The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-08

Inc t1llplno dress 10 qulte ike tnaV "oih
in Europe and America; among the edu-
Gated men it is identical. The men OF the
middle class wear a shirt OF gauEy material
outside the trousers.
The women wear q dress skirt with a
long, narrow train and a low necked, wide
sleeved waist, just pronounced hoosee) or
nina Cpeenya) cloth. Akerchief OF the same
material folded about the neck completes
the toilet. All the thin fabrics worn by the
women are manufactured on hand looms
kept in the homes.
Iloilo Is the centre OF the just cloth manu-
~facture, of which we saw many beautiful
samples during our tour Of the islands
The pima cloth is made from the fibre OF a
leaf resembling that Of the pineapple.
In the province Of Balacan q fine quality
Of silk is made on hand looms the weav-
ing Of fabrics being an accomplishment in
which the women take pride. There is a
ooarssr cloth made Of hemp, which Is used
for ordinary wear, and this also is produced
in the home and sold oil market days.
Mr.. BRYAN's PHILIPPINE OBSERVATIONS.
Such conflicting reports have reached
the United States regarding the Filipino
people that l was anxious to study them for
myself, and I feel that I am prepared to
express an intelligent opinion upon the
subject.
l have seen representatives Of all occu-
pations in all parts Of the islands, in the
cities and in the country. nave conversed
with students and professional men, visited
the markets where the rank and file meet
and exchange their products, watched the
farmers at WORK in the fields and the labor
ers in the city and made inquiries OF both
Americans and natives.
The Filipinos are a branch OF the Malay
race, but there is such a strong resemblance
between some Of the individual Fihpinos
and the Japanese az to suggest the posi-
bility Of a mixing OF bloods, If not a COM
mon origin. At Hongkong / visited a
Filipino of prominence, and the young
lady who admitted me so reeembled the
Japanese that I was surprised to learn that
she was the daughter Of my host. A few
hours later / noticed a young man attend
ing to some business in q shipping Office
and supposed him to be q Japanese, but
found that he also was O full blooded Fill
Pine.
The Filipinos are a little darker h the
Japanese, and may average a little taller,
but / AVE constantly been reminded OF
the Land Of the Rising Sun during my stay
here.
FILIPINO LABoR.
It is frequently said in dispara cement OF
the Filipinos that they will not work, but
this is answered conclusively by a patent
and ever present fact, namely, that they
produce their own food. make their own
clothes, build their own homes, and in other
WAYS supply their needs,
They have not the physical strength OF
the average American, nor have they the
experience in machine labor or in the or
ganization Of work, but they will do more
physical labor than a white man can per-
form in this climate, and they have shown
themselves capable Of doing the finer kinds
OF work when instructed.
They are also capable Of successful CO.
operative effort when under efficient guild
n One Of the commission informed
me that the street car system lately in
augurated in Manila was put in at a labor
cost 40 per cent. below the estimate, the
work being done by Filipino laborers under
an American contractor.
This Is certainly an excellent showing.
The operating force is composed OF Fihpinos
and the cars are run very successfully.
The superintendent OF the railroad from
Manila to Dagupan, an Englishman, speaks
very highly Of the Filipinos employed on
the road. He says that he uses natives
entirely for the train service, and that he
has not had an accident on the road during
the thirteen years of its operation.
A large company Of men were unloading
stone and gravel from harges near our
hotel, and they we're as industrious and as
cheerful a lot OF workmen as n could
wish to see, They carried the material
in baskets and accomplished more, as far
as / could judge. than the coolies whom
saw at similar work in China.
The Filipino demands better treatment
than tina accorded to the ooolie, but when
employed by those who understand him
and show him proper consideration he is
both competent and faithful.
sKILFUL NATIVE X
In the Government printing Office nearly
nine-tenths OF the employees are natives
land the proportion is increasingly and Mr..
Leeoh, the public printer, informed me
that they readily learned the work and
we're able to run the type setting machines
and presses, do the book binding and stereo-
typing and other skilled work connected
WIN tne OIlOo'
The newspaper offices Of the city also
employ native labor, and | need not remind
nv readers that the memhers Of the various
typographical unions Of the United States
are among the most intelligent Of our skilled
laborers. We visited the largest tobacco
factory in Manila, the Germinal, and found
between 1900 and 1900 men and women
making cigars and cigarettes by hand and
by machine. There are several smaller
factories and all are operated by native
labor.
One OF the leading furniture manufacture
ers Of Manila Is authority for the statement
that in wood carving the Filipino 1901 be-
comes the equal Of the Japanese artisan.
The Philippine Islands are so near the
equator that the heat of the sun during the
middle Of the day and the almost twelve
months Of summer must be taken into cor
sideration. When due allowance is made
for climatic conditions and for the fact
that the inhabitant Of the tropics lacks the
spur OF necessity which ever urges on the
dweller In higher ATTITUDES, one Is inclined
to excuse any seeming lack Of industry.
Sure 1t is that those who come here from
America and Europe do not as n rule do
enough manual labor to enable a COMPARE
SON to be drawn between them and the