The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-02-08
F|L|P|NOs ARE
WELL GOVERNED

Chas. Wilson, author and Journalist,
a traveller in many lands and among
wild races, came in by the s. s. ST.
IBERIA, and intends to remain in Homo
lulu for some time. Mr.. Wilson passed
through Honolulu in 1873, thirty-four
years ago. spending three weeks here,
and finds the city SO changed that he
scarcely recognizes It, At that time
construction was just beginning on
King Kalakauas palace, and many of
the houses were grass. The transfor-
nation is SO great that he finds moth
ing that is characteristic of the old
days. He is going to go to Kilauea
and expects that magnificent volcano
Will have outlived the changes of time.
The great changes here he attributes to
the American genius for colonization.
Expanding on this theme Mr.. Wilson
adduced the Philippines as an exam
pie. He has just spent year in that
place getting material for book which
he has now published. and he came into
contact with high and low, and investi-
gated conditions there in every branch
of industrial and social development.
Out of his observations there and in
India, South Africa and other British
| colonies, he has formed the conclusion
that the Americans are far superior to
others In their colonizing ability. From
being one of the worst pest-holes In
the Pacific, Manila has become one of
the most cleanly, and best managed
cities of the tropics. In five years they
have accomplished more than Europ-
cans under similar conditions have ever
| done elsewhere in twenty-five. Ninety
per cent of Filipino children are now
receiving changed conditions under
American rule. In India on the con-
| trary, not ten per cent of the native
children are receiving a European edu-
| cation. 1t needs money there for a
| child to be put through school, and
the very poor grow up in ignorance.
1t is the same in all departments, and
the reason may be sought in the fact
that all the British positions of any
prominence in these countries are held
by old men, whereas in the Philippines,
young men of energy and conspicuous
| ability are chosen, three Of them being
| below 80. They are not hampered by
traditional methods of government, and
| can meet conditions as they arise forci-
bly, and effectively without thought of
They found debased system of COIN
age, but now their system is model
one. Under a vigorous administration
political conditions are settling, and
beyond doubt the Industrial future of
the Philippines will bulk large in the
commercial history of nations.
THE Filipino is a hospitable, gener- \
GUS and fine-looking specimen of hui
manity. If he likes you. like the ma
tive Hawaiian, he cannot do too much
for you. and I will always have pleas
ant recollections of my stay among
them.
II am not the only one who thinks
SO highly of the American success in
the Philippines. I remember at ban
quet in Singapore, noted Englishman
made similar statement, and followed
1t up by saying that Americas great
ness in all lines lies in its splendid edu-
cational system. particularly in it's
public schools in which it excels all
other nations in their accessibility to
the masses. The fact that in the Phil
ippines all or nearly all of the grow
ing children can speak English, will be
an immense asset to help out American
administration there"
Mr.. Wilson has been through both
Boer wars, and has Travelled through
China in perilous times and tells many
stories of the barbarity of the Chinese
in their customs and domestic rela-
ming bare-footed on the snow and ice.
But what appalled, him more than any
thing else was the heartlessness of the
people. A mother would let her child
tions. He was right up to the northern
boundary of China, and he says that
Mr. Thwing's report of the state of
affairs Is not in the least overdrawn.
Northern China is one of the coolest
places in the world, getting the winds
that sweep south from the vast tundras
of Siberia. He has seen children run
sob and moan all day rather than un-
bind its feet, and alleviate its suffer-
ing. The mother had the perpetual
duty of unbinding the feet every few
days, and cutting away the dead flesh.
A reform movement Is under way, but
as yet it has not gained appreciable
headway.
China is a very wealthy country,
and has many vastly wealthy citizens,
but the great masses of the country
are in a more destitute condition than
anywhere else in the world. The ad-
methods are worse than
those of the most debased savage tribes
in their fiendish ferocity and devilish
For instance, those who
have secured the dislike Of the powers
that be are fortunate If they receive a
swift and painless death by rifle ball,
bayonet or rope. They are much more
likely to be buried up to their necks
in the ground, and left to die by star
vation and slow strangulation.
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