The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-03-12

a stable and eihclent government, but
even the casual visitor Of few days
can see that the time has not yet ar
rived, and he must also conclude that a
new generation must be educated and
grow up before such thing is possible.
(he native Is indoleut, improvident
and not very Trustworthy. Superstl-
ti0us aud suspicious. he still regards
the American with some fear and IS
SLOW 10 make use Of modern methods.
Il is but a short time since the natives
in the country would hldesat the ap-
proach Of the American, or come with
presents to bTlbe his indulgence. Ot
the savage tribes. only the Moros. IN
the southern islands, remain unsubued.
In any other section the white man can
wander into the interior alone with
perfect safety. There are half hun
dred native, semi-barbar0us tribes IN
the islands, each speaking different
dialect. some Of them head huntres, but
they are giving no trouble, outside the
Warlike and treacherOus MOrOs.
Japan is looking with envious eyes
toward the Philippines. Were the
Americans to step out now, she would
pour her hOrdes into the islands, and 1t
would be war of determination for
the Philippines. The Japs are already
gaining a foothold. and have large in
yestments on the islands. The Chinese,
however, control the retail trade.
They are keen merchants, undersell all
other nationalities, and side by side
with the native merchant, will do four
or five times the amount Of business.
Yet were the Japs left free to get in
control in the islands, all others would
be crowed out. Japan needs more
room and must have it to support her
people, and with the rich Philippines
as fertile pasture, she would soon
dominate the trade of the Orient and
become a serious menace not only to
the far east, but America as well.
The present unsettled condition is not
favorable for the further investment
of American capital, although there
are untold wealth and many OppOrtun-
tiles. The exclusion of Chinese labor
is also a.hardship, as the Chinese are
Industrious. acclimated and dependable,
and would make the islands paradise
Of wonderful development and great
wealth with American capital and en-
ergy behind it.
japanese labor can be brought into
the islands, but they are no more used
to a tropical climate than Americans.
But until American capital is assured
of the protection Of its own govern
ment, for a denfiite time at least, there
will be little progress in the islands.
Should the government of the islands
be given over to the natives at once,
disaster and ruin will speedily overtake
not only the Americans who cannot get
away, but the natives themselves. Of
the ten million natives on the islands,
we were told that but two per cent
could read and write and less than five
per cent speak English even imper-
fectly.
American schools are doing much to
educate the younger generation and
accomplishing great good, but the
older generations will not change their
methods of living. They do not have
to work. They DO not need clothes,
and enough food grows wild on trees
to sustain life, while the sea and
streams are full of fish, to be taken
with little effort. A native man needs
but fighting cock, mango tree aud
a woman TO be entirely satisfied and
contented.
Speaking of fighting cocks, it is the
native sport, 1t is poor man indeed
who does not own fighting cock. One
of the indispensable features of the
home is rooster, generally staked out
by a string tied to his leg. You see
them tied to stake in the yard in the
shop in the congested business streets,
on top of the covered part of the river
casco (boat) and in fact, in the living
quarters wherever the family makes
its home. The rooster receives better
care than the baby, is domesticated
and lives with the family, petted as we
do the house dog or cat. Soon after
American occupation. law was passed
limiting cock fighting to one day.a
week. Sunday was chosen. Every
village has its public cock pit, while
Manila has several. The native who
lives some distance from church ina
tives are nearly all Catholics) takes
his rooster to early mass and after his
devotions goes to the cock pit The
pit is a bamboo cage in an enclosure
where a small admission fee Is charged.
book maker is in the ring who ar
ranges the bets and receives 10 per
cent of the stake for his services. Two
cocks are brought in, exhibited around
the pit, which is surrouned on the four
sides by probably 100 people, and bets
are placed. When all is ready steel
gaiIs are placed on the birds by the
owners. These gatfs are about three
Inches long, being stlletto blade with
a needle point and one side sharpened
to razor edge. Generally the first
strike of the birds as they come to-
gether is sufficient and one will drop
dead, the blade striking vital part.
Often both birds will be killed. The
| fighting lasts from early morning until
dark. hundreds of birds being sacrificed
during the day. After the birds are
killed the owners take them home for
| food
The native house is a hut made of
! the Nipa palm, over light frame
work of bamboo, set on poles a few
feet from the ground. Ii the family
owns a carabOO, pony or a pig, it is
| kept under the house. The roof is
thatched with grass or sometimes with
palm leaves. No furniture is needed.
The bed is a sleeping mat made of
bamboo, which is rolled up out of the
way in the day time. Rice is cooked
in a pan over fire outdoors and the
family gather around it, all eating out
of the dish with their hands. Fish are
included with the meal if the wife has
had energy enough to catch some, if in
the country, or if she had few cen.
tavos to buy at the market if in town,
A banana palm or mango tree fur
nishes plenty of fruit and plenty of
beetle nuts can be had for the gather
ing. A few tobacco plants keen the
family in cigars and cigarets. All
smoke or chew the beetle nut or both.
In the streets of Manila as many
women and children are seen smoking
cigars and cigarets as the men. 1t is
seldom one sees pipe,
Not many naked children are now to
be seen in Manila, the government re.
! Quirng that at least one garment be
worn. With the chilrden it is usually a
shirt reaching part ways to the Knees
The native women adopt one style of