The National tribune., 1902-08-14

and shall tell more in the same incidental
way; but there are few characteristics
noted while l was doing provost duty in
Manila l desire to speak of directly.
Papers which reached us at that time
from the United States had much to say
about Americanizing the FilipinOs, by edi-
torial writers who seemed to think the
process consisted of putting pantaloOns
upon people who already wore pantaloons
and of sending missionaries to convert
to the Christian religion people who were
already Christians to such purpose that
they got up before daylight to go to
church. This is but sample of the igno-
rance that prevails about these islands
and their inhabitants on the part Of those
who abuse the Administration for what
1t is doing without suggesting anything
in its place that is not utterly impracti-
cable and absurd.
Until our people better understand the
islands and the people they cannot eX-
pect to make conditions much better by
legislation. 1t is far better to leave such
matters to such body as the Philippine
Commission, of which Gov. Taft is the
head, and then it would be certain to be
managed by persons of ability, having the
best interests of the inhabitants in view
and possessing the knowledge of them and
conditions generally necessary to make
such intentions fructify.
Americanizing the Filipinos is destined
to be a slow process. 1t will finally be
accomplished to q certain extent, but we
cannot expect to eradicate racial charac-
teristics. We cannot make an Anglo
Saxon out of a Malay, no matter how
much education we give him nor how
much schooling in the science of govern
ment. We can teach the Filipino to gov
ern himself, with the aid of the Ameri-
cans who will in time become domiciled
there, and, it may be added, with the aid
of the generation of half-cast Americans
which will surely grow up there, the
American school playing the most import
ant part in the process, but it will not be
until an entirely new generation has come
into the field, born, reared and developed
under American ideas.
Up to the coming of the Americans the
natives had done more to Filipinize the
few foreigners who had settled among
them than the latter had to change in
any degree Filipino customs and habits.
The Spaniards had in the course Of three
centuries injected many ideas and GUS
toms, and had, especially, given them the
Christian religion in some places, but not
In all; yet, with some superficial develop
ment of this kind, they still remained Ma
lays. Newcomers soon fall under the
spell of Manila customs and lose their
dash and enterprise. 1t may be different
later, when there are more of them, and
1t may be getting better already, but l
think not materially so.
THE BLIGHTING SPELL OF ''MANANA."
Another thing the Spaniards have
given the Filipinos is the word "manana,'
meaning tomorrow. 1t stands for the
Spanish custom of doing nothing in a
hurry, nothing when it should be done
eternally waiting until tomorrow. 1t is
the universal watchword, and it soon casts
its spell over all who come within its
paralyzing influence. Whether the an
cient Filipinos ever had better appre-
ciation of the value of time or higher
sense of devotion to duty than now pre-
walls is doubtful. At all events they have
for years learned the lesson of delay and
insincerity, of deception and intrigue, from
their Spanish masters, until it is in the
bone. blood and flesh, as deeply ingrained
as though their savage ancestors had
transmitted it to them as a racial inheri-
tance, which l believe they did.
The blighting spell of "manana" has
fallen upon the foreigners doing business
there, until they also are as eas.going
and as Indifferent to the pressing needs
Of the hour as the natives themselves.
This suggests the thought that it would
be well not to be too sure about American
izing the Filipinos in a few years, with
the forces Of numbers, Climate and i'm
memorial custom and racial instinct to
contend with, certainly no mean antag-
OnlstS.
THE AFTERNOON SIEsTA.
Let US take, for example, one custom,
that Of the afternoon siesta. Even bust
ness bows to this. One can go through
the chief business streets between IL and
2 o'clock and easily imagine himself in
an American town on Sunday where local
option laws receive big majority. Even
"chow' and to sleep. When the hour of
noon comes the merchants politely follow
their customers to the door and lock the
portals, opening them not again until 2
or 3 o'clock. The intervening time is spent
in little lunch and sleep, with Incl
dental cigarets for everybody.
Even the English banks are not open
for business Of Importance at these hours,
in this country the most busy of the day.
II you enter the bank at that time on
business intent, one of the Indian Mes
tiZos sleeping on a bench viii arouse him
self sufficiently to say that all the clerks
have gone out to eat and sleep. II he
does not speak English and imagines you
do not understand Spanish, he will con-
yey this information by poking his fin
gers into his mouth to represent the tax
ing of food in Filipino fashion, and by
laying his head over on one side against
his open palm and closing his eyes to sig
Nifty sleep. A little exclamation Of dis
gust may bring sympathetic IA las dos,
senOr." which means that he is sorry for
you, but you must wait until 2 o'clock to
do any business.
One day l entered a photograph gal
lery, presided over by an old German and
his two fully grown sons. l was going
to say operated" but presided over"
fits the case much better, for all three en-
tertained me at the same time, and no
work whatever was done during the half
hour / was there. l made a selection of
about 20 views from the samples, and
was informed that they would be ready
for me In two months. insisted that
one week was all the time / could give
them; but they shook their heads and said,
mo, it is not possible. We have so
much work-so much troubles"
As l turned to go the hands of the
clock just pointed at IL. So one Of them
followed me to the door and locked II af-
ter me in order to keep out other possible
bothersome customers, and all three of
these men, who had SO much work and
troubles, lay down to sleep off the after
noon. ''It is to laugh" said one of our
Lieutenants when l related the tale upon
returning to quarters. 1t was the same
In Filipino gallery where / went to buy
taken. The latter my family keeps
buried from the prying eyes of strangers
and the irreverent. At an English gal