The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-09-10
BEaVHR1yN THEpHm1ppINrs.
II Es unrsaoknizsa OancfaIiy. hat Psw-
feetiy welI-EEnown 20 Exist
IN, the IaIanda.


lands among Americans in the United
States is equaled only by the uniyer-
sal ignorance in regard TO many of
the problems sexisting in our eastern
possessions, writes calamba, p. l.,
correspondent of the New York Sun.
Why should not the people of the
United States be properly informed
regarding subject which should be
close TO, thelheartsiof oil true Amer
leans?
For over three centuries thie Gus.
tom has, obtained throughout these
islands: A poor Filipino finds him
self in debt and without the means
20 meet his creditors. He forthwith
borrowR'from a rich neighbor the re.
quired nmount, often not moro than
thirty pesos-two pesos are equal to
about 80 cents of our money-pays
his debts, and becomes from that mo.
ment, together with his entire family
a slave 20 the man who had lent him
the money, 10 remain his slave until
this money is paid back. This poor
native and his fnmily work for the
rich native, and in return receive
clothes and food, of the cheapest
s~~h.y. but, of course, never any
money. They alsb get house TO live
IN, but for this house the man is
supposed to pay rent. As he has no
money and has placed himself and
family where not one of them can
earn any, this rent cannot be paid
and Is added year by year to the
original sum borrowed. The man
dies without ever paying the debt
and dies like slave, leaving his fam.
sly in like bondage. II anyone else
pays the sum TO the original owner
of these slaves, he in turn becomes
their master.
There Is much wealth In the Philip
pines and 10 is customary for well-to-
do Filipinos TO own anywhere from
nifty TO 500 slaves. visited the other
day the house OF the richest woman
in the Philippines outside of Manila.
She lives in town called Lipa and is
worth her millions. I was able to
observe for myself the number of her
slaves.
A certain army officer, living in the
same town as Gen. Afulvar--original
ly general-in-chief OF the Philippine
army after Aguinaldo-desired 10
find a competent native boy 10 work
for him. Gen. Mulvar offered 60 LET
him have one of his slave boys, sug-
gesting that ~ the officer would pay
the amount owed TO the general by
the boys father, the boy would be-
long TO the officer. This officer would
not enter into this agreement, know.
ing full well that II he bought the
boy and gave him his freedom, as
soon rs he was ordered 20 the United
States Gen. Mulvar would, on some
pretext or other. get the boy back
into his power. | was told this lit
tle story. which is simply illustrative.
by the officer himself.
or course, there is another side to this
question of slavery as II exists here.
The low class natives are woefullv lazy,
brainless and generally worthless,
and this system secures to them homes,
clothes and food, for comparatively
little labor, as long as they live. This
Is very comfortable way to look atit,
but the fact remains that the eondi-
tion of these people Is slavery pure
and simple. and slavery on American
territory. This fact is uncomfortable
and should awaken the people Of the
United States to some sort ofaction.
Originally the Spanish frlars were
responsible for this condition Of af-
fairs, or at any rate, responsible for
It's continuance. These friars an
owned slaves, and II any powerful Eli.
ipino had undertaken to inform tho
Spanish government-whieh, like our
government, could not act on what Il
was in ignorance Of, which therefore
Il chose TO be blind so--it would have
ayailed nothing. And these Filipinos
would besides have made untold
trouble for themselves, for the friars,
TO shield their own position, would
have proved 70 the home government
that the report was false. and would
have oppressed the Fiiipinos more cru
ely than before.
The virtual government and cruel op-
preston Of the Spanish friars Is still
another problem, and one which has
been little studied or understood.
They are no longer in power, butprop-
erly 70 understand fhe Philippine char
acter, and political AMI moral condi-
tions existing here for years, IL IS nee
essary fully 20 comprehend the COM
pieS nature Of the dominion held for
centuries by the Spanish friars in these
islands They have left their mark on
all classes. and we cannot deal intelli-
gently with our new subjects without
giving this matter conscientious study
That slavery has existed in these Is
lands so long after Spain abolished
slavery IN her West India possessions
which was in is70-is due simply TO
che absolute aseendeney Of the friars,
en- aseendeney almost inconeeiyable IN
fits supreme power for evil, unauthor-
lied. and yet uncontrolled by the span.