The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-04
WHAT CURTIS SAW.
Topeka Congressman Discusses Trip to
the Philippines

On his way home from San Francis
co, where he stopped for a few days,
Congressman Charles Curtis wrote a
story of his experiences in the Philip
pines, as a member of the Taft party.
This story contains much interesting
information about the islands and the
trip and is as follows:
"A stranger in the Philippines sees
something new and interesting every
day. He may have visited Ja0an
China and the other countries in the
far east, yet when he reaches the Phil
lppines he finds something new and
very different from what he has looked
uDOn i'm other places.
There is no reason why Manila
should not be the great city of the
Orient 1t is located on navigable
waters which wash the shores of a
thousand cities and towns through
which pass the entire sea traffic
Of the most densely populated portions
of the world and Manila stands at the
gateway of this vast trade.
we spent. in ALL about twelve days
in Manila. The time was spent at hear
ings arranged for those interested in
the production of sugar and tobacco
and those who desire immediate indie
pendence, during the day and attend
ing banquets at night. 1 wish 1 could
describe a Filipino banquet They be-
gin about p. m. and last until about
a. m The last few hours are de-
voted to speech king.
tOn August 13 we started on our trip
around the islands. It was great trip
and 1 never expect to have the
pleasure of making another one like it.
We Travelled over what is known as the
inland route and the scenery is simply
grand; in many respects I believe it
is equal to, if not more beautiful than
that of the Inland sea. The mountains
come down to the waters edge Cocoa
nut palms grow along the shore. Above
these the timber covers the entire
mountain, the little native huts nestle
among the trees and the Odd-shaped
native canoes lie upon the sand. Here
and there you see native fish trap,
made of bamboo.
Hard Times on IIOiIo.
I'VE visited noiIo, on the Island of
Panay. The people are Largely engaged
in the production of sugar and on ac-
count of the Door market. small CROPS
and the loss of the cariboO, the people
are very poor. A large amount of JuSa
cloth is made at this place and in near
ly ever house they have one or more
looms. At this city I met Mr.. Seal of
Meriden who is a teacher in the public
schools. From IlOilO we went to Baco-
lOd on the Island of NesrOs. Here we
were given novel reception. The land
ing is very dangerous; large boats can
not 90 within a mile Of the shore.
Launches take you within eight or nine
hundred yards of the shore and then
small native canoes or boats. hauled
by caribOOs are used and sometimes it
is necessary to have natives carry you
in. For our party the natives built
great bamboo raft on which they took
US to within two or three hundred
yards of the shore and from that point
they had erected a bamboo bridge. It
took us quite d time to make the land
ing but it was all so new to us that
we all felt that the time was not lost.
There is an extinct volcano at Baco-
lod. ] asked d native about it aad his
answer was KaulOon, he sleeps.
ION the Island of NegrOs they pro-
duce sugar and tobacco and the people
are in the same condition that they are
on the Island Os Panay, and many of
the sugar plantations are being turned
into rice fields.
IN the evening we returned to
IlOilO where we took the Logan for
Zambango on the Island of Mindenao.
It is a beautiful little city and has
/ every evidence Of prosperity The Is
/ land of MindenaO is, in my judgment
the most fertile and the richest of the
Philippine group. Here we were given
q great reception and saw our first
! Moros. There must have been as many
I as sixty native boats filled with men,
women and children around our ship
within a few minutes. The children
wore no clothing, the men had on
/ breech-clOuts, and the women wore
piece of cloth tied around the body just
under the arms. The garment hung
down to the knees. The men. women
and children would dive for the coins
which members of the party would
throw over and [ don't believe a single
coin went to the bottom. There were
native boat races and sea fight in
the old way for our entertainment.
when we went ashore we ere TAX
{ en- to a grand stand from which we
/ witnessed a grand parade in which the
school children, the business men ana
the tribes which form the various prov
4 inces took part.
/ ION this island they produce hemp,
cocoanuts and rice. In the mountains
/ they find beezewax and rOsin. The
/ town of Zambango is a great fish mar
+ LIT.
Visit to the SuItau.