The sun., 1900-05-07
AMERICA IN THE ORIENT.

Contradictions about conditions, clim-
a'ic and otherwise, in the Philir-
pines, are amazing. In the cur
r.nt news of yesterday were two let
ters from Manila. In one of them it was
stated that United States army officers
were resigning in great numbers and
leaving the country in disgust, mainly
because of the hardships endured, and
unavoidable because of the climate; the
practical end OF the war having reduced
army life to the inaction OF camp life,
ard the soldiers' work to police duty in
camps which, if the writer told the
truth, must have been in swamps, with
the natural difficulties of such locations
augmented by continuous rains. Under
these conditions these soldiers were re-
signing and leaving the is ands disguised
with the service, the people and the
country.
Tie ether article gave glowing descrip-
tious Of the country. the climate and the
people. The country was described as
rich in every resource Of new and un-
developed land mild climate, dry for
about eight months Of the year, and in
which the heat Of the tropical sun Of
midday is tempered by cool sea breezes
oi the night; fertile soil easy Of cul,i-
walton; rivers abounding in golden sands
from which fortunes are being washed
by the natives, and where the people
canied ounces of gold dust as people
hereabouts carry nlckels for pocket
money. The opportunities for trade
were described as little short OF marvel
Gus for everybody but lawyers. The
people were described as friendly to
Americans and anxious to adopt Ameri-
can manners and wares; that want
American clothes, houses, soap, medi-
zines, confectionery, whiskey, beer and
tobacco, and want them 80 badly that
they pay prices that yield enormous
profts-that the islands are in fact an
eldorsdo for the fellows who get there
first and reap the fruits of the first har-
vests.
This letter writer declared that good
and profitable business, in almost any
line, awaits ltelligent men with very
limited capital and reading these things
we we're at loss to understand why in.
telligent men, as our army officers are
supposed to be, who are already in that
country become so disgusted with it and
the people, and so anxious TO get away.
An after thought, however, suggested a
reason for this anomaly. The complaints
made were those of soldiers, OF men who
did not go to the Philippines in search
of business opportunities, who would not
accept any opportunity for fortune
which did not occur amid the people and
circumstances to which they were accus.
toned. To these people there can be
nothing pleasant, attractive or valuable
in the Philippines. 1t is these people
who write the doleful and desparaging
letters about the islands, about army con-
diiions, and about military government.
Il is this disappointed and discontented
element that has furnished to the Demo.
cratic press of this country the basis oi
it's antiimperialstic TRADE against the
national administration. Soldiers letters
have been published by the hundred
aud nearly AL of them have been com
plants, or misrepresentation of actual
circumstances; perhaps, in many cases,
not Intentionally so, but because of the
mere surface indications that alone al
tracted the writer's attention that
sffscted him Individually, and of which
he knew nothing beyond tnat. Out OF