Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-04
AMERICA i'm THE PHILIPPINES
IV-THE PHILIPPINE PEOPLES
By Frederic L HaSkin

PEOPLE and give them equal rights.
Nowadays the most primitive of the
Filipinos are, as a whole American
stas," while there are many members
of the old aristocraoy inclined in the
other direction. In Manila, where
mixed blood and political aspirations
fire the veins and the energies OF a
large majority of the upper class, one
hears that the Americans are disltked.
In the provinces, where even the fanat-
ical pulajanes respected the lives OF
American school teachers during the
period of outlaWry after the insurrec-
ton, one hears another story.
Aside from the Spanish speaking
Tagalogs of Manila and the contiguous
territory, there are seven Christian
tribes, the Biools, the Cagayans, the
Iocanos, the Pampangans, the Pan
gasinans, the Nisayans and the Fam
balans. The Igorotes and the Moros
are the most widely known non-Chris-
tian tribes in America. At Baguio one
may still hear the familiar song, Meet
Me at St Louis, Louis" sung by an
IEorote Who dined on dog in the
Philippine section at the big fair. The
Igorotes are for the most part sun
savages, but they are not altogether
benghted.
The Igorotes live in the hills, have
feuds with one another and worship
demons, but as intensive agriculturists
they are perhaps the equals of any
people on earth. The Igorote rice ter
races which enable large population
to subsist by agriculture in limited
area in the rugged heart of Lu2on'
are probably rightly called the largest
industrial work ever accomplished by
savages Their methods of cultivation
and scientific fertilzing are ahead or
those of most civilized countries. The
irrigated terraces. sometimes running
up the sides of precipitous canyons to
a height of 1000 or 5000 feet, and some
times encircling mountains to thelr
very SUBMITS. are more remarkable as
hydraulic engineering feats than the
rice terraces of Japan.
The theory of ethnologists is that the
Igorotes were the first Malay invaders
i'm IuZon that they were subsequently
driven to the interior by other Malay
invaders, and that in a mountainous
country and a cool climate they de-
veloped into the rugged race OF sayages
thev are today. Commissioner Dean
c. Worcester who has won the contl-
dence of the wild people, has caused
head hunting to cease In the Igorote
country He has introduced the great
American game Of baseball as recre-
alton in which the warriors work OFT
steam. Their fine physiques and good
/ q
and fighters make them first rate
baU players, and the time may come
when a team will be sent to America
to compete with white players or
Carlisle Indians.
Commissioner Worcester recently in
yited a bevy of Ifugas chieftains to
visit him I'm Manila. None of them had
ever seen city. and some OF them
had never seen a white man before
"Chief Worcester came among them,
but they displayed the most pertect
composure when they were whisked
through crowded streets in a motor
car. As guests in Mr.. Worcester's
handsome home they were entirely at
ease, The only embarrassment came
when a well intended gift of a woolen
shirt was made to each of the distin-
Cuished visitors. 1t is cool and often
cold in the hin country but rather
warm in Manila. Each chieftain put
on his shirt to express his gratitude
| Soon each was perspiring IN TlVuiets,
Finally one who could stand 1t no
longer "shucked" his garment, despite
the fact that women were present In
the drawing room. The others fol-
lowed suit at once and all looked the
relief they felt
The wild Moros who formerly made
jewelry out Of all the coins that came
vanced that they are attending mar
llets maintained entirely by their own
people. and slavery and other abuses
are being gradually stamped out
among them. There are more than
eighty separate non-Christian tribes,
most of whom formerly plundered one
another. fought bloody wars, stole
girls. traded in slaves and regarded the
white man as their natural enemy. All
of these tribes are now being studied
ethnologically and sociologicaliy. with
view to improving their condition lt
is hoped in time to make them part
Of the Fnglish-speaking Philippine ma
tion. The undertaking is ambitious,
but in view of the response Of the Wild
tribes to efforts now being made, not
necessarily impossible of achievement.
Tomorrow: America in the Philippines
V-Passing of Brlgandage