarcely considered, it is dangerous to
know too much about army secrets OF
scandalous nature. No man can ex-
press an opinion there calling in ques.
lion the methods pursued in army
circles and be secure in his person.
Militarism may be seen there in all
its hideousness. The American peo.
pie should not disguise from them.
selves the fact that the soldiers who
are now in the Philippines will some
day return to this country. When
they do, the criminal instincts which
have been aroused through power UNI
restrained in the Philippines will find
vent in the United States. While our
army there is scarcely large enough to
menace our institutions on its return
to this country, l say without any
hesitation that, all soldiers who breathe
the atmosphere of the influences that
play about them in those islands, will
return to the United States unified
for the high duties of American citi.
zenship."