The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-01-29
LETTER FROM MANILA.
An AbbeviIIe Man In the PHILIPPINES
Notes Of Interest from that Far-On

Manila P.I Noyember. 90. 1901

Manila, P. l., November, 80. 1901.
Mr.. J. Hayne McDiil, Aobeville. s. Z.
My Dear Hay ne This will reach you, but
hardly in time TO greet you a Merry Cnrlst'
mas but, possibly, In time for q Happy New
Year.
I have learned with much regret, your mis-
fortune In being burned out in the early au-
tumn. l hope and trust that you were fullS
covered with insurance and suffered no loss,
except an interruption In business.
bee from the newspapers that cotton main
tains fairly good price, but have not hearo
how the crops are around Abbevllle. hopt
they are good, but suspect that L am wrong
as the Government Crop Report" states bao
crops In the Atlantic Cotton States.
things In general way only from newspap-
ers: very few OF US have access to more than
one file Of papers. Since was In Baltimore
have never taken one ofthe Abbeville Coun.
~ papers, and the only information l have,
or can get OF local attans, is obtained
from letters. ! have been 50 busy since !
arrived In Manila that have practically hau
to give up correspondence with my friends.
actually have not time 10 write often enough
to keep up the correspondence. The houi,
people have entirely gone back on me 10 this
line.
on my return TO get station somewhere In
in the mou tains, preferably In the " Rock
les"
My health has been pretty good, but have
never entirely recovered from the attack ol
malaria contracted In Cuba, and / am anx
ious TO freeze IL out with mountain cold.
The Manila climate has been much abused.
People, as rule, who come over here In II
perfect state OF health live very comfortably
II is unnecessary 10 say that II Is possible Tor
one 10 have typhoid fever, dysentery and
man is heir, but DO not believe that they
have very much more here than in the South
ern States. However, when people get oui
and hike, they get slck: Inc water th'ough.
cumstances can one afford 10 drink water.
whicbhas not been boiled. We have consider
able plague In Manila and expect TO have q
deal more than ever next Spripg; premium
IL now being paid by the City government fol
dead rats. Every rat brought In Is being eX.
amined in the labritory tor plague, and auout
one percent Is found 10 have II Ihis pre-
sage ia iii for the native and Chino innabltanl
In the coming spring or dry season. During
the rainy season, plague almost entirely dis.
appears far as man is concerned. The
rainy season lasts about nine months, three
months of which, the rainfall Is about what
yon would expect ut home ; the other six
months IL ranges from Two 10 ten times as
much.
The FilipinOs are being lick ed At every point
and are gradually being forced to ackuowl-
edge the supremacy of the Americans. He
does 30 reluctantly as you may we'll Imagine,
for the American does not look upon bim as
an equal, but treats him as human being
lower In the social scale than the negro al
home; even the negro regards himself superb
or TO the Filipino. The Filipino, OF course
resents this attitude OF the American and
will fight good deal longer than any hope
OF success will warrant.
There are q great many Americans over
here now besides the army; quite number
have come over TO enter into business, others
go into business after being discharged from
The army aud there is quite an army Of em.
ployees of the civil govern ment. American
Ideas. push and energy are gradually per.
meattpg the whole OF the Islands, but several
generations will pass before material I'M
preston is made. Manila. itself, however
will be An American city within hve years.
Foreigners consisting OF British, Germans,
Spanish and Americans have practically the
mass Of the import and export business In
Manila and for the ISLANDS as we'll. There are
many rich Fiipinos In the city OF Manila, bul
they do not apparently care 10 engage In an
enterprise which leads them Into business
connection with foreigners. AS rule, they
know but little OF the outside world. There
are very few highly educated Fllipinos. This
is due largely to the distance or the lslands
from European colleges. and the lact that
there are very few colleges over here: the
only ones OF any account whatsoever. are
those Instituted by the Roman Catholic Cler-
gy. II will not be many years however, be-
fore there will be sufficient mum Der OF Amer
leads over here To warrant the establish ment
of tirst class American college, which will
offer to any one W no IL desirous OF obtaining
such an opportunity, good liberal education
I will not lake up more OF your time al pres
ent. hope you will find time to write me
occasionally, giving me the general news ol
the country az large and particularly Of your
self and family.
With best wishes for your good health and
hoping that you and family are enjoying life
and with kindest regards to the madam,
remain, Very sincerely,
P.S-Please remember me kindly to all my
friends In Abbeville.