The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-02-22
GENERAL WHEELER ON HIS
TRAVELS.
His Opinion of the Fnipinos Very
Favorable to Them-Guam and the
Hawaiian Islands.

General Wheeler, Congressman elect,
received many visitors today at the
transport Warren, though none of the
callers were allowed to go on board
The General stood on the gangway
and talked with Colonel Ruhlcn, Can
tain Pond of the IrOquois and others.
AS he was anxious to make a. visit to
Honolulu, the quarantine that keeps
him on the vessel is a disappointment
10 the general, as we'll as to many on
shore. Whether it is of any use is an
open question, to say the least. Work
men from shore have been on board to
look at the machinery that needs fixing
and others will go on board to handle
coal. Under these circumstances IL is
thought that the officers on board
might come ashore without adding any
thing to the danger and without making
the slightest difference in the uuaran-
tine at San Francisco. General Wheeler
gave the following account of his tra -
vels and opinion of the Philippines.
Guam and Hawaii:
Few episodes of my life have left so
pleasant a recollection as my visit to
Honolulu last July. The more than
generous hospitality of the people and
the delightful climate and surround
ings were most charming.
One must visit the islands of the
Pacific to fully understand their
character. The climate of all which 1
have visited is most healthful and plea
SAINT, but that of Honolulu has advan-
tages l have not seen elsewhere. Some
parts of the Philippines are very SINH
lar but the months of rainy season
which you escape is a feature which no
doubt is appreciated by the people of
Honolulu.
But our possessions on the farther
side of the Pacific have a great varia-
ion In hot aIN do Intf
distance from the extreme north to the
extreme south of the Philippine Islands
is greater than the distance from Chi
cago on Lake Michigan to New Orleans
or to cities on the Gulf of Mexico, and
the altitude of some of it's tablelands
is such that together with changes in
latitude, much variety is given in both
climate and production. In many parts
of LuZon, especially on the foothills,
the climate is as bracing as at some
of the mountain health resorts of the
United States, and we find rice, sugar.
coffee, cotton, tobacco and corn growing
within the space of but few miles.
! / was much pleased with the Filipino
people; they are intelligent, courteous
and kind. They are not disposed to
revolution and violence, but the false
representations made to them regarding
Americans very naturally aroused them
and led them to believe that resistance
to our rule was the only possible es-
cape from impending evil but not with
standing the efforts of Insurgent lead
ers they were only able to get force
under arms equal to about sixth of
one per cent of the population. | found
that when they learned the real charac-
ter and purposes of Americans they
seemed well reconciled to our govern
ment, and I firmly believe that after
| the establishment of good and wise
! civil administration of affairs, anser5.
| of great prosperity will bless the peO-
pie of the Archipelago. I do not think
| 1t correct to say that the Filipinos arc
! indolent. 1t seems to me that they eX-.
hibit rather more disposition to work
| than is usual in tropical climate. This
! is especially true of the women, who
| impressed me very favorably. They
labor in the fields, in all affairs of the
household, and they are very devoted
| to their children, their husbands, thcil
| parents and all their relations. Their
families are large and as you pass
houses you often see from six to twelve
| children peeping out of the front win
| dows, and from careful inquiry l learn.
| ed that s or children to the family i.
about the average.
/ had a very interesting visit to Guam
1t is a beautiful Island about 30 mile!
long and from three and half to ter
|
deal of it, traversing it's length anC
crossing it three times. 1 visited al
the towns and was much pleased viii
the people. Their hospitality and ap
parent desire to express good feeling
toward Americans was very gratifying
The harbor San Luis D'Apra is yer!
good and can be improved by mode
late expenditure The climate is yer!
much like that Of Honolulu, eXcep
that it really has no dry season, th'
part of the year of least rain having
gentle trade wind showers nearly every
day, and often several such showers
during the day.
Taking all in all, you have the hes
spot in this great ocean. AS the Mica
lagua Canal is now an assured fact
the commercial Importance of the Ha
waiian Islands can hardly be estimated
The only regret is that there are no
more of them, and to the good kiuC
people we have met we especially re
gret that there are not more like you
~