The Iola register., 1901-03-01
A LETTER FROM FAR LUzON
Oe Nichols old lola Boy Writes Interesting Letter Register
"A Good Description of the Habits and Customs the
People the Philippine Islands.

Hon. Chas. f. Scott,
My Dear Sir and Friend Som,
time since your letter came to me ant
IN that letter you were eso-indiscrete-
as to ask that | send you something
for your paper Now it occurs to me
that in that request you displayed the
fact that you were more courteous
than wise, else, perhaps, you for the
time being, did not realize that you
were placing your readers in posi-
ton to have thrust upon them-in all
probability of the same sort
of thing that has for the past two
years stared them in the face from the
columns of every paper at which they
CHANGED to look. a funeral notice,
If confronted sufficient number of
times, becomes a joke, howmuch more
of joke then must the thousands of
columns of stuff appear that is sent
out from these islands? But | shall
take the liberty of pouncing down up
on the owners of the names appearing
upon your subscription list with some
thing that perhaps all have not seen
or heard of before As matter of
course | decided to comply with your
request directly | read it and at once
began to look for suitable subject,
and now that | have had an oppor-
tunity to see municipal government as
conducted by natives, now that have
seen many of their ceremonies, it oc-
ours to me that it might, even yet,
be news to the people of the States to
tell them something of the way these
people celebrate ournational holidays
and | will inaugurate it by making the
seemingly broad statement that when
ever or wherever you see a Filipino
that does not love to get out in his
best clothes in parade ordemonstra-
tion of any sort six days out of the
seven in week, whenever you see a
ative who doesn't love pomp and
ceremony-you can put it down that
he isn'tla Filipino at all, and search
of his pedigree will reveal the fact
that he is half Chink (Chinaman) one
quarter of his blood has at some time
past been imported from Ceylon and
the other part missing. These people
certainly love a ceremony, and they
never fail to participate in one when
the opportunity presents itself.
They celebrate the days set aside by
the Church 'the Church" here means
Catholic) which in thecourse of year
includes one for each of the Saints,
"Natividad" or Christmas, New
Years, ,-fasts and feasts. They OBJ
serve the day upon which the particu-
lar church building in which they
Worship was thrown open for the
worship of Godcelebrate it and innum-
cradle others. These, however, have
nothing to do with the national or
political feature, and now that the
American soldiers occupy the towns
and cities of the Island and afford |
efficient protection, now that, under |
American protection, loyal natives
are elected by the people in good old |
American way and,use their power. in
most every instance, justly and wise
ly; now that they are beginning to |
taste of the great measure of sweets |
contained in the big word, liberty, the |
definition of which they are just now
beginning to comprehend: now that |
conditions aretas they are they find |
themselves confronted with the pleas
ant duty of celebrating our national
holidays. And they do not do the |
thing by halves, either, but in order
that | be the more clearly understood,
must classify the people.
Heretofore have had much to say
concerning the people of the interior
districts but l am not now dealing
with this sort. This province CIlocas
Norte) is probably enjoying the high
est degree of civilization 10 be found
on the Island and the entire country
outside of the foot hills and mountains
is in high state of cultivation. This
being the case there are as matter of
course. many educated natives here.
men and women who have not only
been to Manila, but have Travelled
some, people who have high concep-
tion of morality and vivid concep-
tion of justice together with desire
to advance, to see general conditions
bettered, to see the masses elevated
and to be instrumental in accomplish
ing, or assisting in the work of ac-
this end. This is an
that is certainly commenda-
BILE and it exists bountifully right here.
1t must not be forgotten, however,
that these people are to certain eX-
tent, following the traditions and GUS
toms Of their ancestors handed down
to succeeding generations for many
of years and these things
are not shaken off in a moment neith-
er are they FORGOTTEN in a day But