Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-02

with all Luzon the benefits of system of
thorough public education. The efforts to
establish a public library, initiated by pub
lic-spirited Mrs. Greenleaf. should reap de-
served success; and the reading facilities
provided for the soldiers through the Y NJ.
c. A. by the beneficence of Miss Helen
Gould will serve very useful purpose.
While increasing its churches, its schools
and its public libraries. Manila can afford
to reduce the number of its saloons and to
deprive those that are permitted to remain
of some of the conspicuous and oStenta-
tious procamations of their presence, which
last winter offended the ear and eye on the
main street of Manila Asiatic cities have
the merit of forbidding vice to f1aunt itself
openly before the public. The shop where
the national intoXicant is sold is as quiet
and orderly as the shop for the sale of any
other product. The brothes are isolated
and regulated and hemmed about with re-
strictions to the last degree. Neither the
intoxicated man nor the courtesan brushes
against you in the streets loudly pro-
claims presence in public house. In Wis
iting many cities In Asia during the last
few months l saw no man boisterous from
drink in public outside of Manila, except
one English soldier at the Peak in Hong
Kong, who was promptly and unceremoni-
ously hustled away out of sight by other
soldiers, with apologies by them for his
condition.
This matter which has already received
the earnest attention of the responsible Of
ficials, should be regulated by the govern
ment with a firm hand. 1t is not a re-
formatory movement which will clash with
local public sentiment. like a campaign
against cock-fighting, for instance Neither
the spaniard nor the Filipino has been in
the habit of getting drunk in public.
Preserve American Prestige.
Outside of the moral question, there is
consideration of national seIf-respect and
international prestige. An essential of the
proper relation between the American and
the Filipino is that the latter shall respect
the former and give him his confidence. OF so
much Importance was it considered by the
Dutch that the Javanese should habitually
look up to them, that, we are told in Miss
ScjdmOre's work on Java, the Resident can
order any planter OF trader out of his do
main who does anything to compromise
the superior standing or prestige of the
white people" THE Dutch" She adds,
ARE severe upon this latter point and the
best of them uphold a certain noblesse
ohlige as imperative upon all who possess
white skin. The European military officer
is sent to Holland for court-martlal and
punishment that the native soldiers may re-
rain ignorant of his degradation, and the
European who descends to drunkenness is
hurried from native sight and warned
l have personally seen very little Of the
public intoxication in Manila which has
been described, and there may be, as is al
legged, much of eXaggeration in the ac-
counts. 1t may be true that the obviously
too numerous and too noisy saloons took
the place of still more numerous booths
where native drink which crazes the for
e1gner traffic in which is now Drohibited)
was sold. 1t is even barely possible thai
conditions the Escolta were more
discreditable in this respect under Spanish
rule than under our own A spectacle far
worse is to be seen along the main street of
many of our mining towns and in certain
sections of any of our large cities But the
Escolta Is the main show street of our rep
Iesentative city in Asia. 1t is COMPARED
not with the principal avenue of Poker Flat
or with slum street of New York but
with the main thoroughfare in each of the
As1atlc commercial capitals. 1t should be
put in condition to stand this comparison
The story of the Escolta's discreditable
state has been told with exaggerations all
over Asia, and the American everywhere is
so assailed by disparaging question or COM
ment on this point that he feels Profound
ly Inundated.
The American travelling in Asia is proud
of our army in the Philippines. and graft
fed at the high regard in which it is almost
universally held for courage. dash and eff
fectiveneSS.
Only a very small fraction of the army is
Incorporate. but fraction of this fraction
when In disorderly and boisterous evidence
in and about the saloons along the Escolta
gives undeservedly an Ill repute to the
whole organization, which the temperate
or self-restrained officers and soldiers in
dignantly resent.
Our army officers in charge of municipal
affairs have already reduced the number
OF saloons under license system and have
otherwise improved the conditions COM
planned Of This policy should be steadily
pursued. An increase of the license may rid
the city of additional saloons and even more
stringent restrictions may regulate in the
direction Of quiet and good order the con-
duct of the business; but in one way or
another 1t should be rendered Impossible
for any rumseller to fill his saloon. over
flowing into the Escolta, with men bolster