New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-06-30
N THE PHILIPPINES.
Manners and Customs in Our Nezc
Possessions.

An r ngsF fE on u EM PossEssIoNs 5s 41hn
William Howard Taft. Ill. D. NTH I map anu
20 ustrations .ssyo.- PIP. 40 Inc Ale' Van
~ t,,s. course of an extended. il not greatly
orconred. trip amcng the Philippine Islands.
i,r Devins brought trained powers OF ooserVa-
zion 20 bear or the conditions in our ne" pos
sessions and relates his impressions III breezy
personal anecdotal fashion that MAKES ioi
easy reading IL his work has not the authoi
fly of the student of political affairs. 1t has at
leastzfhe approval. in the main, of former Gov
ernor Taft and is certainly excellent Journalism
To the general reader it may seem that the
suthor has given undue space to the inconsid-
cradle efforts TO establish Protestant missions
in the islands, and it may he regrett tlat ne
did not either devote a greater portion OF MS
limited time TO a more thorough investigation Oh
POLITICAL and secular matters. or else leave the
strictly religious problems for separate cohsio-
Grafton.
Naturally. the author devotes considerable
attention TO Filipino characteristics Their fonH-
ness for smoking and music was made strikinsiy
apparent in the case of flute player at a con-
cert who managed to keep his cigarette anght
without losing a note So devoted are they to
cockfghting that at the fire which destroyed the
Tondo district of Manila every man rusnea TO
rescue his combatte the rooster is termed,
while the policemen and firemen saved the
women and children Even the children gampie.
and II is hard to interest them in sport for its
own sake. An American teacher organized a
baseball club for her boys. To her dismay she
found them not oIflyJjsettng on thesresli1ts but
swearing like little troopers. When she reproved
them for their profanity one of the lads inquired
uafvely: Teacher, what shall We say when
miss a balI?'' Still DR. Deyjns takes note OF the
danger OF laying aside ones knowledge of human
ra5,,re and of the common kinship of men in
studying a strange people If a Filipinoas kind
TO a traveller he is apt TO jot down IN ms hote
book that gentleness is a prevailing character.
jstie of the nativeas one of them deceives him.
down goes a memorandum TO the effect that they
are not to be trusted. There too many brick
houses with glass windows in America" DR..
Deyins concludes ITO warrant the injudlcious
f1insing of cobblestones against the bamboo
shaeks along the Pasig River" He believes that
what the Filipino needs TO see in the American
Is spirit Of kindness and justice When these
characteristics shine out in the life of the White
man thew will be answered by similar ones from
the brown man: and the Filipino and the Amerl-
can viii find in each-other the best that Is III
both.
II is apparent that he does not. consider that
the Americans best characteristics do so shine
He nuts himself. on record. however. as COM
,nending the soldiers for their generally humane
treatment of the natives. He even allows MN
self to be persuaded that the water cure is
p harmless if somewhat painful, disciplinary
measure and that Samar was not made howl
ing wilderness" by order of General Smith, nut
By God Almighty. He wresties win the
.icart.en, auestielaAagsd although he found that
almost without exception. the canteen was ia
md
senee has resulted ia a largely increased per-
oen,aea of arrests ne relieves that men who
were not accustomed to drinking before enlist
l1,ent are now able to restrain themselves far
better than before the eanteen was abonsheo.
He suggests as a compromise that the canteeh
BE- re-estahlished. but without the permission to
sell beer or light wines.
DR.. Devfns had interview with Aguinaldo,
but did not find him prepared with message
for the American people The former rebel de-
clared himself TO be -out of politics., and study
ing what may be done for the benefit of his
people. What he thought. would particularly
benefit them was the restablshmenttof a hank
ing system and the issue of Filipino national
currency to the extent of S100.000.oo0. guaran-
teed by the United States government the notes
10 be loaned TO the farmers at low rate of in
terest after the manner of the agrariaG banks
Of Europe. His plan received very drily''
by the commission, he declared. -
The climate he found somewhat trying. Like
the little girl whom he quotes. it wasn't the
'Fhofness' he minded much as the ''wetness
OF the Holiness" He relates story regarding
the effect of the extreme heat upon the natives.
although he does not vouch for its accuracy.
a Filipino travelling in Europe died. His family
desired have his body cTenlated that at least
his dust might be carried TO his home The body,
prepared for cremation was placed in retort and
the customary heat applied. After waiting the
usual length Of time the attendants opened the
tort to remove the ashes AS the re-
moved. the were Mortified to the lately de-
ceased gentleman sitting bolt upright TO add TO
their astonshneHt- the stranger said with snap IN
his tone, Shut that door. feel draughtf The
man. nanbed by q temperature of 80 degrees, was
Simply revived by the heat Of the crematory which
Appropriated that of his own fair island.