Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1903-10-30
social coudi,Ion. In Manm..

A ~ 49, az "a
uon published from its special represent
tative in the Philippine islands a num-
Der of letters showing that d~isgraceful
conditions figured prominently in the
benevolent assimilation of the Fill
piuos. The statements made by tie
Constitutions correspondent were Bit
terrly critized by republican newspap-
ers, but just o it it the Constitutions
time to laugh, il, indeed, anything con.
nected with the conditions in the Philip
pines may be said to be properly pro.
ductive Of mirtb.
L. Thomas Fortune, a negro lawyer
who was recently sent to the Philippines
in the role Of special commissioner, has
written to the New York Evening Post
an interesting article in which he touch
es upon social conditions in Manila. Mr..
Fortune says:
There are relatively few American
white women in the Philippine islands.
Those who are there 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 moi.
This pregnant fact is tho parent OF
many evils in the social lie Of the Philip.
pine islands, which are 20 glaring that
they cannot escape the notice of the
most casual observer. Marriages be-
twces white American men and Filipino
4 Oman a . ra,,prla,l ,r,Il, 80, ,,,,oi, L.
ror as marriages between the blacks
and whites i'll Tennessee. y white chic
OF bureau who married II Filipino wo,
man was summed by his associates and
bounded by his sutcriors so that he was
glad to find seclusion in n common
clerkship i'll another department.; but
being IL competent man, he gradually
recovered his official position. but moi
his social position. Just before ! left
Manila, in May last, the local press WIS
full Of The story OF ii Filipino woman
who WINS deserted by her American hus'
band. The story was rs follows: 4
Filipino woman i'll one OF the provinces
married M American. They lved to,
Gether for some time. One day Tho
American told his Nifd be wus compell
ed to 90 to India on business. After
his departure his wife became suspi
cious and followed him to Manila. Sh,
dis covered that he had taken passage OF
an army transport, then lying in til,
harbor, bound for the states. She up
pealed tn the civil authorities to pre-
vent her husband from deserving her. NJ
the Manila newspapers phase it, but sh,
was told they had no authority. She
then appealed to the military anthori
ties, according to the local ucwspa
pers, and got II ike answer. TIT
poor woman, deserted and heart. broken
was standing on the shore rs tn,
transport swept ont of the gloriou
bay.
-But this sort Of agony is avoided il
the main by moi marrying AMI giving il
marriage. ] was seated III the thir,
story room Of n. house in the Tondc
district OF Manila u afternoon in Apri
last. The weather was warm and sticky
All the windows and doors in light wer,
wicc open. Across the way there was
row OF two story tenement houses
eleven in number. My friend suddenl,
said: "Thore in Il condition for yon
Those eleven houses are occupied by
eleven American men and eleven Fill
pino omen. Tho house on the cxtrem,
left is occupied by n c0lored American
tsl,n 80 r,orrin1 B., lhn LN,l,,;,., ,.,nx
The other ten houses are occupied b,
ten white Americans, who are not mar
ricd to the Filipino You viii
find that all OF these men occupy sub
ordinate positions i'll the civil govern
ment. They are never seen outside tn,
house with these omen. md they leav
them when they tire of them. The con
ditiOn is Il common = here and in III,
provinces, md il Ia much tn he regret
ted Aud as ] rRmblcd nbout Manila
rs ] did all the time that | waa not i
the provinces, FOUND that tile state
ment made by my friend was substau
TALLY correct
1t ia fortunate for Mr.. Fortune tina
"' % NV "''''i'h l" 'he FcGuiaI HTHly
else he might he court murtialcd an
dismissed in disgrHcr. But rs it is. tn
Constitution gays tina. Fortune la
written only what every body knows {
be true but rs truth Of this kind in no
popular witlltoosovelt a"d hisparty, ne
not likely now Ia lind thrust upon hir
many invitations to stretch his legs III
der the White housc mahogany"