The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Auditor for Islands Makes
Report to Secretary
of War
HILL TRIBES SELL
YOUNG CHILDREN
Servants in Practically Every High
Class Filipino Family Are Slaves.
Peonage Is Most Common
Form of Slavery

Washington. September 2o.-Secre-
tary Garrison had before him today a
Philippine slavery report by W. II,
Phipps, auditor for the islands. practi-
cally backing up the startling charges
of Dean Worcester
1t cites details of many cases of boys
and girls being sold into slavery at
prices ranging from $50 to 500 Heads
of savage families sell their daughters
and regard the practice as a right.
Il have no hesitancy in saying that
l think that the charges of Secretary
Worcester that slavery exists in the
Philippines are sustained" says Mr..
Phipps.
The Phipps report is based upon in
yestigations conducted under the direc-
tion of the Philippine auditor, by dis
trlct auditors. 1t was accompanied by
list Of names of 67 persons held as
slaves, some being held outright and
some under the so-called debt" sys-
tenn. the fallacy of which is shown bv
the fact that some of the slaves so held
are more than so years old and have
been held by their present owners since
birth
Slavery Almost Universal
The almost universal report made
10 me by each persef1 who has beer
asked to investigate" wrote Mr..
Phipps. was that slavery in some form.
existed to his personal knowledgei
with number 1t is form of peonage.
which is the most extensive form OF
slavery praeticed here; with many
others It VIII be noted it is the barter
ana sale OF human beings by enc per-
son to another who holds such person
so sold to him ON the absolute subjuga
ton and they perform duties and labor
Tor him without compensation further
tnail scanty clothing and in many in
stances Indifferent food
All of the district auditors who as
sisted Mr. Phipps were Obliged To
promise their informants that tho
source Of the information would not
be made public. The names of the Of
hcials who helped in the preparation OF
the report also are withheld
One INVESTIGATOR made this report:
Ny observation has. been ,hat the
exists in those provinces adjacent 10
OF IN part Inhabited by hill tribes OF
4fo-called non-Christians.
Buy Children From Hill Tribes
II myself have known of several in
stances where children have been pur-
chased from the hill tribes and believe
that house to house canvass of the
servants Of the well to do class of Fill
pinos and proper inquiry into their
status viii show that large number OF
them are actually owned. having been
ACQUIRED by purchase Some Of these
are old men and women who have been
the property of some family since
childhood
There is considerable traffic in
girls / personally NAVE had num-
her of offers of this kind and >it is a
generally known fact that large per-
ceDtage of the Chinese who have Fill
pino wives actually bought them at a
stipulated price. A recent instance IN
which ] was offered boys and girls for
the small amount of 20 pesos. so pesos
and 40 pesos was in August OF r. ST year
At Cebu. Peonage exists in all parts OF
the islands and in many instances
amounts to slavery"
Another district auditor said he was
reliably Informed every negrlto serv-
ant in his district was originally en-
slaved
They are generally bought" wrote
this Investigator. when quito young
and kept as slaves until they become
old enough to SHIFT for themselves
The report said the commonest ex-
PLANTATION OF the presence of the alleged
slaves In families is that the parents
died and the family adopted the orphan
children.