The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-15
YELLoW-sKINNED MoNGoLs.
How the Spanish Authorities Vain1y
Tried to Control Chinese Immi-
grafton to the Philippine Islands.

How the Spanish Authorities Vain1y
Tried to Control Chinese Immi-
grafton to the Philippine Islands.
Copyright, 1900. by F. A. Flower)
Washington, July 1.-THE protests OF
WI. the Chinese minister at Washington,
against extending the provision of the
Chinese exclusion laws of the United
States to the Philippine Islands are ex-
traordinariy interesting when considered
in connection with the bloody history Of
the Monaghan invaslons of the archipela-
go.
This swarm Of 1000 wonderfully fertile
islands was discovered by Magellan in
ld21 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 follow
sd the Spanish into the Islands in great
numbers and began at once to crowd out
the other inhabitants. After struggling
heroically. but unsuccessfu against in
dustrial destruct ton, the Spanish colonists
obtained a royal decree or mandate ham
ishing the Chinese. The Mongolians re-
sisted It's enforcement, and in 1903 about
5000 OF them were slain.
Undaunted by this fearful slaughter, the
places of the dead we're practically hned
in two pears by newcomers and in 1905
the Spa nish government decreed that Chi
pese to the number of 6,00o only might re-
side in the Philippines; that each resident
should pay a special tax of s. per year,
and that none should be allowed to follow
any occupation save that of filling the
soil. To these conditions the Chinese as
scented without demur. They went forward
in their opera tons, however precisely as
If no condition had been made. In
twenty-five years $1,000 new immigrants
had infested the most favored spots in the
islands, and in 1889 they were again order
ed TO leave or suffer death. About 1000
OF them obeyed the decree. but 5000 de-
fed 1t and they were slaughtered.
Massacre After Massacre.
Instead of checking immigration, this
appalling massacre seemed TO augment
the food tide Of Monaghan immigration,
and in twenty years the Chinese had be-
come so strong that they threatened to
wipe out the Spanish insular government
and estab lish 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 1875 the Spanish government sent a
special envoy to the Philippines to ex-
anime into the Chinese problem, and MS
report Is probably as able as anything
cared that the Chinese were irreclaim-
able and utterly refused to assimilate
with other people After describing them
and their methods in the islands, he con-
cluded
They impoverish the country, CLEAN
ing everywhere and forwarding their
savings to China They undermine and
ruin all labor because they live on less
and hence work for less than our Span
ish) people, and then follow their earn
ings TO China, thus making room for still
more hungry swarms, which settle among
US"
This report so aroused the government
that more energetic measures of exclu-
sion were enforced, but without much
success. since in 1909 the Chinese had
again become so numerous, arrogant and
oppressive that an uprising resulted In
their complete determination. Not in the
least "feazed," they instantly renewed
immigration from the fatherland and by
1853 had become more numerous than
ever. The Spanish government ordered
them to leave. giving them but short
period in which to do so or be hanged
en- masse. so to speak. Remembering the
bloody visitations of the past, many
thousands returned to China the re-
mainoer were executed.
determination Did Not Externlinate.
The stencil of this great killing was
hardly clear from the air before this
strangely persistent race began again,
like rats to stealthily overrun the Islands.
and by IT'S had become so numerous That
the incumbent viceroy decreed that ev-
cry Chinarnan found on Philippine soil
on a certain day should be executed, and
this decree was carried out TO the letter.
In 1873 having again become intolerab.e,
bv their numbers and methods. once
again every Chinese that could be found
in the Philippines was massacred.
As determination did not exterminate,
and as the burden OF recurrent slaughters
was growing too vast and too wearisome
for the government a system OF extremely
onerous and burdensome taxes was de-
vised and pressed upon the Chinese with
relentless severity. This, however, proved
10 be as Intellectual as wholesale killing,
and the Chinese, now outnumbering all
European Inhabitants more than five to
one. practically control the trade and bus
mess Of the 1000 beautiful islands, and,
OF course, cannot be dislodged by ordinary
methods
Persistence of the character thus dis
closed. in the face of punishment too ter
rible to be adequately described I'm words,
is unmatched in the history of the world.
Il is inherent in the people possessing
more than $1,000, 900 Of surplus population
and whose blighting immigrations have
been controlled successfully by no govern
ment except that OF the United States.
Can this control be executed IN the
Philippines by the United States7 Yes
BY the native Filipinos? Never.
Frank Abisl Flower.
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