The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-09
AMERICANS N
PHILIPPINES
Thomas Fortune Writes of the
Social Conditions.
MARRIAGES ARE TROUBLE
Many Americans in Disgrace
for Marrying Natives.
MARRIAGES ARE TROUBLE

Manila, Aug. s.-Thomas Fortune, who
arrived here several weeks ago. writes
OF the social conditions in these islands
to the New York Evening Post as fol-
lows:
Manila has a total population of some
thing like 300. 600, about 100, 900 being Amer
ican and foreign born. The American
population is estimated at about 5000. All
of these figures are approximations.
There is no close association socially be-
tween the Filipinos and the whites. In
deed. the American population is domin-
ated by American southern race preju-
dice TO such an extent as to shock a
newcomer unacquainted with the facts
underlying the condition of affairs. But
j shall not discuss this phase Of the sub
ject here and now. But that southern
sentiment dominates the Philippine ISL
ands will not be disputed by any one
familiar with the disagreeable facts.
There are relatively few American
white women in the Philippine Islands.
Those who are here have to go away
once every two years to renew their life
The climate eats them up. Where white
women cannot live permanently, white
men will not
This pregnant fact is the parent Of
many evils in the social life of the Phil
fppine Islands which are so glazing that
they cannot escape the notice OF the
most casual observer Marriages between
white American men and Filipino women
are regarded with as much horror as
marriages between blacks and whites in
af of btTra hn
married a Filipino woman was Stunned
by his associates and bounded by his
superiors so that he was glad to find Sc
clusion in a common clerkship in another
department; but, being a competent man.
he gradually recovered his official posi-
ton, but not his social position. Just be-
fore / left Manila, in May last, the local
press was full of the story of a Filipino
woman who was deserted by her Ameri
can husband. The story was as follows:
"a Filipino woman in one of the provinces
married an American. One day the
american told his wife he was compelled
TO go to India on business. After his
departure his wife became suspicious and
followed him to Manila. She discovered
that he had taken passage on an army
transport. then lying in harbor. bound for
the states. She appealed to the civil au-
thorities to prevent her husband from
deserving her, as the Manila newspapers
phrased IT, but she was told that they
had no authority She then appealed to
the military authorities. according TO the
local newspapers, an1 got a like answer.
The poor woman. deserted and heart
broken was standing on the shore as the
transport swept out of the glorious bay.
But this sort of agony is avoided in the
main by not marrying and giving in mar
rage.
1 was seated in the third-story room Of
a house in the Tondo district of Manila
one afternoon in April last. The weather
was warm and STICKY. All the win
dows and doors In sight were wide open.
Across the way there was a row of two
story tenement houses. eleven IN number.
Ny friend suddenly said:
There is a condition for you. Those
eleven houses are occupied by eleven
American men and eleven Filipino wom-
en-. The house on the extreme left is
occupied by a colored American, who is
married to the Filipino woman. The other
ten houses are occupied by ten white
Americans, who are not married to the
Filipino women. You will find that all
of these men occupy subordinate positions
IN the civil government. They are never
seen outside the house with these women.
and they leave them when they tire Of
them. The condition is a common one
here and IN the provinces. and it is much
to be regretted" And as 1 rambled
about Manila, as 1 did all the time that
] was not in the provinces, 1 found that
the statement made by my friend was
substantially correct.
I asked my friend to tell me why there
were so many American prisoners in
Bilibid prison. He said:
why. the American set here have set
a pace in living which calls for the ex-
penditure Of vastly more money than
the small fry pan they. therefore, have
10 steal. II you viii notice it. you will
find that hardly a week passes that the
arrest and conviction of some American
IS not pronounced in the daily news
papers for misrepresentation OF trust
funds Living here is very expensive.
and those who fly high have to pay very
dearly, for It. The number Of Ameri-
cans here who are in debt all the way
from 500 to s50oo would surprise any
one. The civil and military authorities
do ali they can TO check extravaganza
and Immoral living. but the evil was
planted in the days of army occupation.
and it is hard 10 root it out Then. the
social conditions here are sucl. as to en-
courage high and immoral living There
are very few amusements and diversions
here and the American hotel and saloon
are common places of resort: and the
number OF American saloons in Manila
is remarkable. The number OF Americans
Is comparatively small. Those who have
small incomes mingle On equality with
those who have large ones. II they are
people Of education and character. The
natural result follows. Those with small
incomes i've beyond their means. too
often. in the effort TO keep in the swim.
and frequently fetch up in the BilIbid or
become fugitives from justice" a close
study Of the situation convinced me that
this diagnosis was substantially correct.
VOTING IN RUSSIA.