The National tribune., 1900-07-19
CHINESE IN PHILIPPINE.
An Army Officers Experience With Celestials
Under Fire.

A contributor to the New York Tribune
writes Interestingly of his personal exper-
fences with John Chinaman under fire, the
question us to the bravery in battle of men
of this nation and of their trustworthinesS
being of particular interest IN view of the
battles which are now being fought in the
Flowery Kingdom. We quote from the
article some of the most striking bits:
AS the result of the present Boxer trou-
bles in China there has been much cur
iosity aroused here as to what kind of
fighters the Chinese make. Admiral
Dewey's tribute to those with him during
the battle of Manila Bay has been much
quoted, yet it does not seem to be gener-
ally known that our troops in the Philip
pines are accompanied by Chinese even to
the firing line.
During the early part OF our occupation
Of Manila an enterprising American got
the contract for transporting supplies un-
der the Quartermaster' Department. He
started without capital, yet managed to
obtain the monopoly of the business until
wagons and mules We're forwarded by the
Government. However, the old two-wheel-
ed cars drawn by carabaos (water buffalo),
with Chinese or Filipino drivers, still do
the bulk of the work.
When the outbreak occurred on Febru-
ary 4, 1899, almost all the Filipino driv-
ers had deserted to the insurgent ranks,
leaving their places to be taken by Chi
nese coolies. Bull carts followed each
command with supplies, remaining in
camp to carry water, wood and forage.
l had learned to know the Chinaman
fairly well previously during my life on
the Pacific coast, but | had the opportun-
ity of seeing him under conditions more
like those of his native country IN Manila
(Which is fully third Chinese) before the
outbreak.
The Chinaman is justly called the He
brew of the Fast, for he has wonderful
talent for business and money making.
His trade equals that of the whites in
Manila, and reaches all through the island
where the latter's does not attempt to
go. Yet the Chinaman seems to be the
only person in the tropics capable of do
ing hard physical labor, or willing to do it,
He lives very simply, and is not bothered
with dysentery or heat sores, as are the
whites. His industry never flags under
mOsphere, which is worse. His first in
stincts, however. are for business. He is
Il great ''grafter."
Regular bands of Chinese looters used
to follow our troops on the field but never
showed tight when arrested. They could
be rounded up like stray sheep. They are
Shrewd traders, but, while no more hon
est, do not haggle over prices as hard as
the Filipinos or Japanese. One character
iStic of the Chinese is that they will stand
any amount of persecution as long as they
are making money. The Spanish used to
lll-treat them and subject them to all kinds
of ridicule in Manila.
On the whole, l have found the China.
man rather good fellow, thoroughly
peaceablc and seldom showing fight. He
is good natured and fond of Joking and
when in the majority is rarely surly, rs the
Japanese and Fiiipinos are apt to be.
When my command first took the field
fIat.A th..aN a.
pany, who, so long as it was quiet, seemed.
well satisfied. But when the insurrectos
began little desultory rifle practice OIL
our camp two developed symptoms or
some mysterious malady, begging to bs
let go, and finally deserted. The other.
however, remained with us over a month,
until transferred, and aroused the admir-
alton of the boys. He was modest and
attentive to duty, and when insurgent at
tacks were nightly reported never failed
to take an ak to bed with him. One thing
that made it hard to keep Cinnamon in
the field was that they missed their "hop"
(opium).
l remember seeing Chinaman there go
through some native tactics with long
bamboo stick, representing spear. He
executed some of the queerest whirls and
crowhops, swipes and passes that l have
ever seen. These undoubtedly belonged to
tn old Chinese tactics that the mass of
Boxers are said to use.
The Nebraskans had one Chinaman who
was known not only to the whole regi-
ment, but nearly the whole corps. He was
camp cook, who picked up an extra gun
the night of the outbreak and fought in
line with his company until the water
works had been taken. He was extremely
modest over the honors heaped upon him
by the soldiers, which would have turned
the head of white man. The last that
saw Of him he was humbly attending to
his duties as bull driver. Although this
Chinaman may have been reassured and
inspired by the conduct of the impetuous
Nebraskans, he deserves no less credit.