The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-04
A LONG REACH.
America in The Philippines
III. EVERYDAY LIFE IN MANILA.


Manilas-The Americanixatipn of
Manila has resulted In radical changes
in the every day life of tIe people OF
the Philippine metropolis, yet the
Americans who live here have In turn
Welded much to the Spanish and
Filipino customs as well as 10 the
exactions of the climate. The Ameri-
can population of Manila is only about
5000, out Of q total of more than a
quarter of million, but their In
fIuence is manifest everywhere.
In the days Of the Spanish regime
the city reached o point where 1t was
almost as great in population ana
commerce as 1t ia now. but the condi-
lions of life were very different
There we're no sewers, no gas ana
but few electric lights. Until 1894
the streets were lighted with Gil
lamps. There was one short horsecar
line, ana the various sections Of the
city were almost out Of communication
with each other.
The Americans have constructed
sewers, have lighted ell the streets,
nave built forty-five miles of good
street car lines.- and have knitted the
various sections of the city into one.
one-f fifth Of Manila city 10 enclosed In
the ancient walls, yet to the spaniard
and the spantsh- trained Filipino only
Manila. Other sections are designated
by other names, In the Spanish days
the moat around the wall was filled
with water and ct night the draw
bridges were hauled upland the gatep
shut The Spanish famiiies preferred
to live within the walls, as they still
do, but other Europeans and the
Weather Rilipinos sought homes out
side.
five years before the Spanish
American war the total American
population Of Manila was four--a lone
quartet of American business men.
There was large American business
house there, but Its clerks were nearly
all English. The English colony was
comparatively large and Influential, as
1t Is now, and the English club was
the center OF that portion, Of social
life which was not purely Spanish.
The Manila Club. sometimes called
the English Club. continues to be the
center OF the commercial and business
life of the city, After the fashion of
the Orient, much business Is transacted
at the clubs at the lpneheon hour, and
the English Club has retained its
aseenianey from the OLD days ~.
Club life meana much more In the
Orient. than 1t does at home. The
American In the United States is OF all
men the least dependent upon club
life. II he belongs to a club 1t Is for
pleasure only and 1t Is usually looked
upon as a thing apart from his serious
interests. In the Orient, clubs are the
centers in which men Of European and
American birth gather apart from the
Asiatics among whom they live, The
club furnishes not only amusement
and social advertisement but II Is also
the engine through which the pressure
of the opinions of the white colony is
Impressed upon the ruling powers.
Coming to Manila the Americans
readily fell into the club life habit
The Army and Navy club was the
1t soon lost all resemblance TO the
ordinary army post officers club and
become an important feature In
Manila life, including officers Of the
civil government as well as of the mill
tary In its makeup.
Nowadays the civil government ts
more numerously represented at the
University Club, where everybody
gathers for the cocktail hour which
Immediately precedes dinner. Dinner
is usually served at o'clock. 80 that
the late afternoon gatherings take
place after people have had their drive,
the ride, the walk or the game OF polo
which comes as soon as the heat of
the day declines.
Younger Americans find their
recreation and social life at the Colum-
hia Club, an institution fathered by
Bishop Brent, of the Episcopal church.
There Is no cocktail hour at the Column
bia Club. for 1t 10 teetotal institu-
tion. but there Is a beautiful club
house. fine gymnasium. a swimming
pool ana other attractions of the
same order, AS q rule the club habit
in the Orient Is not calculated to make
for temperance. The combination of
good fellowship, exile from home and
the "chit" system has been known to
be the undoing of many a young man
To guard against that evil and at the
same time TO furnish the features OF
a club which are necessary. Bishop
Brent organized the Columbia Club.
The Elks. the Germans. the Spanish.
and the Filipinos also have clubs OF
their own. The Elks are building .
new home which Will be the handsom-
est club in Manila. A new club, to be
made up of Americans and Filipinos,
is being organized now 1t probably
will have a great Influence upon the
course of affairs in the Islands. as II
will bring Americans and educated
Filipinos together in a relation which
Is now unknown,
The American colony In Manila has
adopted many oriental and Spanish
customs. EVERY man mas a persona
boy" who looks out for his comfort
The boy is paid a salary of ten
pesos-five dollars-a month and In
consideration thereof he IL valet, mes
senger, body servant and general fac
totum. Everybody takes a siesta, and
Just after the midday lunch practical
ly all of Manila is asleep. Only the
American stores and shops keep open
all day. all the others are closed from
| Ia to 2 o'clock. At the lunch hour
when the streets of American cities
are always so busy. the Manila thor
ouRhfares are as quiet and deserted
- a. mere mtdpi~bh