El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-11-09

tribes during the last 10 years is moth
ing short Of astonishing Practically
all parts of the great mountain pro
vince. where there was hardly so mucn
as a practicable trail, has been opened
up by roads. This alone has enabled
the tribes to get acquainted with one
feuds No longer is head-hunung
popular form of amusement The scat
tered villages are not constantly AT
war, each with its near nelghDors- me
women and children are able to Work
peacefully in the rice fields, unSuarded
as of old by the men and boys WdJcn-
ing from the heights for always pos
sible raiding parties armed with lance
and head-axe.
Physically Superior.
The wild people are not only one of
the finest races in the world, physical
" speaking-they average a mead
taller than the relatively feeble TaSalS
but they are exceedingly bright ana
clever. What ever the Americans have
had to teach them they have picked up
with utmost rapidity- But it must be
remembered that they are SayageS
still The progress of thousands or
years cannot be compressed into
decade or q generation
The chief thing the Americans have
done for them is to teach them indus
Try. They have learned to make roads
and bridges, to build modern houses OF
brick and stone, and to practice va
riety of handiCrafts from carpentry to
weaving All very valuable, but the
uplift cannot go on unless the agencies
which have brought it about continue
in control The wild people, IN other
words, are not yet IN a position 10
take care of themselves and to attend
to the business of extending and pro-
noting their own civilization II the
Americans depart, they viii drop PACK,
and all that has been gained Will be
lost.
These helpless folks have become the
wards of the United states govern
err.~m H..
This is the real question which con-
gross has to consider The matter of
independence for the Tagals is rela-
lively unimportant from an ethical or
any other standpoint What the Tagals
would call freedom for their country
meaning thereby u release from con-
troll by the United States-means
slavery and even worse things for half
q million wild people on the Island OF
LuZOn.
The attitude Of the TagaIs toward
the nonchristian tribes is what We
should regard as very odd and peculiar
They have shown from the first a
strong resentment Of our disposition TO
interfere in behalf of the wild people.
They cannot understand the interest
we take IN them, and they nave not
the slightest sympathy with the hui
name mOcives by which we are actu-
ated- From their point of view, the
abOrigines OF LuZOn possess no rights
that anybody is bound to respect The.
mere fact that they are not Christians
places them outside the pale To rob,
maltreat or even Kill them is no
crime
Americans stop Unfair Treatment.
The Americans put q stop to all this
sort of thing Today the people OF
Bu1idnOn enjoy happiness and pros
perity. Their villages. which were
filthy and insanitary. have been made
clean and healthful- They are govern
ing their own settlements, and are
doing it well. Their houses are neat
and well kept: their fields and yards
well fenced and planted with useful
crops. Their streets and plaZaS are
well drained They get good prices for
what they have to sell Excellent trails
connect the more important towns,
and they have local and interurban
telephones
How long will it take the TaSals,
once they have q free hand. to do away
with all this2 And we shall be help
less TO interfere Woe to the heather