The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-09-24
SLAVERY EXISTS
IN PHILIPPINES
-
And Is Found BY Every
Investigator.
CHILDREN SOLD into BONDAGE
By the Hill Tribes and Kept
AS Slaves Balance Of
Their Lives.
TRAFFIC. IN GIRLS Is LARGE


Washington, Sept. 2O.-Secretary
Garrison had before him to-day
Philippine slavery report by w. II.
Phipps, Auditor for the islands.
practically backing up the startling
charges of Dean Worcester. 1t cites
details of many cases of boys and
girls sold into slavery at prices rang
ing from $50 to S100 and how
heads of families sell their daugh-
ters and regard the practice as a
right.
81 have no hesitancy in saying
think the charges of Secretary Wor-
cester that slavery exists in the
Philippines are sustained" says Mr..
Phipps.
The Phipps report is based upon
investigations conducted under the
direction of the Philippine Auditor
by district auditors. II was accom-
panied by list of names of sixty
seven persons held as slaves, some
being held outright and some under
the so-called debt" system, the fall
lacy of which is shown by the fact
that some of the slaves so held are
been held by their present owners
since birth.
THE almost universal report
made to me by each person who has
been asked to investigate wrote
Mr.. Phipps. was that slavery in
some form existed to his personal
knowledge. With a number it is a
form OF peOnage, which is the most
extensive form of slavery practiced
here; with many others 1t will be
noted it is the barter and sale of hui
man beings by one person to anoth-
er, who holds such person so sold to
him in absolute subjugation. and
they perform duties and labor for
him without compensation further
than scanty clothing and in many
instances Indifferent food"
All of the district auditors who
assisted Mr.. Phipps were obliged to
promise their informants that their
names would not be made public.
The names of the officials who help
ed in the preparation of the report
also are withheld.
One investigator made this re-
port:
MY observation has been that
the largest percentage of real slav-
cry exists in those provinces ada
cent to or in part inhabited by the
hill tribes or so-called non-Christ-
ians. | myself have known of sew
eral instances where children have
been purchased from the hill tribes.
and believe a house-to-house can
vass of the servants of the well-to-
do classes of Filipinos and a proper
Inquiry into their status will show
a large number of them are actual
" owned. having been acquired by
purchase.
Some of these persons are old
men and women who have been the
of some family since child
hood. There Is "A considerable traf-
ice in girls. personally have had a
number of offers of this kind. and /
I is generally known fact that a
arge percentage of the Chinese.
Who have Filipino wives. actually
Fought them at stipulated price.
A recent instance In which | was
'mered boys and girls for the small
mount of 20 pesos. so pesos and 40
'esos. was In August of last year at
'ebu. Peonage exists in all parts
4 the islands and in many instances
mounts to slavery"
Another district auditor said he
vas reliably informed every negrito
ervant in his district was originally
They are generally bought"
'rote the investigator. when quite
oung and kept as slaves until they
ecome old enough to shift for
themselves"
The report said the eommonest
Nplanotion of the presence of the
lleged slaves In families is that the
a"en's died and the family adopted
he orphan children.