Evening star., 1900-08-18

are immense. They are foored with the
finest of Filipino wood rubbed and pol
shed that they shine like piano cases. The
walls are frescOed, but their decorations
are hidden by Chinese embroidery some of
the pieces being big enough to make a
quilt for the great bed of Ware. There are
figures of dragons and butterflies, celes-
tial professions and hundreds of Chinese
characters, giving the choicest of the COnfu-
clan proverbs and other extracts from the
classics in letters of gold on background
OF red Red predominates everywhere. 1t
IS the color of good luck and OF happiness,
and the rooms are full of it. The furniture
which is Of ebony and marble beautifully
carved. has cloths of red satin over it. The
chairs cushioned with red, the table
covers are bright vermiIlion and the great
mirrors. which look out of gold frames from
the four sides of each room, have red
satin hanglngs about them
Don Carlos at Home.
II in the grandest of these rooms that
Don Carlos received me. l came by ap-
pointment and found him al home with his
whole official family about him. There We're
dozen fat Chinese. all dressed in SKIS and
satius, and each with a cap his head.
One of the men spoke excellent English.
and II was through him as interpreter that
/ talked with PaIanCa
A moment after / entered Don Carlos
came in He is a bright-eyed fellow of
hfty-seven years Of age His face is
brown as that of a TagalO. His eyes are
black and tw!nkling. He has long black
queue and his features are Chinese. He
Wore flannel pajamaS and had d soft white
travelling cap his head. He shook his
own hand at me. in Chinese fashion. and
took a seat on the opposite side Of the table
from me. He was exceedingly nervous dur
ing the interview. His body was never
quiet At times he would put his stockinged
feet upon the table; next he would take
them down and rise and sesticulate like
congressman making a speech. and again
would leave his chair and walk about the
room. H. is good talker and has practical
ideas He gcstured violently at times and
changed his features with every sentence.
He knows this country from a residence of
almost half century, and his views of
the Islands and the people are of value.
The Chinese of the Philippines.
I asked first as to the Chin, Sc, who they
were and where they came from. Don Car
los Palanca replied:
1t Is claimed that there are 100, 900 Chi
nese in the Philippine Islands l doubt it.
There are about 10000 In Manila. and per-
haps G@.""o in the other parts of the archi-
pelago- They are to be found everywhere
on every island and in every town. They
come from only TWO provinces of China
AMI from small districts in those provinces
The most are from Annoy. The Annoy Chi
nese have been here for TWO three CEN
turtles Tney are the richer element of our
people Tney own the stores and do the
most Of the exporting and importing busi-
ness. The other and smaller class comes
from certain Of the Cantonese districts
These people have been coming in within
the past twenty years. and had
a great lot of them just after the AmerI-
cans took possession. They are chiefly
coolies and mechanics. such as shoemakers
masons, carpenters. etc.
A Matter of History
How did the Chinese happen to come
here?'
They came to make money of course -
was Palanca's reply. THAT is why every
one goes away from home. 1 believe
that is why you people are coming
here. although you say you do 1T for
the good Of the people. The Chinese were
here before the Spaniards. Our junks
came here to trade with the savages hun
cloths. tea and rice and exchanged them
for gold and other things. The trading was
done chiefly from the ships. as 1t was
dangerous TO come shore. After Manila
was founded the Spaniards were anxious
TO nave the Chinese come. We had settle
ment here 800 years ago. and go years ago
there were 10000 Chinese in the islands
Later on the Spanards tried to expel us
but they found they could not get along
without US The Chinese make 1t possible
for white people to live here They have
taught the Filipinos all they know about
farming and mechanics. and they are doing
the bulk of the skilled work today /
doubt il you can do without them"
why cannot the Filipinos take their
places?'' asked.
Because they are inefficient, lazy and
untrustworthy. The Filipino can't do busi-