The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-03-04
the States, have oualif;ed - ;n.+r,,c+or.

the states, have qualified as instructors.
Americans have taught them how to
raise crops OF value, build better houses,
gooo roads, given them much employ
ment at fair wages, so they can afford to
i've better, eat better: and education
was placed freely before them, for which
al young Filipinos without exception
sho" an eagerness. These poor people
were kept under the heel of their Spanish
masters for nearly four centuries. worked
as slaves, receiving never more than 20
cents day for hardest labor, and more
o1ten much less, the younger population
drafted into service as house servants
with little or no pay, sometimes merely
the pittance Of rice and fish they receiv-
ed TO eat, with kicks and cuffs in plenty.
They We're not allowed any education
In fact, it was not desired thew should
know anything which might tend to raise
them up out of the slough of slavery. 1t
sometimes seems to me not so much of
wonder that they are so primitive, back
'>>A>- "A'N iSoAoi ait people.
OF course there is a class of wealthy
and educated Filipinos, though compare
lively small in numbers. A few of the
leading families mingle freely with the
Americans, but most of them form cir
Gle OF their own. They are practically
all 'mestizos. y There has been through
many generations intermarrying with
foreigners, especially the Spaniards, I'M
til the ''mestizo" is present in infinite
variety. The women of the rich Gin
estizo' class in Manila form charming
and cultivated society They live luxu-
riously and entertain on an extravagant
scale. They speak a number of Ian
guages fiuently, and are greatly devoted
to music, going continually to the Italian
opera during its season in the city, and
having a good many musicales of their
own, 1t being the ambition Of many to
have their children take course of |
voice culture in Paris, so there are nu-
merous fine musicians among this class. /
have stood for full hour under the /
open window with it's iron-barred case
ment, of some house in the "walled city,
and listened spellbound to the truly Won
derful voices as they received and prac-
ticed their daily lesson. The average |
American woman does not meet these |
Filipino society women at all. We see
them in their beautiful carriages with |
coachman and footman in livery. the
footman being tiny boy of perhaps ten
or dozen years, who stands very |
straight beside the carriage and looks
ridiculously important in his high cock
AIDED hat and trim red and gold uniform. |
We also see these society beauties
(and some of the English and Spanish |
ever saw at the theatre, or occasional |
ly in the shops; that is all. Filipino
women of other classes, however, are very
much in evidence, as it is they who
wholly conduct the retail business; they
and the Cinnamon There are districts
with miles of little boX-like ''tiendas"
managed wholly by the women, where
all their dainty embroideries and native
cloths are to be found.
The women of the Philippines have
position which is enjoyed by the women
of no other Oriental race They can buy,
sell and hold property, and beqeath it as
they like. This gives them a position
and an independence unique among ORR
entail women
VESTA DAVIS HIGGINS.