University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-11-12
FILIPINOS DON'T ''PLAY HOCKEY"
Nor Do Pupils Across the Pacific Misbehave
in Class-Due Not to High Morals,
But to Lack of Energy

ly ciamoring for self-government and
even the factions in a town are apt |
to decide they want to withdraw and
have town government of their own. |
The Filipino is very ambitious fel- |
low; he Graves power because he
thinks it will make him popular. He
is not a successful politician, how
ever, for he cannot stand defeat. If
he does not have his way his first
thought is to go off and start revO-
luton, and to set up government
of his own where he can run things.
The Filipinos can really be divided
| into two main classes: the younger
ones who have become to some eX-
tent Americanized through the ad-
vantages of American education, and
the older inhabitants who still retain
to a great extent their former ideas
and customs. 1t has often been said
that you can't teach an old dog new
tricks and this statement is well
proved in the case of the Filipinos.
1t will take many years of American
discipline before the Filipinos as a
nation are ready for self government.
The population of the islands is
found almost entirely in the towns.
The unsettled condition of which ex-
listed prior to American occupation
brought about this condition by caus-
ing the people to congregate for the
purposes of protection.
The condition of affairs in the is
lands at the present time is generally
misunderstood by the foreigner who
goes to the Philippines for the first
time. Usually he lives in constant
fear Of being eaten by cannibals OF
cut to pieces by outlaws or insur-
rectionists. Mr.. Weaver related an
incident of his own experience while
visiting the Philippines for the first
time:
"NIy first work in the Philippines"
he said, was as a teacher in the
high school at MalOlos, which was
Aguinaldo's old capitol during the in
surrection The American pOpula-
ton was living on the outskirts of
the city. but as | wanted to be near
my work l bought a bamboo house
in the central part of town among
the natives.
1.-TWO years before my coming to this
town had been terrOriZed by band
of ladrones (native robbers) who had
fought the American constabulary To-
Gated there, and captured the garri
son. The band was led by religious
fanatic, a notorious outlaw who had
his rendezvous in the mountains. The
story was related to me soon after
my arrival in the town and of course
made quite an impression on my
mind. A few days after l had heard
this story the news came to town that
the ladrones had waylaid an Ameri
can in the next province and cut him
to pieces. This was followed by
series of robberies in town.
"One night shortly after the latest
of these robberies, l was sitting in
my room reading: it was October 81,
All Saints night in the Philippines.
On this night it is a custom among
the young folks to go out serenading.
/ had let my cook, native boy, go
home and was alone for the night.
Suddenly / heard a noise outside and
stepped to the window to look out
AS | did so | saw a number of natives
duck their heads and disappear un-
der the house, for the Filipino bam-
boo houses are built two stories high,
of which the family occupies the up
per, the basement being used only as
a store room.
"My first thought was that they
were ladrones. My relief can be i'm
agined when I moment later 1 heard
the sound OF voices singing the we'll
known GLORY" song, and 1 knew it
to be party of my pupils serenad-
ing me-"
The climate of the country is ener-
waiting and the Filipinos are inclined
to be lazy. Even the American loses
his energy when he goes to the Phil
ippines and becomes Ianguid and list
less. The warmth of the sun is al
most unbearable and cannot be con-
: ceived of by one who has never ex-
perienced the tropical sun. The tenn
, perature does not vary five degrees
, during the year. The government
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