The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-07-14
THE SALOON IN MANILA.

The New York Independent, in di.
recting attention editorially to an ar.
ticle on the Saloon in Manila" spe.
cially written for it by Mr. Harold Mar.
! tin, points out that the one point lack.
ing in it is the Custom House report OF
! the amount of liquor, wines and beer
| imported into Manila since American
occupation, compared with the amount
/ imported under Spanish rule Mr. Mar
tin asked for the figures, but the mill
| tary governor refused to allow them to
be given, on the ground that it would
take too much time to compile them
The Independent comments sharply on
this plea, not believing it to be ingenu-
Gus.
The following are the principal parts
of Mr.. Martins article:
In considering the increase of heavy
drinking in Manila since its occupation
by our forces and the consequent In
crease in the number of saloons to
meet the demand created by our SOL
diers and their officers, it should be
remembered that Manila is the focus
point of an army of $4,000 men. The
great increase in the sale of liquor
since we occupied this city two years
ago is due to our continued presence
here; Americans do the drinking. There
is today no apparent increase in drink
ing among the original inhabitants of
Manila. If we left the Philippines to-
morrow Manila would return to it's
three saloons and its many little wine
rooms selling Spanish wines and native
bino, because these would again salts
fly the local demand for liquid refresh
ments and intoxicants.
Before the arrival of the American
soldier in Manila there was very little
heavy drinking here, and this because
both Spaniards and Filipinos are tenn
perate people; they do not drink to ex-
cess. Anyone who has been in Spain or
who has seen the Spanish soldiers in
Cuba, in Porto Rico and the Philippines
will admit they are not addicted to
heavy drinking, and do not think this
point needs any further support. And
the Filipino is as temperate as the
Spaniard I have been in these islands
for one year, and 1 have yet to see an
intoxicated native. do not maintain
that the Filipino never gets drunk, but
the occurrence is unquestionably very
rare. 1t is true that before we came
they manufactured and consumed
large quantities of this bino that has
such a terrible effect upon our own
men; but they drank it in moderation,
while our men use it to excess.
Hence, given the incontrovertible
facts that both Spaniards and Filipinos
are not addicted to drink, we can I'M
derstand how Manila got on before we
came here. with three saloons licensed
for the sale of liquors, such as brandy,
whisky and other strong drink, while
today there are 10 licensed saloons in
the city and fifty-three licenses for the
wholesale distribution of liquor.
Before we came here there were in
and about Manila some 1000 native
wine rooms licensed for the sale of
Spanish wines and the native bino.
Bino is a fiery drink distilled from
grain, generally rice, and favored with
anise-seed. 1t is very strong, and.
when taken in excess by our men, rem
ders them temporarily crazy and utter
ly irresponsible. 1 have seen our SOL
diers, when under its influence. at
tempt to kill their companions in the
guard house, and become so violent
that it was necessary to gag and Sc
curely bind them. When we first came
to Manila the American soldiers very
quickly discovered where bino could be
had; and, owing to their excessive use
thereof, the authorities were forced to
close many of these wine rooms.
OF the 40 saloons in Manila today
selling whisky and liquors, 6S are run
by Spaniards, q by Americans, rs by