The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1900-06-14
AN INTERESTING LETTER
FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
Some Striking Points of Islander
Life.

! dressed to Hon.. NJ. W. sutton. under
date of April 3rd, 1900. 1t is of the
most striking letters we have read from
the Philippines. The writer's vivid des-
cription of people and things. makes the
letter the most graphic account of the
ways of the ORIENT we eIave yet seen.
There are some difficult questions and
problems solve in the Philippines, and
! the writer points out these matters. But
the American people equal TO the
emergency and they villa solve these
/ problems to the satisfaction of the Phil
/ ippine natives and in the interest of
the cause of humanity
Dir. Nipp7s letter is as follows:
My general health is very good but
have had vrestle two with fever,
maIariaI, a common complaint here, but
easily cured with copious doses Of quinine
and wfiskey. the old army remedy
am making some progress ia learning
the ways of the Orient, and can talk, in
common with the American soldiers, a
little Spanish. AS for the native IAN
guage. 1 don't think 1 will attempt to
learn it, as there are more than 500 dia-
lects, any of which sounds like a corn
mill grinding nails. presume you have
read from papers. magazines and per-
sOnal letters, great deal of this country.
but few. that seemed TO me to be salient
features, might not be embarrassing.
The principal amusement is cock fight
ing, the principal drink s'beno'' or s've-
no''. The principal industries, agricul-
ture and robbery. The principal religion,
a mixture of Catholic and Mohammed-
ism; the principal product, children; the
principal beast of burden, sseI hombre'',
a man; the principal mode of conveyance,
bull-cart; the principal citizen, an
Americano!
Cock fl lighting is regularly authorized
mode of amuse ment, and i'll each town or
hamlet, a ''main'' is held every Sunday.
The wagers range from s'una centaro';
to one hundred "pesos'' (dolIar).
Beno, is the native and virgin product
of the .cocoauut tree, Which is allowed to
ferment, and though have never tasted
it, think iC would test about 500 per
cent proof. It has very hilarious effect
on an American, but when native takes
on a jag, you want to :'look out below.
After few rounds from the wood, Mr.
Native proceeds to batter up his lowly
abode aud family; having put the finish
ing touches on here, he seeks new worlds
to conquer, and goes and takes a few
falls out of his Chino neighbor, whom
he always hates, but lacks the courage to
tackle excepting when in his cups. 1t
would, however, be correct to say in his
poles, for to make a bucket or cup they
only need saw eff a bamboo pole and cut
to any9ength or size. This is the prin-
cipal article of household furniture and
being easily made, is, of course, accepted
by Mr.. Native.
But L wander After raising Hades
with the Chino, our native generally falls
into the hands OF the police or provost
and is locked up for the night. With
the reappearing of day comes to the ma
tive, a sense of consciousness and head
ache. Sans jag and sans family, for
the native law divorces any hombre who
is placed in the cooler, whether justly or
unjustly. If the Sonora is of a kind and
forgiving disposition, she goes to the
priest and asks for his intereession, that
the wrong may be righted, and after the
native has complied with the terms of his
sentence, they are, in the calaboose, re-
united in the holy bonds of matrImony
The dove of peace, which L should think
was black-wfnged here, settles serenity
on the household. and as Boreas dips into |
the western sea, the happy par nestles |
closer and closer, while he twangs a |
whcezy guitar and sings of his love. as |
the local seasons AMI as |
enduring as Aggie's fOot-racers.
The form OF ceremony has been OBJ |
served when entering the matrimonial |
state, only by the better element of soci-
ETY.. Among the lower classes such a use |
less and unnecessary proceeding is dis |
pensed with. To illustrate. Being one |
of the poorer class, you proceed on foot |
in any direction until you meet a fair
damsel, and accost her by say
ing. 'Usted caro- matrimone'' (You care
to marry), and she, almost without ex-
ception, will reply, -'Se'', and you have
II wife. That's all there is to it. Should
the tie that binds begin to raise a calIous,
you gently, yet firmly, lead her 10 the
door and pointing to the lodge of her |
father in the wilderness. say, ttvamoose'-;
the tie is torn assunder and you stand in /
your loneliness aud night-shirt, wild
over.
have not mentioned matters of dress, |
as there are so many styles that to enum-
crate them would require more time and |
space than I can well spare, while to !
Taaa -