The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-02-11

THE PHILIPPINES AND THEIR PEOPLE
PaDer Read Before the Chautauquo Circle bv II. G.

Paper Read Before the Chawtamqua Circle by H. c.
Before the Spanish American war, there were
not many people in this country who knew any
thing about the Philippine islands, the people
who inhabited them. And since the there has
been good many different stories told and writ
ten about them. Chiefly stories of the islands of
today.
The Philippine islands were discovered in 1912
by Vilalabos, Spanish explorer But the
Spaniards did not settle On the islands until
petition under Legaspi landed on Cebu island in
1865. In 1871 Legaspi founded the city of
Manila and made it the seat of the Spanish govern
ment. Legaspi, God-fearing broad-minded man,
laid the foundation for the civilization and educa-
ton of the natives. 1t through his planning
that his followers, after his death in August, 1872
brought about peace between the natives and
Spain.
There were, and is yet, many different races
among the natives; and unless one has been in the
islands and mingled with the natives they would
have no conception of the jealousy that is mani
tested between the tribes.
Legaspis followers established the Catholic
church, and it seems that the picturesque cere-
monals of the church appealed to the artistic sense
of the natives such extent that they were one
of the direct means of winning over the different
tribes. The public schools were established by
the friars and the natives showed such enthusi-
over the prospects of obtaining education
that in the larger towns colleges were founded,
along with hospitals The native languages were
given literary form, grammars and dictionaries
compiled, and TRANSACTIONS made of the sim
pier literature of devotional life; and every means
adopted to encourage the natives in becoming
Christians
In the general framework of the administra-
ton of the islands as Spanish dependency was
modelled on the system introduced in America.
At the head was the governor, then the supreme
court, then the mayor of the town, the notary and
assessor. Thew were all Spaniards. The admins
trative division below the province the puehla
ruled by petty governor, or presidente, who
elected by the general suffrage of the married in
habitants. Within the pueblos the population
was subdivided into clan-like groups of forty or
fifty families, called barangays. Each barangay
had headman who looked after the welfare of the
families under him. All the officials of the puebos
were natives, and no Spauiards allowed to
live in these mission villages, except the friars
who exercised the firm but gentle sway of the par
ent or schOOmasters
At that time the islands were cut off from the
outside world, and little effort was made to deve-
OPO OlO loilluc W supply Guo uooQS OF
the inhabitants. For more than two hundred
years the natives steadily advanced, and their
progress rapid that the time was drawing
near when they would have been capable of GOV
erning themselves.
Spain knew little or nothing about the Philip
pines. and cared less, until 1882 when Charles ILL.,
king OF Spain, made aware of the fact that the
islands were not sending in any revenues Charles
LII. sent out Bacoy Vargas as governor general to
the islands; and the new governor general struck
the blow that to undermine the work of civil
zation that had been accomplished by Legaspis
followers.
Governor General Vargas introduced the GOV
eminent tobacco monopoly, by which all the land
suitable for growing tobacco was pressed into SER
vice. and the cultivators compelled by forced labor
to produce stipulated amounts to be sold to the
government at fixed prices At that time tobacco
was the chief product of the islands, and aside
from tobacco growing the natives we're compelled
to work many days each month on roads and
bridges gratis.
In 1885 the Royal Philippine Company was
chartered in Spain to carry direct trade be-
tween Spain and the Philippines. From free
and happy people, the natives were reduced to
state of slavery. The monastic orders which COM
bined the functions of landlords and spiritual
guides, were more and more prevailed with the