Willmar tribune., 1904-11-30
THE ST.LOUIS EXPOSITION
Greatest History An Inspiration for Study of Industry,
Government and Art

SA 0SAOAA AOA 0ekoS1 SA :AAA>~S>S>A -
It and Art.
thought that . respectable newspape"
would carry an advertisement for such
gang Of thugs and cut.throats. W.
informed the Post. Dispatch and they
answered that they had been warning
the people about that particular boat
all summer. We told our story to the
editors of the Republic and had the
satisfaction OF seeing the ADVERTISE
ment taken out next morning. 1t was
the advertisement that brought pas
sepgers and when that was Withdrawn
these thugs had no means of Turing
people to their, boat.
Next morning We had our first i'm
pressions of the fair. That vast pam
Drama of Greek architecture, in ex.
cellent imitation of white marble,
could not fail 20 impress the mind Of
the beholder. The composite picture
vas not as symmetrical as that of the
Chicago exposition, but the buildings
were more numerous, grander in pro.
portions, more beautiful in design aud
the exhibits more extensive and varied
An Intelligent study OF the Philippine
exhibit by one who had never visited
tho islands but who had received his
ideas from the newspapers and the
politicians would cause open eyed
wonder and amazement. Their oil
paintings and water colors were su.
perb, both in conception and in exc.
cution.
| Their wood carvings showed genius,
| patience and skill. A life sized repre-
sentatlon of the cruclfixion carved in
wood by q pure blood native Filipino
was one Of the most impressive works
of art at the exposition, and no sculp.
tured marble in all the galleries Of
the Fine Arts Palace could 80 deeply
stir the finer emotions of the soul as
the heroic statue of DR.. Jose Rial,
the scholarly Filipino statesm an,
poet, author, linguist, philanthropist
and patriot who gave his noble young
life in the last days of Spanish RUE
for the common cause of his country
men. On another image of Ri.
zal, carved out of wood, were these
words, eyes, thou art dead, but thy
soul lives and shall ever live In the
breasts of thy grateful countrymen. .
The exhibits from their schools gave
evidence of the fine intellects of their
children. Their specimens of draw
ing, penman hip and composition
greatly surprised the average Ameri
can. Statistics were displayed showing
that over 5000 native and 500 Ameri
can teachers are employed in the
islands. A native Filipino lady con
Quoted school on the grounds anG
gave evidence of having mastered tht
English language and the latest meth
ods of teaching. At 9 O'Clock in tht
morning she had a class Of native
boys and girls from Luzon and tht
Visayas, representing the civilize(
classes who constitute 95 per cent O
the population; from 10 till II she hae
class OF Igorrotes, Negritos, ant
Moros, representing the uncivilizet
tribes, corresponding to the 1ndian'
in our country, and constituting PEI
cent OF, the total population of tn
; islands. These savage tribes wer'
great curiosities and many visitor'
spent more time in visiting the Igorrot,
village than in viewing the splendid
} exhibits of the civilized Christian
population OF the islands.
The Filipino band, consisting Of 81
or go pieces, was one of the best q
the exposition. They have the sou
of music as we'll as the technique
and the finish. In music as we'll as il
painting and sculpture the little BROW
man of the Philippines far excels hi
little brown brother of Japan. NJ
military body made q finer appear
ance in the parade On President Roose
velt's day than the Philippine scout
and the constabulary. They so i'm
; pressed the president by their modest
eat and graceful air that he entbu
siastically clapped his hands as the,
passed his stand.
The writer talked with many OF thes
Filipinos in the various bu lding
and on the grounds of the Philippin
reservation. They were delighted tt
; find an American who could talk will
them In their own language and VIII
understood them. After obtaining
; their confidence I asked one afte
another what were their present idea
about Philippine independence. Every
one, without single excepsion,~ no
excluding the lady teacher, said tina
, the Filipino pe op]e were all In favo
OF independence. One member of tn
constabulary said: "Of course W
want independence, but we we're over
( powered and will now do the best "
! can" One of the members of tn
: band said, "We are still as eager TO
the independence OF our country a
7 ever. We have learned after terribl
t sacrifices that we can't get it by dgh)
! ing for it, so we hope the America
q l. oo1n1a wi11 ho uonorono nrd ~.