The St. Louis Republic., 1904-10-02
FIJI IPlNO STUDENT BEWALS
IGNORANCE OF AME RIC CANS.
Educated Islander, After Month
/. ut the Fair, Says That Wrong
n Impressions of the Ma
- tiyes Exist.
FIRST VIEW OF lG0RR0TES

J.. E. vaIdes. one Of the hundred Filipino
students who left ST Louis to enter
one of the several American colleges
selected for them by Colonel Clarence Il.
Edwards. Chief OF the Bu1eau OF Insilar
Affairs at Washington. after their visit to
the Worlds Fair. has given for the first
time a Filipino's views Of the Exposition
and impressions OF World Fair visitors.
Senor Naldes Is high type OF the rep
resentative student body from the Philip
piEes. which is spoken Of as the hope OF
the islands He is il member of one Of
the Oldest and most aristocratic Spanish
Filipino families in the Islands. the Span
ish Valdss line on his fathers side. and
the Arevals OF Filipino aristocracy, repre-
sented on his mothers side. TWO families
who have distinguished themselves both
In governmental affairs in the island and
IN the professions and sciences. Senior
Ndldes enters the law department OF the
Indiana University at Bloomington for a
three years course
As one OF the students who have been
spending month sightseeing at The
Worlds Fair, Senior Valdes has devoted
three hours OF every day 10 serving as
guide in the various exhibit buildings OF
'A'pPA4at istSSI dAiOll dI lft EXPOSE
ton. 1t Is from this experience that Mr..
Valdes has largely deduced bis ideas and
comparisons OF the American people in
his wn home "
In toicing his impressions of the Worlds
Far visitor. SenOr Yaldes said: Tine
american people are so curious: they ask
Sso many questions. This seems to be their
erpost striking characteristic.
.r.u was on duty as n guide In the Gov
.rment building, where the display of
S-Frtings by Filipino artists is shown
re the erroneous opinion which seems
[prevaii among American people regard
the real difference between the edu-
Aated and unciviliZed people of the is
fleneg was most forcibIy demonstrated. IL
convinced me that, on the whole. little,
very little is known of the islands and their
people by the American populace.
The publicity given the Igorrotes. one
OF the least civilized tribes of mountain
people in the islands, has put a peculiar
construction on the life and work of the
educated Filipino al the Worlds Fair.
Strange as 1t may seem, the history of the
1gorrote has preceded in America that of
the educated Filipino. Everybody seems
10 have heard Of them. No matter what
our social standing. our education or fam
ny Is at home. we, In America. are judged
by the standard of the Igorrotes; the
naked brown people Of Northern LuZon
Many believe US to be Igorrotes in the first
stages of civilization.
THE Worlds Fair visitor peltered us
with questions.
Don't wearing shoes hurt you, feetr
asks one woman.
Does II not seem odd to wear Amer
lean clothingg' inquiries another. forget
ting that our ancestors probably donned
tailor-made raiment long before hers did
How long since you adopted our Amer
lean customs and habits? asks the third
Thus IL went all day.
AS had never seen the Igorrotes until
] came TO St. Louis. / was naturally as
curious as any American to see them. I
was visiting the village one afternoon.
deeply Interested and amused by these
strange little people, when young woman
approached me and asked:
Whist tribe do you belong to-?
Well replied, " might ask YOU the
same question. what tribe do you belong
then she asked:
Are these people cannibal.r
really do not know, but I viii in
Quire, madam replied.
turned to young Igorrote boy and
repeated the young woman's question to
him in Spanish. !.
Tell the LADY, answered the Igorrote.
that II we were cannibals she would not
have been permitted to escape this long
often after the visitors have sought out
the villages Of the native tribes at the
Worlds Fair: have witnessed their dances
listened to their weird tom-tom music and
looked through their little bamboo houses,
they come to inspect the exhibits of indus
trial and art work of the islands.
Are these paintings done BY the Fill
pinosF asked woman after a careful in
spectton of the art gallery
Yes. madam.''I 1 replied
But l do not believe IT. she said
firmly. You mean to tell ms the Igor
rotes-those naked. Notwithstanding peo-
ple-could do this sort of work ?-neverp
AND: with angry voice and countenance..
h TT is no use, no use." sighed senor VAL