The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-01-24
THE PHILIPPINES.
Sso1nr Filipino l LnbitS -ccn by -A1ncri-
cans There



study Of Filipino character Filipino
ways of life Taken Ell ma->c. tie
l'ilipino- are in an abnormal mood
Broadly they are either engaged in
efforts To adjust thcm>evc ip H IS
..n,! unfamiliar conditions l'r~ri~c
,ll this. the Filipino wlpr,iA unlcr
the observation %! t'.N sitting
American is no. lisll.. 10 be ac-
ccltcd aS The IS ;n., man Of the
island.
Another rm tii-c-, tvo. 'iic
.icw of the Iuiiys.,.al observer is al
fcctcd BY hi- ""n tcmpcramcrt and
mental habit \ and b may employ
the same Filipino carbonate y pro
nounccs the cochcro to bc IN utterly
reckless driver and an unscrupulous
little rascal. 3 think, the same man
to be the clcvcrcst thing he ever saw,
because of the { sh with which he is
whirlcd through crowded street
without a collision, and declares that
the fellow is fair and reasonable in
his charges. The Filipino boy (who
is a man Of probably thirty years. who
cares for my room at the hotel serves
me to my entire satisfaction. My
room is clean, my shoes and clothing
are brushed and cared for, my calls
promptly answered, and lmy require
mcnts duly met. My ncighbor, in the
adjoining room, rows at the chap and
finds nothing done to his satisfaction.
Probably no one of these four, a, B,
my neighbor or myself, gets a true
measure Of the Filipino character,
yet each is ready to assert that
the Fihpinos are this or that, thus or
The l'lipinos cut Il telegraph wire,
run provisions through the American
lines, and fire upon American outp p,sts
from the conccalmcnt of bamboo
jungles. \ calls them towards, das-
tards and trickstcrs. b asserts their
clcvcrncss in adopting the only system
Of warfare by which they can hope to
score any measure Of success. y thinks
the Filipinos dirty lot because their
domestic environments so often sug-
gcsts.thc imperative need OF Il revision
in its method Of sanitation. b thinks
them = clcanly race because he notices
SO many of them while they arc bath
ing.
The matter Of cleanliness is one Of
the inconsistcncics Of Filipino charac
ter. Their houses and surroundings
may be On the verge Of filthincss, but
they are, as very general rule, most
careful in their attention to personal
ablutions. Again there comes curious
inconsistency. Thcywill bathc in the
muddy Pasig and in the canals Of the
city and it's vicinity. Some of these
canals are but little better than sewers.
They are usually foul in appearance,
and often unspeakable offensive in
smell. American methods are strcnu-
ously seeking to change the custom Of
former days, but these sluggish, mud
dy-bottomcd channels are still made
the receptacle Of considerable amount
Of offal and refuse Yet these people
bathe in them regardless of their
doubtful composition.
The Pasig is less notably offensive
bath tub. Yet it is the main system
into which the canals discharge by
tidewater, and the stream itself is
often rich compound of alluvial
matter. It's special advantage lies in
its diluton by reason of its volume.
The morning bath along the river
front is one of the interesting sights
Of Manila.
Few visitors see it because Of the
early hours Of the performance.
should not have seen it myself had
not been obliged to get on board a
steamer one morning at most unholy
hour. Both sexes bathe together, but
there is no immodesty about it. All
arc as fully garbcd as the bathcrs at
Concy Island or Rockaway. 1t is a
common enough sight to sec native
washing his feet and limbs in a street
puddle, and some one or more, male or
female, old or young, will usually be
seen taking more or less of a bath at
the hydrants In the outlying wards
of the cit. Except in the case of
kids" the bath is often taken With
but slight change in the apparel. The
men who thus bathc publicly are not
customarily ovcrdrcssed anyway. The
ladies come from their houses in the
vicinity, wearing single garment co
cured under the arms and above the
bust. The bath is taken by pouring