Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-08
A LEISURELY LOT
Inhabitants Of the Islands Net Easily
Moved to Hustle.
KNOW HOW TO WAIT IF NOT TO LABOR
Trouble About Friars Not Likely to
BE serious and Efforts to
Teach Natives 20 work
Likely to Fail.

BACoLoD. Island of Negros, April "a
To the Editor Of The Bee: Father Maui
ricio has returned to his parish. where he
had served as spiritual adviser Of the peo-
pie for twenty-six years previous to the
revolution Of the inhabitants Of Negros
against Spain. At the time OF the uprising
Father Mauricio. in common with all but
one Of the fTiars, either fed from or were
forcibly expelled from the island, taking
refuge in their converts in the city Of
Manila.
Father Mauricio's return to his old
parish was attended with considerable ex-
element, owing to the opposition mani
Tested by certain Of the people against the
temperance Of the Recolote friars, who.
in the days Of Spanish domination, consti-
tuted the Spanish clergy OF the island.
The opposition TO the religious orders ap-
pears TO be intense among the natives.
with the exception Of those of Spanish
blood, but, as with everything else in this
country, It is diflcult to tell with any de-
gree Of accuracy the real strength OF the
anti-friar sentiment.
Father Mauricio appears to be a genial
old gentleman. l presume the opposition
manifested to his temperance is based on
political and religious rather than personal
grounds. The excitement attending his
coming to Bacolod is simply one instance Of
the contention that may be expected all
over the archipelago as the friars attempt
TO return to their churches and converts,
claimed by the native padres as rightfully
their own as representatives Of the Fill
Pine people. In a rough statement Of the
situation the conflict may be said to be
between the friars and Spaniards and
natives Of Spanish blood on the one hand
and the padres and F~1lipinos on the other.
I suppose the most e~ffectual measure to
create content In this island at the pres
ent time would be to put II on a trade
level with the United States by removing
the tariff on sugar. The planters are suf-
fering from financial depression. money is
very scarce and sugar very cheap. The
planters have labored under a good deal of
Encouragement, besides being greatly dis
appointed In the outcome OF the sugar
crop. During the summer prospects were
unusually favorable. Everything favored
the growth of the cane, which promised
TO be and was one Of the largest
per hectare ever raised in the island.
Owing, however, to the dearth Of cariboo,
which were swept off by hundreds by a
disease which broke out among them sew
eral months before the harvest, much diff
hculty was experienced in harvesting the
cane, a good deal being left in the fields to
decay. Shortly after the commencement
OF cane cutting long continued rains set
in, which not only delayed the work of
making the sugar, but deprecated its quail
ity. and to complete the woes of the sugar
producer came the last misfortune, a
great fall in the price OF sugar in the Hong
Kong market.
It has been said that the removal OF the
tariff on Filipino sugar would raise the
price from 4 TO Z cents a pound. l am
not sufficiently acquainted with the condi-
tions to know whether this statement be
correct or not and do not know how the
admission free of the product OF Negros
would affect our beet sugar industry in
Nebraska. The effect on this island, how
ever, would be to create a financial revo-
luton, doubling the price of lands AMI
clearing the haciendas from their heavy in
debtedness. ] think that the attention OF
capital once directed to the sugar lands OF
the Philippines they are likely TO in
definitely advance in value, as hey are said
20 be equal to those OF Hawaii. at least
l was so informed by a gentleman from
Honolulu. referring to the lands Of this
island, who at the time was travelling over
the archipelago as a government expert &c
select the site for an experimental farm.
Teachers Have Hard Time.
The teachers institute is In session, OF
normal school, as they call 1t, wherein the
native is instructed by the American
teacher. Last week the white gave a bailC
in honor of the brown teachers and thii
week. l understand, the brown teachers re-
eiprocate. The attendance at the institute
Is very good, larger than was anticipated
The proceeding. being entirely new to the
Ftlipinos, II was a matter of conjecture
as to how they would respond. The Fill
- piho teachers path is strewn with briars
rather than roses. They are very poorly
paid and the meager stipend they receive
Is grudgingly given. The school fund o.
the municipality is devoted to everything
else first and then, IL any be left, to tn,
payment Of the teachers. The assessors o
the different municipalities place as low
valuation on the property Of their re
%spective districts as possible, which pro
cedure is not, l believe, entirely unknown
TO the assessors in the United States. No
Dnly are the Filipino teachers poorly PAID
and pay uncertain, but the contrast be
tween their emoluments and that OF tn