The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1906-08-16
The Old Home Reception.


cepted with enthusiasm by local resi-
dents and visitors alike.
six of the prominent club women OF
the town, Mrs elizabeth l.. Merrill,
Mrs. Martha L. Griffin. Mrs. G. A. Yves.
ton, Mrs. Sarah L. Eaton, Mrs. Lizzie NJ.
Page and Mrs. Lois Patten, received the
guests as they entered the hall and those
arriving early made use of the time be-
fore the beginning of the program to re-
new acqusintances and to bestow intro
auctions upon their friends who had
not previously become acquainted with
each other. Mrs. E. l.. Merrill called
the company to order shortly after eight
O'clock, and in a five minute speech told
of the origin of the Old Home Week
idea, something of its observance in
Skowhegan in the past and the reasons
why ckowhegan people and former resi-
dents continue to take pleasure in its
observance. She wove into her remarks
several pieces of verse, chosen with ex-
celient taste. to illustrate her own Idea
of our love of old associations, and the
true significance of "home coming
At the close of her remarks she present
ed Mr.. F. 5. Cairns, surveyor of customs
for the Philippine Islands, to the audi
ence, announcing that he would speak
on 1.-The Philippines and the Filipinos. -
The audience doubtless expected Mr..
Cairns to relate some of the adventures
in which he has taken part and the
strange and varied incidents which have
come within his observation during his
residence of four years in the Islands,
and from the standpoint of transient
interest alone it is likely that they would
have been even more entertaining than
the address which he delivered, but 1t
was evident that be felt it his duty TO do
more than entertain and the result WAS
a fund of information at first hand
which certainly was the best if not the
only opportunity skowhegan people
have ever enjoyed to Become familiar
with the conditions in our Oriental pos.
sessions. From the conflict of testimony
in news dispatches, and magazine arti-
Giles we have been lett hopeessly con-
fused about the Philippines, and Mr.
Cairns did much 10 leave his hearers 50
posted concerning them that they will
be able to judge of what is tue and
what is false in what we may hereafter
hear.
1t appears that the Bal islands have
an area something like three aud one
half times that of our own state, quite
nearly approaching Japan in territorial
extent and that they are favored by
climate, fertility of soil and the natural
resources far beyond most portions of
the earth OF the seven or eight million
inhabitants, about so per cent are
Christian Catholic and 20 per cent are
able to both read and write. They are
a bright, keen people and, 30 far as
mental capacity is concerned, are in
many ways fitted for a measure of self
government, but the day when autonomy
may be granted them must be long de-
ferred from the fact that they have, in
stead of common language, more than
go different dialects. Mr.. Cairns ex-
planned carefully the relations existing
between the United States and the Phil
pines as to education, commerce and
government and had much praise for
what we have thus far accomplished
and what it seems certain we shall De
able to perform.
In speaking of the educational system
Mr. Cairns had occasion to mention, as
one of the most prominent and useful
of the many American instructors in the
Islands. the Rev. Prescott r Jernigan
whom many Maine people will readily
recall in connection with the famous
gold from sea-water swindle' of about
1898. 1t will be remembered that Jerni.
gan established plant at Lubec, Me ,
where he claimed to extract gold from
the waters of the ocean and 30 far con-
yinced the people of the United States
of The genuineness of his claim that they
invested large sums in the stock of his
company At moment oppOrtuEe for
him he fled the country and it seems,
after wandering about Europe for a
time, turned up in the military service
in the Philippines. On his discharge
from the service be became teacher in
the schools ana is now at the head OF
the normal institutions of instruction
and one of the most respected and eff
| fcient educators in the Islands We
/ hope that none of our readers were
numbered among the many who were
vctimized by Jernigan in his gold ex-
tracing enterprise, but il is of interest
to hear of his whereabouts and to learn
from Mr.. Cairns that he is evidently
trying to live a useful life in our far
away possessions
The social features of the evening