The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-17
FILIPIN0S UNDERMINING.
People Are Adopting Western Methods
of Life and Progress.

The London Commercial Intelligence
publishes the following interesting article
concerning the modern tendencies in the
Philippines and the market it creates for
occidental manufactures. 1t was written
by Raymond e. Mason, late editor of the
Manila Times
From the moment that Admlra Dewey,
at the outbreak of the Spanish-American
War, shot his way into Manila Hlrbor
the destinies of some eleven millions of
hardy little brown Filipinos began to
change, and today they have money to
spend. Formerly they led an indolent ex-
istence; did no work save that which was
absolutely essential for the winning Of
their daily bread. Today there exists a
new race of %t1lipinos, and 1t is just as
we'll Ia speaking IN a practical article of
the changes which have been wrought IN
the past decade to reverse the order mem
tiored above and to start with music.
There is a market IN the islands for all low
and medium-priced wind Instruments, for
pianos, and for talking machines. Always
a music-loving people, the Fflipinos have,
no matter what their rib connections,
maintained in every little town from the
northernmost part Of Luzon to the tropIc
south coast of Mindanao a local band
which plays always in the plaza-that in
eyitable part of all native towns-on Sas-
urday evenings and fiesta days, and II
the equally inevitable cathedral on Sun
days.
The writer, only a few weeks ago. list en-
ed to a performance by the Paranaque
Band at Cavite, formerly the Spanish
naval base, that a Godfrey or a Sousa
could find little fault with. And their in
struments. each showing its Furnished
newneSs, came from Germany. OF the
hundreds of other orchestras now endeav-
oring by all sorts OF means to raise suf-
ficient funds TO equip themselves, some
have already contracted with American
f~irms-which are not, by the way, directly
represented in Manila, as the Germans
are-but Ii will be years before the last
order Is placed. The American tariff has
not. therefore, disturbed to any great eX-
tent this branch of German enterprise.
Slowly but surely, as the Japanese have
done, the FIlipinos are adopting European
dress. For one thing they are-even the
lowest class-beginning to wear hats end
shoes on sundays. and there are thousands
who follow the practise all the week. AS
yet the native neck has not become ac-
customed to the stiff collar, and the Fill
pino dandy on the Escolta or the Luneta
contents himself with a shirt of the ten
mis- order, but insists always on a bowler
hat. The Filipino ladies OF the upper class
have always dressed we'll, but to the ma
tive pima cloth they are now adding near
ly every textile that London itself knows,
and a very ~well-known Manchester firm
which was established in Manila before
the WAL does more business in its drapery
department than 1t formerly did In all
branches. 1t should be said, however, that
his change In fashion applies as yet only
to the large cities, and that the country
Is only partially affected, hut orders from
the other provinces and from the southern
islands this year not in~frequently include
reasonably up-to-date bridal costumes.
and with the latter a sewing machine Is
invariably requisitioned. Nowadays, too.
the bride takes a toothbrush with her on
her honeymoon, but 1t will take at least
a generation to induce even a minority
OF the population to give up the chewing
of betel root.
The manufacture of beer In Manila is
a monopoly enjoyed by n Spanish ON
pany-one of the few which remain-and
It has eleven years more to rum. but Aus
tralla's wine bill Is growing by leaps and
bounds, and 1t may be mentioned in pass
Ing, too, that our great commemorative
resources have changed altogether the
Filipino diet. Formerly the native asc
rice and mummihed fish for every neal
keeping his poultry to fight Without now,
thrnks to the nearness of Sydney, his
menu may include beef, mutton, rabbit
and vegetables of all sorts. Fruit he has
always had, and always Will have, III
plenty.
The Filipino has never handled any other
tool than a bolo, with which he builds
houses and constructs irrigation pla ITS
of a sort on his paddy fields. Now ne
begins to understand the use Of hammer
and nails. of saws and of the ADJ. In the
recent extension of the acknowledgement
Railway, in the erection of the splendid
350-ton ~ice-making and refrigerating
plant in Manila. In the putting up of
schoolhouses and tarracks all over this
island, and In a thousand and one other
ways he has helped not only to improve
the general appearance of the country,
but to learn something of a white mans
taste for proper sanitation and good quar-
antine conditions.
Upon machinery he yet looks with awe,
but he has learned to set type, and one,
some time back. turned a patent FIRE ex-
tinguisher onto a blaze which broke out
in an old mansion in the Gale Cabildo,
Intramuros. So 1t Is easy to see that they
are coming on. and. if space permitted,
one could quote many incidents to show
how this great mass of people. so sudden
" lifted out Of obscurity. are shortly to
become a factor IN the worlds industrial