Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1900-01-09
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
GIVES A oRaPHID DESCRIPTION
OF HOW AND WHY THE FILlPl-
NOS cAME TO REGARD
THE AMERICANS as IN
TRUDERS.
ny o. c. WHOM, Co. {. LIST Idaho.

allied Paranaque, on the 9th day of
August, 1898.
We went into camp at camp Dewey, |
,wo miles North of the above named
own. The natives were very peace
lble and did not hesitate coming to our
camp and bringing with them all man
ner of tropical fruits, trinkets and such
other things as they had to sell. Above
all things they sold us, the bamboo cots
were the most appreciated. We made
our beds on them, stretched the little
shelter tents we had over our couches,
thus keeping rs off the wet ground and
MS somewhat from the rain,
As this story does not deal with the
Spaniards' will only add that on the
18th day of August. 1898, we advanced
on Manila. The city capitulated and
we went into quarters at Fort Malate !
the same night Here we intermingled
with the natives as before and all was
peace. Here we had our regular guard
90 do nor did it come very often.
AS soon as we got our cooking utensils
and food from camp Dewey and off the
ship we began to fare pretty we'll with
the exception of fuel to make fire to do
our cooking, There was plenty Of coal
on board the ships, but for some I'M
known cause, no provisions were made
for some time to get it to barracks. In
tho r1,auyt fi,,Na WV haI n,.Ia1.c -, M Al
most every day and get firewood. A
detail from each company was sent to
pull mp the fense posts. carry away
poles, gather up wood and even tear
down houses belonging to the natives.
To this the Filipino would sometimes
most obstinately object, but it made no
difference. This property was given no
consideration by many Of our soldiers,
while others protested against MS hay
ing any right to take the timber with
out the consent of the owner. 1, too
have taken from the very door yards of
those people some of their valuable
woods and buildings in obedience TO
orders, whereas refusal to do so would
result in severe punishment The Ma
late barracks were inclosed by stone
with a wooden picket fence on top of
the wall, and have seen our fellows
spit tobacco juice il the face of the ma
tives as they we're passing by.
During the tirst.week or two after we
went into Malate. we were not allowed
to go from barracks as often as we
would like to have done, and the ma
tiyes came there in great numbers with
eggs, oranges. bananas, trinkets, etc,
to sell to the soldiers and some of the
men would take these articles through
the fence and walk off without paying
| for them, then laugh and boast of what
they had done and how clever they had
been in getting the things without pay
ing for them. 1t was not long before
the peddlers learned to get their money
before handing over the articles, but
unlike the poor dishonest American sol
dier, l never knew a Filipino to refuse
to hand over the articles after having
been paid for them. After being repre-
hended by comrade who did not APP
prove of such debauch. the thief would
say, well the black devils have no bust.
ness charging SO much for their stuff,
they are getting more for their thing:
than they ever did before. After we
went into Manila there was a greater
demand for almost every thing ON the
market, and of natural consequence
the prices raised and the natives seeing
an opportunity to get more for theil
stuff, did so, just as those accusing then
of doing wrong. would be the first onei
to do the same thing themselves under
the circumstances. For some time af
ter our arrival in the Philippines, tobac
CO was scarce article with our soldiers
or at least American tobacco was, ant
the natives would give us scores ant
hundreds of cigarettes not being at al
close or stingy with them, but woulC
come across the street for the purpose
of giving our men smoking material
and as many of them kept little stand
on the streets and in diverse places
where they sold all kinds of fruits
} liquors, tobacco, etc. They also CAV,
: the soldiers credit and made no. dis
elimination. for one and all who wish
ed to get any thing could do SO if the.
would promise to pay next payday.
think most of the men paid such bills
/ but quite a number of them never pre-
tended to pay, for have seen them at
solutely refuse to do so when the bil
was presented to them. Many Fill
pino bought and paid for goods that h
let cur men have and got nothing 70
them. Some of the soldiers after re
turning TO the United states, have gon
SO far as to say they have been crowde
off the sidewalks by the natives; thos
are the very ones who have abused an
ifltreated the. Filipino without prove
: cation. have been among and yisite