Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-10
SCENES IN TACL0BAN
Now the Rainy Season in the
Philippines.
ONL Y MUD AND SLIME SEEN
Activity in the Hemp-Growing Dis
trict.
PERSECUTION OF MISSIONARIES
DIR. Graham Complains of the Atti-
tude of the Municipal officials.
Filipino Bellies at Dance.
PERSECUTION OF MISSIONARIES
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

day The forty-day record that our late
friend Skipper Noah established stands
fair chance of being broken: nothing but
mud and slime as far as the eye can
reach, and the razor-bac ked hogs and car
abaos wallow to their hearts delight. To
them it is a veritable promised land. but
to the average American forced to exist
upon the Island of Leyte it is we'll nigh
uncomfortable and sometimes it seems
when We retire that we would run amuck
or go Baresek if the usual sloppy streets
and horizontal rain presented themselves
to our vision upon rising in the morning.
From our window / can now see fam
lily of five native children and mother, the
former clothed in the style prevalent be-
fore the tasting of the forbidden fruit in
the Garden of Eden, splashing contented-
ly in the puddles. while the mother wears
an undershrt that reminds me of an ad-
vertisement frequently seen In the mag
azines entitled My mamma does not use
Wool Soap" These abbreviated under
shirts are all the rage In Tacloban during
the rainy season and present truly chic
appearance. To heighten the general eff
feet and add to our dream of roseate and
unalloyed bliss We have the indescrlbable
odors of a Filipino fish market located
about twenty feet from our front door,
while the bowls of an imprisoned pup In
the neighborhood and the shriekS of a
broken-down monograph well nigh add
the last straw to our already wobbly load.
1t has been a matter of considerable dis
appointment to us that we have had such
difficulty in obtaining chickens and eggs
in the provinces. When we left Manila
we were assured that domestic fowl of all
kinds would be most plentiful and that
eggs could be obtained for song. but
this song has developed into grand opera
and 1t is absolutely impossible to get
chickens except from boat that comes
here twice month from Cebu. The last
visit of this boat l purchased a dozen
chickens for six pesos and put them I'M
der the casa. We killed and ate two that
day for dinner, but the following morn
ing we found upon investigation that
three had died during the night and the
remainder had escaped and were at large
in the neighborhood to the unutterable de-
light of the inhabitants Of the neighbOr-
ing Filipino friends who evidently dined
sumptuously on our fowl that day as
they disappeared off the face Of the earth,
not feather remaining to tell the tale.
We are now specializing to whether the
three that died had bubonic plague or
plain cholera. also as to whether the two
we killed and ate would have died a nat
ural death had we waited twenty-four
hours later. AS it was they cost me $50
gold apiece-quite luxury for pay
masters clerk.
The Hemp Industry.
We are right in the heart Of the hemp
growing district and tons of abaca are
shipped out on Manila steamers every
week. Americans here who invested small
sums in hemp land soon after the Ameri-
can occupation are rapidly becoming
wealthy. William Powell. an ex-member
of the Beth Volunteer Infantry. put his
discharge money, amounting rs about
$500. into land and began to cultivate
hemp, and now he employs hundreds of
natives and has yearly income Of at
least $4,000 from hemp alone, besides
having many other financial interests in
ed and hung up to bleach and dry re-
sembles nothing much as the peroxide
wig of some stately blonde. although it is
much more beautifully tinted than any
artificial color could make 1t. The term
Manila rope is apt to be misleading, as
no hemp is grown near Manila, although
the city is, OF course, the shipping CEN
ter. What makes the cultivation of hemp
more alurng is the cheapness of native
labor. as plenty of cargadores can be hired
at the rate of Is centavos az cents gold
per day and their meals, which consist
entirely of rice and stale fish. while the
carabao carts furnish an equally cheap
means OF transportation to the nearest
seaport. No one who has not looked over
the ground in the Island of Leyte and in
Davao can realize the golden opportuni-
ties for the investment Of capital with an
almost certainty Of realizing enormous
profits.
Opposition to Protestants.
The attempts of the Protestant mission
aries in these islands and in Cebu to es-
tablish missions are meeting with strong
ly organized resistance. No matter how
lost to every good impulse may be the
Filipino. he is a devout Catholic and re-
sents the attempted introduction of any
creed In a forcible manner
| Work was begun Sanfander several
months ago by Rev. Ricardo Alonzo, an
ordained Presbyterian minister, at the
| request of 1S5 residents of the barrios. A
| chapel was dedicated December -. The
minister. with about fifty people from
Oslob, which included women and chill
dren. went to Santander. After the cere-
mony of dedication was over, while the
visitors were eating in the houses of
friends, they were attacked by an armed
mob of 800 headed by the priest and a
conceal who were armed with revolvers
and who shouted XIII the Protestants.''
All the Protestants fled toward Oslob. but
one of them was killed. being frightfuly
cut In the neck. abdomen and thigh with
a bolo. Six of the Protestant houses were
robbed and smashed with stones. Two
children of the party are still missing. On
reaching Oslob the party telegraphed to
DR.. Graham chief of the Cebu mission
aries. He saw the governor and the cap
tain Of the constabulary. who acted with
promptness. and sailed Immediately for
Santander, reaching there on the 18th.
AS result of the investigation, the
priest, a Spanish friar. who was out on
bail at the time. charged with shooting
at woman three weeks before. three
concejales and the two assassns were
arrested and Jailed in Cebu
Police protection had been requested
from the municipal presidente of Osob
and refused. the refusal being in writing
After the riot police were sent from
Oslob to Santander. They met many
fleeing Protestants. all Of whom were I'M
armed. At Santander they collected about
fifty bolos, lances and daggers from the
priests party. The life of Rev. AlonZo
has many times been threatened. and the
assailants were seeking to kill him in
particular
Dr. Graham states that the provincial
authorities have been prompt and ener-
getic In their treatment of the case. but
In answer, to a communication that i
sent to him asking for some Of the par
lticulars he states:
Long Series Of Prosecutions.
This is the worst of a long series of
prosecutions under the American flag.
Among the minor prosecutions during the
year have been the following: Our evan
gelist at Badian was struck by the presi-
denies and put In Jail for preaching the
gospel without a warrant from the JUS
tice of the peace: one of our members
was illegally imprisoned for twenty-four
days at Alonguinsan by order of the