Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-05-20

the Filipino theater, the American.
the Aihambra and several other
amusement resorts being operated by
discharged American soldiers. Along
| the water front amidst piles of Amer
lean merchandise and the big quarter
masters department where there are
at least $4,000 Americans and natives
employed in handling the necessities
of the United States army midst
scenes which beggar Of description.
pass the American and the Freedom
i daily newspapers published by Ameri-
cans. On through to the outskirts
| into the native districts. with their
bamboo huts and native sqdalor. past
| the railroad station of the one rail-
, road here. which runs for distance of
1876 miles north. Into the center of
the city go again, and come to one
OF the big markets. Here natives are
bartering for the daily food-rice,
| fish. meat. tobacco, fruits and home
made clothing and hats, and the jar
gon of the open air market. with the
odor of a thousand rotting articles.
the heat, excitement and push of thou.
sands of the natives as they go from
stand to stand and basket to basket
bargaining. cursing. fighting. praying
and all over some transaction of a
deal involving about two cents Amer
lean. l leave this scene and cross
another beautiful stone bridge into
another district, leaving the tondo be-
hind me. passing through narrow al
leys and streets. Through the bam-
boo huts can be seen the native Tag
ALA women at work spinning cotton,
weaving cloth or washing The little
pickininny running around ir mud
and squalor. enjoying himself Just
like little Aemircano, and with a
buenosdias l pass on. Here is the
scene of industry and peace ir Ma
Mia. and If it wasn't for my expert
ence with these people. 1T would be
hard to conceive a war. but I know
their characteristics. their Malay hab-
its. animal and savage instirct-thay
have but the Spanish polish on the
outside and meanness of heart. They
are controlled by the fanatical relis-
ious ideas which they call Catholi-
cism but which to me is farce to the
religion. They believe all others are
infidels and should be treated as such.
They are the common people in the
hands of the native friars who re-
ceive their education from the Span
ish The people are robbed of the
little money they possess by the fri
ars ever plaintiff howl for money-as
the common Filipino does not think
of tomorrow, but raises Just enough
for himself and family. he has
hard row of stumps to pull The ev-
er plaintive heart rending howl Of
these unfortunate people ring in my
ears, with their naked and diseased
and sore covered children clinging to
their sides. The Mucho Pauvre,
Mucho inferno. and the old toothless
formed horrible sishts-in shacks COW
cred with filth and smallpox. and the
innumerable tropical diseases. The
suffering is all caused by their meth
ods, fanatacism, superstition and ig
norance of the people to civilized con-
ditions. they only knowing to be driv
en- like the caribou. prey to fear
and punishment. But let me turn
from here and say they do enjoy some
things as they must and on festival
days the better class of these com
mon people go to church and have
Duncias or dances and fiestas. They
iress in mostly home made garments
and long trailing skirts plainly made
of our grandmother stvle. wrapped
about the lower limbs. The beautiful
Iat, me- ,ha
waist with the big sleeves, the man
tilla on the head, and the pretty ker-
chief wrapped around the neck with
the ever present rosary and cross of
innumerable patterns strung to the
neck, the gaudy chlnelias, or slippers,
without heels, and no stockings ON the
feet They trip along merrily and
are not accompanied by beaus hang
ing to their arms, but they meet them
men consider themselves too much
above the senoritas to be seen going
to church or along the road with
women on their arms. They also
| occupy in church separate sides. the
| women and children together and the
men and boys on the opposite side
! and kneel for hours listening to the
| service. and the different things which
take place before them. Also. by the
| way, they play Aguinaldos march at
| their services, which tends to in
crease bitter feelings and the United
States authorities desire them to stop
| this, and II they want to play ma
| tional tune, play Star Spangled Ban
ner. Well, at the puncia or party. as
they call it. they have dance and a
big chow. gamble monte and drink
the native veno. The girls haven't
much life when they haven't veno in
them, but when they get started 1t is
a repetition of the old story. and the
umbras get mucho bravado and some
times it requires the assistance of the
guards to make them know their prop
er relations and to behave themselves,
They have some very pretty litera-
ture, poetry and prose, and the senior
1