The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-04
is A NICE COUNTRY
Philippines Are All Right for the
Natives

Philippines Are All Right for the
Natives.
Miss Kathryne Hill. of the West Side,
has received q letter from her cousin. Mr..
VIII Howey. who is in company H, of
the United States regular army. stationed
at Cebu. Cebu Island, Philippine Islands.
The letter is a very interesting one and
Miss Hill has kindly allowed the Eagle to
copy a part Of it for its readers. The let
ter vas mailed from Cebu on the 9Th of
October and reached Manila on the 9Th
and Wichita on the 10th of November.
Mr.. HOWey does not altogether like the
Philippines, as the letter shows. The fol-
lowing extracts are taken from the let
ter verbatim.
Speaking Of hot weather If you were
here you would think it very hot, when
for the most part the thermometer hugs
the 90 or a hundred mark In order to be
comfortable here one must dress very
cool. In the Office and in my quarters ]
go simply in my undershirt except when
an officer is around and then I wear my
military Khaki blouse, but just as soon
as the officer leaves / take il off. If /
had my way I would wear white clothing
all the time. as it is so very much cooler
than the other kind, but we are not al
However, we have for the most part
plenty of rain, which cools the air some.
From March tin June are the hottest
months, then comes the rainy season
which lasts about five months, to Novem-
ber then an occasional rain up till March
when the dry hot season begins; between
November and March we have an almost
continual northeast wind
Tropical plants and palms would be
tNr~[
fear YOU would soon tire of them here.
I am heartily sick of the Philippines and
shall rejoice when l leave here. II you
were here and I were q civilian I could
show you all Of the interesting and Curl
Gus things here. But as a soldier l fear
I would be compelled to neglect your en-
joyment; such is soldering here-no lib
erty-no nothing. An enlisted man is con-
sidered on about the same Level as a dog
in the eye of an officer. knew what the
army was when 1 came into it. but had
an object when / enlisted. If 1 succeed
in the next few months as I have in the
past eight months, / Will gain my pint
] want an education and I wish to go to
school for three years and it was reces-
sary that I should have certain sum of
money to pay my tuition and so forth,
and now I am beginning to realize my
wishes I want 20 have it said that l
worked my way up"
THE houses. or as we call them
"shacks" the natives call them "Cassas"
are built Of Bamboo and nita the leaves.
They have no chimncys. They are built
about four feet off the ground Glass
windows are unknown in this country
Earthquakes visit the country occasion
aIlv shaking everything up lively some
times Nc nails are used here in build
ing the houses here among The poorer
classes. but the different parts are tied
together with long strips of cane made
from bamboo The cir here is very damp.
Iron and brass rusts and leather mods
A watch must be enclosed in an absO-
lutely damp proof case to protect II from
the bad effects of the air. The natives,
beth men and women, dress very thinly,
the men sometimes having nothing more
on than a cloth around the hips, the re-
mainder Of the body being perfectly nude.
The women are not much better in their
dress and the children of both sexes from
one 10 about nine years old, 60 naked
an the while Should an American lady
chance TO pass through the neighbor
hood where these people live, she should
take no notice Of 1t as the people are in
nocent minded. Then again they are 50
very poor they cannot afford TO buy the
proper clothing for their children, much
less for themselves. Their food consists
mainly Of fish and rice.
1.-THE natives in the interior wesr
sombrero Oa0 round in shape, about
three feet in diameter. and in the small
towns. they 30 bareheaded."
The women carry big loads on their
heads while the men carry loads sus-
pended from both ends of a pole. which
they carry across their shoulders. They
use a hollow bamboo pole about eight
feet long AS water pals They VIII draw
water from well with small piece Of
bamboo tied TO q Ions stick or pole to iiil
their hauow tube with. and when fun
they carry il 20 their houses Or casas. /
append soldiers description of the Phil
ippines. which from point of Wit. Is
hne:
The Philippines ere a bunch OF
trouble. gathered upon The western hori-
ION of civilization They are bounded on
the vest by E2odooism ana smusglors.
ON tile 1orta bv rocks and destruction.
ON the east by Nphoons and on The south
by cannihals and earthquakes.
.rhc climate is a descriptive ccmhina-
tto1 of chaussahles adapted 90 raising
lizards. bats. snakes. tarantuias reaches.
scorpions ce0tipcCls end al-igators. Tbs
intahtants are very Industrious. Their
leading occupations are trench building
and bolo manufacturing.
-fhe houses are made chiefly Of ham-
boo and landscape
"rher principal amusement are cock
hehune aud steaNng.
.'rhsm princfpaI diets arc fried rice.
boiled rice. stcVe5 riee. and rice.
"Ihe animal u burden IS the carahao
lwatcr ba0a'c3 should "a hundred milo
journey ee taken with this animal. tie
driver would di, of OLD ase before reach
ius his destination
ri Mia 81 the capital and principal
citv. il is noted f8r us large number a.
saloons ana Chilame1-
The pr!ntpl exports ~ she Islands
are rice. hemr. war hulietins and dead
sol Tiers They import arms. live sol
diarS ana amn.iuition-
"Cenluanieatfen has been established
between thc islands hy substituting the
uosarito tol the carrier pigeon. the mos
ou-to being llrEer and better able 70
stand the IONS journey
raEins ig aI IN aI. il Is 2 good place
tJa keep away frCsl.l
Card OF Thanks.
Nr- A. Z. Rockey ana family drsire