The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-19


ippines, has received from Secretary Root
an exhaustive report regarding the peo-
PIE of the Philippines. The matter en-
braced was compiled for the information
Of the Senate by the Division Of Insular
Affairs of the War Department
The report win be distributed at the
coming session of Congress 1t is proba-
bly, the most valuable collection of data
on the subject ever compiled and covers
the origin of the different tribes; the
domesticaJed native: the Chinese: the
Moros; the Europeans, and all of the
features of the archipelago and its in
habitants.
The list of tribes described covers the
Negritos, the Gaddanes, the IgoUrotes,
the Tinguanites. the Itavis. the Pampan-
/ gos. the Pangasinanes the Ilocanos, the
! Damages. and the Macabebes, besides the
| domesticated native of the towns and cit
/ les The Negritos are given the credit of
/ being the aborigines. and are said TO
cover every island in the group
! Probably the most interesting portion
! Of the report is that dealing with the
7 domesticated native. The origin of this
/ species is traced to Patagonia and old
T PERU It is held that nearly the entire
native population of Manila has descend
/ ed from prisoners released by the Span
! iards on the promise that they would
! serve them without remuneration. The
population has been kept down By the
! fact that more than y per cent of the
new born children die within a month and
that the ravages of beriberi, cholera and
smallpox are fearful
Leprosy is very common and was intro
duced by the Emperor of Japan. who. it
is alleged, in 1888, sent a ship laden with
these unfortunate beings TO Manila with
the message that he did not permit Chris
! tians in his country. and. knowing that
! the priests were accustomed to care for
! le-.-rs. he committed them TO their
charge.
The first impulse of the Spaniards,
! the report says, was TO sink the ships
with cannon shots. but finally it was de-
cided to receive the lepers, and they were
conducted with great pomp through the
city and lodged at large shed in Pace,
and this resulted in the founding of St.
Lazaro Asylum for iepers. The Spanish
governor however, sent message back
to Japan that if any more were sent he
would kin them and those that brought
them Under the Spanish Government,
friends of the Iepers and kinsmen, and
even those who wished to see them.
prompted alone by curiosity, were al
lowed TO visit the asylum
The spread Of this dreaded disease will
! doubtless soon be checked by the proper
precautions taken by our Government.
which is now making arrangements TO es-
tablish lazariums foT these unfortunate
I beings upon isolated islands
| The report has the following to say
about the educational system in the Phil
ippines
To form proper idea of the mentali-
II Of the Filipino ii is necessary TO know
something about the educational advan-
/ tages he has enjoyed In 1888 the Gov
i ernment contributed $23s, $50 for the edu-
| cation OF the youth of all classes through
/ out the archipelago a normal school
was tablisned on the banks of the Pas
sig River. from which the teachers were
sent off to the villages, recompensed by
Iniserabiy small salaries. considerable
! amount of which they were compelled by
/ the Government to spend IN collecting It
Sixteen dollars per month was consid-
cred sufficient pay for a teacher. Great
results were not to be expected from
| such rneagre OUTLAWS. The Spanish priests
we're ex oficio inspectors Of the schools,
wherein 1t was their duty to see that the
| Spanish language be taught. but as this
did not suit the policy OF the friars il
was not done. although the governors gen
/ eraI appealed to the archbishOps to see
!
slant effort OF the friars TO see that only
! Christian doctrine be taught.
/ The FL piuO as q soldier IS described
/ IS follows
His admiration for bravery and peril
Gus holiness is only equaled by his con-
| tempt for cOWardlce, and this Is really
the secret for tho native disdain for the
| Chinese race Under good European Off
| GERS they are said to make excellent sol
/ diers, but If their leader fail they be
/ come at once demoraliZed. 1t is doubtless
Z Tr-Ts hat
/ ton. and bloodshed, and when once they
! get their enemy in their power there is
/ no limit TO their savage cruelty As their
! regard for orders Of any kind Is not very
! great. they often show Tepugnancy Tor
/ military discipline Some years ago q
! body OF the Philippine troops was sent TO
| assist the French in TOnquin. where they
! rendered very valuable service Indeed,
some of the officers are OF the opinion
/ that they did more to quell the rising of
! the TOuquinese than the French troops
The Tagals are said TO make the best
soldiers and are quick to learn the use
% arms. They can march barefoot a long
distance and have great power OF endur-
ance. They excel as mountain climbers.
and are not to be surpassed in Wading
through mud. and If we'll led they VIII
advance regardless Of danger When once
engaged they become frenzied and blood
thirsty Apart from all that may be said
+, I commencing them soldiers II they be-
come conscious of the superiority OF an
enemy il is quite difficult 20 get them 10
! a
! confidence in themselves, and found that
they were match for The Spanish, they
/ fought braVely and endured hardshlpS OF
all kinds as good soldiers They have lit
tie idea of oTRa niZed warfare. and for
p this reason it becomes necessary TO put
I them in the hands of European officers.
! The ardia civil. OF native police. did
efficient service under Spanish admins
| tratiou: were very watchful and not
r / afraid 20 shoot in time Of riot The
Vfsaya as = soldier can scarcely be con-
I I Sidered much inferior To the TIA gal, but
= I on certain occasions is more desperat t.. and
= less restrained by anything like the regU-
/ latiOns Of civilized warfare. Yet like the
! Tagai. has not shown himself regardless
| Of the rights of a prisoner of war.
True to their Malay instincts. all tribes
I o. the Philippine people cannot resist the
. desire TO mUtiIate the bodies OF their faI
/ len enemies From the beginning of their
I / conflict with the Americans they have
! / shown their inability to stand against a
: determined charge even though well in
4 I tr-nched. their trenches. however, not
having head logs, except at some places
in southern LuZOn. did not prove of much
! / advantage, serving rather to concentrate
: / the fire Of the Americans, 50 that the in
frenched Filipino became afraid to expose
! his head long enough TO take sight, which
! I proved the saving of the life Of many al
I American soldier as they fearleSSly
: / stOTmed the trenches at first sight OF
> / them. scarcely ever pausing until they
= / We're reached and the enemy on the run
This method of warfare was so different
- from that of the Spanish, TO which III,
! Filipino was accustomed, that from tn,
/. very first they became pauic-stricken by
: the consciousness that they were facing :
: Z superior enemy No one viii doubt tina
, ! they are best adapted to guerrilla war