Evening star., 1901-02-09

up with them When the boss has the job
of unloading a boat with instructions that
l. must be done quickly he first works
himself into passion and then acts like
lunatic. He keeps up continual yelling,
at the same time making frantic motions
with hands and feet, until he has the
whole crowd as excited as Indians would
be at medicine dance. While in this con-
dition they handle heavy sacks like paper
and rush to the warehouses on run. They
keep up this unit, the boat Is unlOaded,
when they drop. thoroughly exhausted.
These laborers are in constant fear Of
Aguinaldo, as he has repeatedly warned
them to cease working for Americans. At
one time they were compelled to contribute
good share Of their earnings to the insur-
gent treasury, and l suppose this custom
Is still In force.
As Tax Gatherers.
The principal complaint of the Filipinos
under Spanish rule was excessive taxation,
which was out Of all reason; but just as
soon as they got a chance themselves to
organize a tax system they beat their old
rulers two to one, and today there Is not
a people in the world more heavily taxed
than those within the insurgents control.
Agulnaldo Is an expert at taxation, par
ticularly of Americans He arrived from
Hong Kong several weeks ahead OF the first
army expedition from America and fmme-
diately inaugurated a financial, system to
fleece the Americans.
The Filipinos at first looked with disdain
upon our handsome money, with the excep-
ton of the bright gold pieces How they
do love gold! For our silver they would
not give as much value in merchandise as
they would for native silver, although in
the markets of the world 1t was rated at
at least two to one. For our quarters they
would allow us 16 cents in their money and
for our dimes cents. For their 20-octavo
pieces they gave us 16 centavos in change
and for the 10-centavo coin they allowed us
but 8, and SO on. This was universally OBJ
served by all traders until we forcibly en-
tered Manila, when we discovered how we
had been robbed.
In Manila our money was taken by the
merchants on gold basis, and full value
was allowed for the native money. During
the six weeks that we were under Aguinal-
dos thumb his percentage of the extortion
must have been enormous. l venture to say
that 1t was the most stupendous bunkO
scheme ever perpetrated.
Ihe F1l1p1noS. one and all, knew they weer
robbing us. An American who resided in
Cavite previous to the arrival of Admiral
Dewey told me that the system was not
In force until Aguinaldo appeared on the
scene. Cavite changed it's money system
the day after the capture of Manila.
afterward learned that Aguinaldo had de-
manded and received 20 per cent on all deal
iEgs with Americans.
When we were safely entrenched in Ma
MIA this source Of revenue was cut off,
but Aguinaldo was not to be eluded he i'm
which affected all the residents of Manila
and Cavte.
Under the provisions of the armistice we
could only hold the city and bay, while
He had bands Of insurgents stationed on
every road leading into Manila. Every
person entering the city was held up by
these robbers and compelled to disgorge
II the victim had any money they would
charge about 80 per cent of the value of
the produce in his possession. If no money
was found these patriots would take one
half of the produce. In order to return
home with something, the vender would
double the prices on his remaining goods,
which were eagerly purchased at any
price, as Manila had been for months bar
rem of eatables with the exception of
hard pressed for food during the siege. 1t
was reported to our commander by some
Spanish prisoners that they were living on
horses, dogs and cats.
Agufnaldo has always had large amount
of money at his command. 1 shared a
cabin with an American named Johnson
on a trip from Ilolo to Manila in January,
1899. He had formerly been chief Of ord
nance in the insurgent army but resigned
when he saw that trouble with the Ameri-
cans was inevitable He was in close touch
with Aguinaldo, and he told me that when
he resigned the general had fully million
dollars in his personal possession.
The City of IloiIo.
Iloilo is the second city Of Importance in
the Philippines L was fortunate enough
to view this beautiful city before the in
surgents destroyed it upon being attacked
by the Americans, February 10. 1899. The
Spaniards held the city until late in De-
cember, 1898, waiting to turn 1t over to
US, but for some unknown reason no eX-
pedition was started from Manila to re-
lieye them until it was too late.
fr1 fyyn n IL
ing of the relief expedition the papers of
Manila were full of accounts of the des-
perate situation at Hoilo, which were fur
nished by late arrivals from the besiesed
city. The insurgents were intrenched COM
pletely around the city, the Spaniards hav-
ing evacuated the place two days before
our arrival. Possibly there was collusion
at the last moment, but the Spaniards must
be given credit for the dreary months they
fought to preserve city which had long
ceased to belong to them.
We were greatly surprised to learn, upon
our arrival, that the city was in the hands
of the insurgents The anchors had hardly
been dropped in the beautiful bay before
General Miller was waited upon by dele
CATION of insurgents. They Informed the
general that they were very sorry, put no
Americans would be allowed to land eX-
cept without arms, and then only in small
bodies for trading purposes. They said
they were acting under orders from Agul-
naldo.
There was nothing to do but send back
the condition to General Otis and await or
ders During the week 1 remained there
the Insurgents were very active on shore,
building intrenchments, etc We lay IN
pretty close to shore and their actions
were plainly visible to the eye. There is
small stream that runs through the city,
the mouth of which was opposite to where
we lay One night they sank large boat
In the channel, la Hobson.
We sunposed the outbreak had taken
place in Manila before our return, and were
greatly surprised to learn that peace still
reigned, but it was only for three weeks
ioneer w. S. K.
GEN. b. NJ. PRENTISS DEAD.