The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-11-14

Deputy United States Marsha
Frederick C. Handy recently received
letter from a relative in the Phil
ippines touching in an interesting
manner on conditions there. The let
ter is as follows:
MANILA. Oct. Il, 1901.
My Dear Fred:
l have been intending to write in
answer to your letter for some weeks,
but have waited for something to turn
up worth writing about.
| have been on the islands now a
little owe "a year, and in many ways
am well satisfied with the country
The climate is enervating, as are all
hot climates, but one can be fairly
comfortable here if he goes about it
right Social life is peculiar. the mill
tary and civilian factions not mixing
| to any great extent. For three years
the former held full sway. and CT
william stood no more show in any way
than a jack-rabbit. Now the civil
Government is supposed to be SUI
preme. but the machine doesn't run
smoothly as yet. The Civil Commits
sion means well. but they have been
altogether too hasty in going ahead
with their philanthropic ideas of Civ
ing the native civil government
The idea of bringing school teachers
over here in such numbers when not
one-third of them can possibly be used
is most absurd In number of places
the padre has simply told the people
not to send their children. and the
children stay away. In others. the
so-called ladrones have been in and
shot up the town and scared the wits
out of the teachers. In nine cases out
of ten the people are not ready fer
American schools and are not in a
position to use the knowledge If ii
can ever be beaten into their heads.
The people for the most part are saw
ages. with Just a thin veneer OF Ro-
man Catholic civilization The insur-
rection has been kept alive in many
places by the padres. who with all
their faults are not fools bv a large
majority. The whole archipelago
with very few exceptions. is not vet
ready for civil government. Besides.
the leaders of the Filipinos don't
want our brand OF civil rule. They
want a native rule complete. and viii
be satisfied with nothing less than
that. The leaders who have surren-
dered have done so not from any de
sire for peace. but simply because
they have been hunted down and
could not avoid capture Some of these
treacherous devils have been given
good positions by the Civil Commits
sion, and yet at the same time they
are still insurrectos at heart and are
only hiding their time when they can
get enough arms and ammunition into
the country to go on the warpath
again. The Filipino cannot be trusted
and never will be a man whom ii
would be safe to turn ones back to-
| should not be surprised to hear of
the instruction breaking out again as
badly as ever by next July.
As a business proposition. these |
islands viii be very valuable in time |
The lumber interests are worth mil |
lions every wear. and the mineral re-
sources may prove valuable. but moth |
ing can be said with certainty at the /
present time. Agriculturally, the isl /
ands are rich. and a great deal of /
money can be made here If one cares
to stay on the islands for an indeinite /
period. But for a man with limited |
means. TO make a stake here viii re
ouire the complete severing OF home l
ties and tn eresolve to spend a dozen
or fifteen years here. Some exception
ally shrewd business men win get
rich here. but those would make
money elsewhere as well. Salaries
here are no better than at home. tax
ing everything into consideration
This Is only partly true of the com
mercial houses. which paw very well
for coed service. The Government /
Sinsularl service Is all under civil i
service rules. but the salaries are not
as attractive as they should be. and
the chances of promotion are not rerv
good. Then. again. this is to be
native governmental least. thar IS
the idea in view bnt I don't take a
great deal Of stock in ii
| have not vet made no nv mind
what Is best to do whether 10 STAY
here or 20 home. but think that will
so back 10 Frisco The strike there
has nut everything so on the bum
that ] don't know how Il viii ha n
30 back there now. and all nv letters
in search OF a lob do not bring forth
any reply. I have been promised
Mace here with the contractors for
the barbor improvements. but they
are not ready vet and NAV NOT be for
some time. One thing about STAYING
here IS the fact that q man ceases TO
progress in such climate as this. ard
rs Il wss ALWAYS q task for me To
keep up with the times when az home
verv much fear that would simply
become stagnant here. and would be
anywhere else.
Should | leave here shout Noven-
Der LIST. as now seems probable. fear
hat I shall miss Honolulu altoeether.
Is the steamers going home usually
axe the northern routs from Nsga-
'an leaving Honolulu or the route
.lfnrnfher