Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-03-18
HABITS OF fIuPINOS.
DR.. EDwORDS TELLS HOW THEY ARE AD-
Dictated TO SMOKING.
Enormous Size Of Their Cigars. Mealre Bill
Of Fare. Chinese Servants and Other
Interesting Facts Concerning Habits
and Customs Of Islanders.


probably the most startling thing 70
be seen in Manila. and probably in all
the surrounding country. is the size
of the cigars SMOKED by men. wome q
and children. Wherever You go you
are sure to see children Of both sex 8
smoking cigars almost as large 8
themselves. am afraid I would lie
accused of exaggeration if I were 20
say how large some of them are.
have seen little girls, not over tea
years old, smoking big, fat. black X
cigars fully q foot long Everyboc y
smokes, and as tobacco is the cheape, {
thing here the expense is never 60 :
sidered. From the inevitable cigaret Q
to these big black cigars there s
something in the mouth ali the tim.
visited one of the cigarette factor 8
yesterday and was much interested
the work. Hundreds OF boys. girls a. /
women were rolling the cigarettes 81 l
putting them in packages of thirf
The cost of these cigarettes at ret [
is 8 centavos a package, or cents {
our money, How they can ma >
thi,ty cigarettes and furnish tobas }
and paper for that money is to b :
counted for only by the cheapness E
labor. Many of these cigarei /,
makers get from 20 to ~ cents a q =
and board themselves
The board of Filipino costs i,
little that it is never taken ~ !,
calculation. Fruits and rice, W !
fish to be had for the catching. is /,
general diet. Taro. plant fir,
which sort of meal is made. gr !
everywhere, and is exceedingly CHE /,
food. But little meat j. eaten
Filipinos for it is difficult "a ger 81
very expensive in comparisons vi
other foods. Rice is the staple IL
in all these Oriental countries pts
are few vegetables because Of
labor involved in growing rtelf
Chinese gardeners supply the fo4.s
4 opuiation with what few yegetst
they have. Cabbagcs are rare
sell for 5 head. Onions are pen
full but potatoes are rarity. NJ
of the tubers grow we'll here.
such as are to be found in the ma
are brought from Japan and
United States bv steamer.
There are few milch COWS ON she
lands. and butter and cream cannns
had at any price except sucn ~ cor
from other lands Condensed milk
used by the whites. and natives a.
none at all. Owing to the elm
beef and mutton butchered here m
be used mp ar once. Some refrtg,
ated meats are brought in from A.
tralia and kept in ice houses. but
price is so high that natives never
it. The only meat the natives get
game, and they seldom GO after
Living for whites is rather -xpeD~
owing tn the fact that many tina
usually considered luxuries are nec
stiles here. Ice is very expensive
great deal more is necessary Il re fte
in the United States for il meits -
rapidly.
Servants are yearly all Chinese. !.
the natives are unreliable and
little worth. Formerly servants cea
be hired for small amounts but il .
always necessary to have grs !,
number of them in order to nave IA
thing dono. Now, the Chinese h. {,
raised prices and demand from So
$50 month, gold. but one good /,
nese servant will accomplish nle
than half a dozen FilipInaes. n
climate is hard on clothing. especia
leather shoes Your shoes Viii be
away at night clean and bright b.
next morning they will be cover.
with mildew which rots tbe leath
Nearly everyone here wears claf
shoes, and even then the leather SOL
rot away. Heavy clothing If all sol
is out OF place here. White is I
prevailing color for both mon a.
women. and most of the goods VIZ
is cotton. consequently cheap I'll
natives wear as few clothes MS the l.,
allows, and back in the inferio cl
dren run stark naked until tley a
from twelve to sixteen years old
There are but three hotels whif
give good accommodation snd At
other boarding places one fluids .i..
meager supplies of food other tI
rice and fish Native fruits ara abt
dant but foreigners will Cs weil
eat sparingiy oT rhem for many ot
tropical diseases which attack whit
come from eating too much frp
Bananas are plentiful and same'of f.
navor, hut most of the fruits ai,
strange tn the American and he ef,
OF them as ne would-of apples. reac,
and pears, and suffers from dysenter <,
and similar maladies.