Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-07-01
Prominent Merchant of Manila
Says They are as Lazy as Our
Southern Negro.
HOW SPAIN USED BROWN MEN
Chinese Are Much Ahead Of the Natives
And Take Advantage of the
Situation

Samuel L. Baker, prominent mer-
chant of Manila, who went to the Phil
ippines as a soldier and got into bust
ness ION the ground floor" passed
through Salt Lake this morning on his
way home from New York, where he
purchased his fall and winter supplies.
He gives an interesting statement as to
the native Filipino and his character.
II Is in no way complimentary, but as
the same thing has often been said OF
the brown man, it IL considered just
and true.
"The Spanish" said Mr.. Baker, did
more with the Filipino than the Ameri-
cans can ever do, because they had the
strength Of the Catholic church behind
them, and forced his lazy nature into
doing just so much work for the
church. In that way the Spanish were
enabled to build fine churches and 9TH
err important structures All they had
to do was feed the native. who In his
superstition, believed that to refuse To
work for the church on that compensa-
ton would be treason to Deity.
NATIVES ARE LAZY.
1.-THE native is lazy-much the same
as our southern negro and when /
make this statement | know what am
talking about, having lived in Atlanta,
Ga, the greater part Of my life. There
IL reason for it, He does not have TO
work II he has a dime in his pocket
he simply will not He Ia In a country
where he cannot freeze. II he needs
clothing, he makes II himself out of
the textures peculiar to that country.
If he is In need OF hat, a few spears
OF grass is all the material he requires
for its manufacture II he wants shell
ter, II Is an easy matter for him 10
build grass house. And when he Is I'm
need of food, he can make what he
considers a good living off the fish,
cocoaputs and Wild fruits that are so
easily obtained In the Philippines, We,
OF this government, cannot consistently
make slaves OF them and they will not
work unless we do Therefore, II the
Philippines are TO be developed for
eigners must accomplish that develop
ment The white man must build up
Manila and all Of its surroundings.
CHINESE SHREWDNESS.
"The thing that struck me most
forcibly in investigating trade condi-
lions was the number Of Chinese In the
islands and their absolute control of
about all they survey They are better
workmen by far than the Filipinos, and
would till the soil, only for the reason
that they do not have to. A Chinese
may go there with the intention Of
farming, bat he soon learns that he Is
brighter than the native and can make
the latter pay his expenses, He becomes
n merchant and such "A merchant that
he has all the money IN his neighbor-
hood before the natives realize II.
know II TO be a fact that n Chinaman
opening a store Of any kind can, within
a year own his neighboring Filipino
merchant body and soul. have seen
It done. They control the commerce Of
the islands, except for a few Americans
who have gone into business and used
modern business methods"
BAKERS BUSINESS.
Mr.. Baker is in the grocery and
hardware business lie shipped 1000
cases OF canned goods from New York
during his trip to the east. This Is his
first trip to America since leaving with
a Georgia regiment at the outbreak OF
the war. He considers the archipelago
possible of tremendous development
but adheres strongly to his theory that
|, only the white man can redeem the
country.