The Van Buren press., 1904-10-29


many thousand volumes in which
only fragmentary and desultory
reading was possible, And all the
world may come to turn the page &
of this unique book of life, now
lying open to the view.
But although everything has
been reduced to moderate com.
pass, it is no small affair, this
Philippine exhibition. We have
here a veritable city within the
Worlds Fair city, complete eX.
position proper. The reservation
covers A. acres of ground there
are all the orthodox main buildings
such as Administration, Agricul
ture, Forestry, Fisheries, Com,
merce, Women's Work, EthnO
logy. Art and Education with
nearly a hundred Others represent
ing the actual home life of the
different races assembled the
resident population, civilized semi
civilized, and frankly barbarian
numbers 1900 FilipinOs; the cost
of all has been full million OF
dollars, expended under strict
government supervision.
These condensed facts and
figures will help to convey an idea
of the greatness Of the display,
the thoroughness with which the
Philippine administration has per.
formed its task, the sure reward
that awaits all who come either 10
enlarge their general experience
or in quest otspecitic Information
There is no lack Of fun and
gaicty in the reservation, but even
the scenes that amuSe have their
educational value. For everything
is real life, and knowledge of real
life is the sum of all education
No chance Of even suggesting a
lesson has been missed. The
central square, with It's handsome
hanking buildings, represents the
typical plaza of "A Spanish town,
such as Old Spain planted through
out the tropical word from orient
to oCCidcut. The Administration
ls a replica Of the govern.
ment offices in Manila, while the
Art and Education building re.
produces in miniature the Cathe-
dral within the walled city, even
the mellOwed tiuts of age being
rendered. A section of
the ancient but still seryiceable
town wall has been reconstructed
to serve the double purpose of
10 the show and a museum
Of arms and war relics. The other
main ediiices are types Of Filipino
homes, being built Of undressed
timber, bamboo and rattan, with
matched roofs and broad veran.
das. SO, while all these buildings
contain exhibits, they are them
selves exhibits.
Then there are the tribal villages,
nesting under the trees, some Of
the houses perchcd high up among
the boughS, others on piles above
the waters Of the arrowhead lake,
nll Of them actual dwellings fash.
IOned Of native materials by native
workmanship, and illustrating the
customs and pursuits Of
their occupants, Here are women
"A coarse cloth on n rude
hand loom, others making baskets,
others tending irrigated fields Of
rice one group Of men are in
village council, trying an offender
according TO their tribal laws {;
others are slowly moving IN Il
circular dance to the thump Of
tom.toms and the claug Of brass
gOugs others again are smelling
iron by the air Of a primitive but
most ingenious bellows, the con.
Stitucnt parts Of which are a BAN.
boo tube aud an air.tight mop of
feathers working therein like the
piston Of n syringe, And these
are but few Of an almost endless
variety Of life pictures.
The cthnogical pro blem is a
somewhat complicated one, but
although there are no fewer than
l6 races represented among the
village dwelers, the scouts, and
the constabnlary, each race speak.
ing its own dialect and following
It's own customs, all may be rough.
Iy classified into -four groups the
nborigiunls or uOn,MaIays, the
pagan Malays, the Christian Ma.
Iays and the Mohammedan Ma.
lays.
The first are the dwarf Ncgritos,
with dark skins and woolIy heads,
wearers Of scanty raimeuI, prohci.
cUt N the use Of the bow and
poisoned arrow, u race Of nomads
and forest dwellors, pagans pure
aud simple, They live in their
own stockaded villages.
Next to them are the Igorrots,
whose origin is traced back to
the first wave Of Malay invasion.
Here again we have Scauty cloth.
ing amounting almost 10 nudity,
but coppcrcolorcd skins, long
WuNN tIpsSpg. ulpnsant fpnturpd