The Minneapolis journal., 1906-08-15
RACESNOBBISHNESS
In THE PHILIPPINES
SAID TO BE A SOURCE OF MUCH
DISC0NTENT.
Little or No Social Intercourse Between
Native Aristocracy and the Ameri-
cans In Manila-Barrier Raised by
the American Women - Impatience
and Harshness with Servants Are
Pronounced.

Pronounced.
Mrs. Herbert Parsons in the Independent.
Race snobbishness seems to be the
source Of much of the present discon-
tent in the Philippines with American
administration. There are in Manila
| shall speak only of Manila, where L
had had Opportunities for personal observa-
ported to exist in the provinces, prob
ably less marked, however-there are
in Manila many cultivated and wealthy
Spanish or Chinese) families who live
in considerable comfort and luxury.
Their houses are large and well, altho
somewhat archaically, furnished. They
have carriages, in some cases automo-
biles, jewels and lavish wardrobes. One
or more members Of family have US
9ally travelled abroad, and perhaps lived
native aristocracy and the Americans in
Manila there is at present little or no
social intercourse, altho the natives
are devoted to social festivity.
1t is not difficult, to see at once that
this barrier is raised up by the Ameri-
cans. and, moreover, by the American
women. I met American ladies who had
never been inside Filipino house. At
Taft party which the Filipinos to any
extent attended, no resident American
women danced with Filipino partners
except in the case Of one square dance,
where the ranking American woman
present was officially bound to follow
Secretary Taft's example, he dancing
with the hostess and she with the host.
Excepting three or four school teachers
and the wife Of one American official,
housekeeping classes into the school
system, met during the week that +
was in Manila not a single American
woman who expressed an interest of
| any kind in the welfare or progress Of
the Filipinos.
Impatience with and harshness to-
ward native servants was the Ameri.
can housekeeper's usual attitude. One
| woman told me that she was so disgust
| ed with her "boys" that when they
didn It carry out her 81 orders de- : she j. threw
was an extreme case, but there is little
or no attempt TO train the much-com'
planned Of "boys' It must be &C
knowledged that the climate bears very
hard on the American woman, apparent.
| ly harder on her than on her husband OF
father. She soon loses her color and
| her energy, not to speak of her temper
the more readily, probably, because ,hel
life is so fruitless and 80 ill-adapted tc
climatic conditions. Late hours, badly
chosen food, and nothing more arduou:
than card playing do not fulfill what
seems to be necessary hygienic condi
amount of hard work or exercise, much
sleep and much nourishment. Pool
health, whatever the cause, is probably
in part responsible for the American
! woman 8 inertness in assuming the very
plain obligations that meet her in tn
Philippines; but unintelligent and sci
fish race prejudice, is only. too plainly
the underlying cause of her indifference
and neglectfulness.
The entertainment Of the Taft part,
furnishedla many illustrations Of thi
neglect of native society. 1t was state
the statement that notia single Filipin
lady was invited to meet Miss RoOse
velt or the ladies' of the party at any o
the dinners given in their honor. Som
of the bachelor members of the unoffi
cial party and "a few otof the younge
:, congressman were assigned to Fhipin
families, but even in, these cases, in tn
more or, less public discussion Of enter
tainment plans the feelings Of the Fill
pinos were outraged by the open ques
,, tioning Of their means Of entertainin
, the American visitors. One Filipin
lady who has always kept an excellen
table was told that If, she wished to e1
, tertain two members of the unofficia
party she must engage a Chinese eool
) The statement was made in one of tn
/ American newspapers that it was hope
that Miss Roosevelt would not be see
dancing with any "gug'-an Amer
can term Of contempt for the Filipino
tainments, Secretary Taft probably az
] preciated the exclusion of the native
from any. important part in it, for h
himself planned for the one native e1
tertainment given to the American vi.
b itors, the most enjoyable and the mos
/ conformable to the usages of polite 81
J. ciety, by the way, Of all the festivitie
9 This social neglect Of the Filipinos b
g the Americans is probably felt all tn
+ eontrast CONT With Il the p tone set Ds By GoSerne @ &c
n and Mrs. Taft in the past. In their da
}. the Malacanan receptions were atten'
It ed by as many natives as American
e Whereas, at the very crowded receptio
8 given at the Malacanan to the Taft pa
e ty, but handful of Filipinos were pre-
d ent, in spite of the attraction of tt
k presence Of Miss Roosevelt and of the
q greatly beloved ex-governor. Moreove
/ it was said that even the Filipinos pre-
h ent had to be especially urged to com
e The daughter Of one Of the most prom
70 nent native officials, a cultivated an
d distin guished lady, told me that und
% no circumstances would she 60 to Il
Malacanan, as she understood that 81
It was not welcome there. She add,
l. that all her friends felt in the san
It way. In pointing out the contrast
C. past and present to me, another Filipil
lie lad showed me with pride phot
II nranh takan Of hnrsalf NTH Me- IT.