Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-14
CHINESE IN THE PHILIPPINES
THEIR LOT WAS A TRAGIC ONE UN-
DER SPANISH RULE.
Refusing to Go When Ordered, They
Were Slaughtered by Thousands
Still in Great Numbers.

The protests OF Mr.. WI, the Chinese
minister at Washington. against extending
the provisions of the Chinese exclusion
laws Of the United States to the Philippine
Islands extraordinarily interesting
when considered in connection with the
current situation in China and the bloody
history Of the Monaghan invasions Of the
archipelago.
This swarm of 1000 wonderfully fertile
islands discovered by Magellan in
1921 and very soon after came under the
control of Spain. Attracted by its many
beautiful streams of water. its soft climate
and its productive soil, the Chinese fol-
lowed the Spanish into the islands in great
numbers and began at once to crowd out
the other inhabitants. After struggling
IDEALLY, but unsuccessfully. against in
dustrial destruction. the Spanish colonists
obtained royal decree or mandate BAN
ishing the Chinese. The Mongolans re-
sisted its enforcement and in 1903 about
2JUtO of them were slain
Undaunted by this fearful slaughter. the
places of the dead were practically filled in
two years by newcomers, and in 160. the
Spanish government decreed that Chinese
to the number of 5000 only might reside in
the Philippines; that each resident should
pay a special tax of IS per year, and that
none should be allowed to follow any
cupation save that of filling the soil.
To these conditions the Chinese assented
without demur. They went forward in
their opera tons, however. precisely as If
no conditions had been made In twenty
five years 10000 new immigrants had in
Tested the most favored spots in the
islands. and in 1879 they were again orr
dered to leave or suffer death. About 1000
of them obeyed the decree. but 23.Oo1 defed
1t and were slaughtered.
Massacre After Massacre.
Instead of checking immigration, this ap
palling massacre seemed to augment the
fioodtde of Monaghan immigration. and in
twenty years the Chinese had become SO
strong that they threatened to wipe out
the Spanish nsular government and es-
tablish one of their own in its stead. Again
they were ordered to leave the Islands, and
again defying the mandate, were slain to
the last man.
In 1913 the Spanish government sent
special envoy to the Philippines to exam
inc into the Chinese problem, and his re-
port is probably as able anything ever
published on that subject. He declared
that the Chinese were irreclaimable and
utterly refused to assmilate with other
peoples. After describing them and their
methods in the islands. he concluded:
They impover.sh the country. cleaning
everywhere and forwarding their savings 10
China. They undermine and ruin all labor
because they i've on less and hence work
for less than our (Spanish) people. and then
follow their earnings to China, thus max
ing room for still more hungry swarms,
which settle among US.
This report aroused the government
that more energetic measures of exclusion
were enforced. but without much success.
since in 100 the Chinese had again become
numerous, arrogant and oppressive that
an uprising resulted in their complete eX-
termination. Not in the least "feazed.' they
Instantly renewed immigration from the
fatherland, and by 1853 had become more
numerous than ever. The Spanish govern
ment ordered them to cave, giving them
but a short period in which to do so or be
hanged en- masse. so to speak. Remember
ing the bloody visitations of the past. many
thousands returned to China; the remainder
Were executed.
Could Not Exterminate Them.
The stencil of 1878 great killing was hard
ly clear from the air before this strangely
persistent race began again. like rats, to
stealthily overrun the is ands. and by ITO
had become so numerous that the incum-
bent yiceroy decreed that every Chinaman
found on Philippine soil on certain day
should be executed. and this decree
carried out to the 'etter. In 1919. having
again become intolerable by their numbers
and methods. once again every Chinese that
could be found in the Philippines was mas
sacred.
AS determination did not exterminate.
and as the burden of recurrent slaughters
was growing too vast and too wearisome
for the government. system of extremely
onerous and burdensome taxes was devised
and pressed upon the Chinese with reient-
less severity. This, however. proved to be
as Intellectual wholesale killing, and the
Chinese. now outnumbering al European
inhabitants more than to I, practically
control the trade and business OF the 1000
beautiful islands. and. of course, cannot be
disodged by ordinary methods.
Persistence of the character thus dis
closed in the face of punishment too terri
BILE to be adequately described in words is
unmatched in the history of the world. 1t
is inherent in people possessing more than
J0.0e0,O0 of surplus population and whose
b lighting imTnigrations have been control
led successfully by no government except
that of the United States.
Can this control be executed in the Phil
ippines by the United States? Yes. BY the
native Filipincs? Never.