Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-07-18
PROGRESS OF THE FILIPINOS,
Modern Tendencies Are Rapidly
Developing.
The Once Indolcnt Little Brown Men
Now Have Money to spend--SIowIy
the Natives Are Adopting Eu-
EOpeRn Dress.

BY way OF Europe tho state depart
mont learns that the Filplnos are de-
veloping modern tendencies and that as
result there is a growing market for
occidental manufactures. An English
resident OF the archipelago while on a
visit to London gave the following nc
count OF the change that has come over
the Fillipinos since the American occ,i-
patton:
From the moment that Admiral
Dewey" says this authority. Eat the
outbreak of the Spanish War. shot his
way into Manila harbor the destinies of
some eleven millions of hardy little
brown Fillipinos began to change, and
today they have money 10 spend For
merly they led an indoent existence; did
no work save that which was absolutely
essential for the winning of their daily
bread. Today there exists a new race Of
FiIipinos, and it Is just as we'll in spoak-
ing In practical article Of the changes
which have been wrought in the past de-
cade to reverse the order mentioned
above and 70 start with music. There Is
market in the island for all low
and medlum-pric wind Instruments, for
pianos and for talking machines Always
a music-lovinr people, the Flipinos have
no matter what their tribal connections
maintained in every town from the north
ernmost part OF Luzon, to the tropic
south coast Of Mindanao. n local band
which PLAYS always In the plaza-that in
evitahle part of all native towns-on Sat
| urday evenings and fiesta days. and in
the equally inevitable cathedral on sun
| DAYS.
"Onlv a few weeks ago 7 listened to a
| performance by the Paranaous band az
Ch"ite. formerly the Spanish naval base,
that Godfrey or n Sousa could find 1T
| tie fault with. And their Instruments.
each showing its FURNISHED ncwness
came from Germany. OF the hundreds Of
| other orchcstras now endca voring by all
| sorts Of means TO raise sufficient to equip
| themselves som" have already contract
| ed with American firms-w which are not.
| by the way, directly represented IN
Manila, as the Germans are-hut T. will
be years before the last order is placed.
| Tho American tariff has not. therefore.
disturbed to any great extent this branch
of German enterprise.
| Slowly but surely. as tho Japanese
have done. the Filpinos arc adopting
| European dress. For one thing they are.
even the lowest class beginning to wear
| hats and shoes on Sunday. and +bera arc
| thousands who follow tho nractice ~,
| the week As vet the native mech, has no,
| been accustomed TO the stir COLLAR and
| Filipino dandy on the Escolta or the
Iuneta contents himself with shirt n,
the tennis order. but insists always on a
bowler hat. Tho Filipino ladies' OF the
| upper class have ALWAYS dressed veu
| but to the native nina cloth thev arc adj.
ding nearly every textile that london y.
self knows, and n very well-known Man.
chester firm which was established ir
Manila before the war docs moro business
in its drapery department than # former.
~ did In all it's branches. II should he
| said. however. that this change in fash.
| ION applies only to the arpe cities. and
that the country IS only partially affect.
ed. but orders from the other provinces
and from the Southern Islands this vca,
not infrequently include reasonably up-
to-data bridal costumes and with the
latter a sewing machine is invariably re.
quisttioned. Nowadays. too. tho birds
takes a toothbrush with her on he,
honeymoon. bur II will take at least q
generation TO induce even a minority nj
the population to give up the chewing OF
| hctel root
s'Tho manufacture Of beer in Manila IS
n monopoly enjoyed by a Spanish com.
pany-one Of the few which rcuain-art
Il has eleven years more To run. b,t
Australians wine bill is growing by leans
and bounds. and II NAV he mentioned IF
passing. too. that our great common
weal,h's resources hav. rnanceh alto.
gether the Filinino diet Formerly IN.
native ate rice md mun,ifled fish 70,
every meaI-koeping his poultrv To fight
Without now, thanks to tho nearnos,
of sydney. his menu nav include baos
mutton and Vegetables of all sorts. Fruit