The National tribune., 1902-08-07

ucation, self-gOvernment would be not at
all difficult problem. He plays the host
and guest with equally delicate courtesy
and refinement. He is spotlessly clean in
person and raiment and thorough gen
tleman in his manner Nothing but uli-
reasoning prejudice against color would
prevent him from becoming welcome
guest in any American house, and in some
cases this color is but Il faint tint of yell
low, so much does the white blood pre-
dominate in his veins over the brown of
the Tagal. The same may be said of the
few ladies constituting this limited class.
AS for color they are for the most part
light, even when the white blood does not
predominate, especially the natives of this
Province of Pampanga. The tint is not
that Of the American mulatto, or half
cast African, but brighter brown, or
light yellow. OF course, as one goes down.
ward in the social scale, he comes i'll con-
tact with customs not so agreeable and
manners not so polished; but l will say
this much for the Filipino of every de-
gree, so far as l observed him in city and
country alike, he is clean personally, he
bathes every day the first thing in the
morning. and his clothing is washed and
changed often.
But this is wandering from the ball
room. After midnight we withdrew, first
paying our respects to our host and to
AguinaldO, who had remained the entire
evening and participated i'll the dancing
with apparently as much interest and zest
as the other young men, for, Dictator as
he was, he was still hut young man and
enjoyed the pleasures of youth. The next
morning the little, fussy locomotive drew
our miniature cars back to Manila and
we reported for duty as usual.
THE LUNETA AND ITS BLOODY HISTORY.
nj .h 10
was the band concert on the Luneta.
Perhaps no word in connection with the
topography of the city is used SO often
or is SO familiar as this, unless it be the
Escolta, the chief business street, where
the largest foreign stores are located.
The Luneta lies ON the shore of the bay,
just south of the wall, and consists of an
oval boulevard inclOsing strip of grass
about 1000 feet long and 100 feet wide.
Midway there is Il band stand, where it
was customary for the Spanish bands to
give evening concerts.
Before the war the Luneta was bOr-
dered with trees and must have been a
much more attractive place than it was
when we took possession, for the Span
iards had cut down all the trees in order
to give better sweep for their guns and
rifles on the wall against an assaulting
force. The Luneta boulevard was ex-
tended clear around the wall to the river
ON the north, and there existed fine
botanical garden between two reaches of
it to the east of the wall. This was
spoken highly of by travellers in past
years, and it was said to have contained
specimens Of all trees known to the trop-
les. These, also, the Spaniards had cut
down, and left but waste of neglected
plants for our inspection.
The Spaniards had used the Luneta
for other purposes as we'll as for a prom
nna Ia fnr hA hnn fv nd fac Of No
Mia. 1t was there they held their public
executions of natives of prominence con-
demned for participating in an insurrec-
,tion. 1t was on the Luneta, his eyes
looking out toward the east across the
peaceful waters of the bay, that DR.. Jose
met his death at the hands of a squad
Of Spanish soldiers, who stood behind him
and shot him in the back, according to
the ignOminious and cowardly custom of
Spain. Here, also died II prominent Fill
ipinOs in the same manner at one time
only few months before our war with
Spain broke out. l have photographs
Of these scenes, showing the various firing
squads standing behind their victims,
whose hands are tied behind their backs,
while an immense thrOng of people
crowded the side lines maintained by
troops TO witness the spectacle.
These men were not guilty of murder
or anything else than planning an insur-
rection to obtain n better Government
Indeed, DR.. Rizal was not guilty of even
so much as that, since he discountenanced
the use of force and advocated methods
Of peaceable agitation only. Yet his in
huence was SO great upon the people in
making them discontented with the exist
ing Spanish Government and in educating
them to hope for better things, that Spain
trumped up unfounded charges of con-
spiracy and treason against him and shot
him to death in the presence Of a sorrow
ing multitude as warning to others.
Much the same reason existed for the
execution Of the IA others.
Spain dealt with Instructions with q |