Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-07-04
MANILA AS FOUND
By A. c. BAKER
DecOrahian Writes About His Visit to
Manila and the Philippine
Islands.
THESE ISLANDS NUMBER
OVER THREE THOUSAND
Trunks 1t Was q Misfortune When
the United States Acquired
Them.

Perhaps in the history of our
country we've made no more seri-
ously unfortunate move than when
we acquired the Philippines.
The taking over of about S,0oO,-
900 peop.e of entirely different char
acter than the Caucasian in a loca-
ton where t. defend from the greed
of other nations was one of the most
difficult and remote, people in no
sympathy with our manner of gov
ernme1t, an entirely inferior race,
SO inferior that they have no con-
ception Of what our civilization
means nor do they. desire to accept
it.
[ The Philippine is the only Asiatic
race that have as a whole, outside
of the Moro, who are Mahomedans
accepted a christian faith. The peo-
pie are supposed to have embraced
the Catholic religion, but the reli-
gion as they accept it would be en-
tirely foreign to the Catholic reli-
gion Of civilized countries, Had their
religion been pure Catholicism 1t
no doubt would have exerted cotsid-
erable influence along the lines of
Caucasian civilization, but it had de-
generated into that superstition
which is so common among Asiatic
races. To regenerate either their re-
ligi1n to a pure Catholic belief or
to improve upon their former rotten
government was obnoxious to the
principals of the ruling class there.
When we took possession. some Of
the brightest minds OF our country
were induced into the task Of raising
these people to q higher civilization
and had they the Caucasian mind it
would have proven a permanent sue
cess, but not with this degenerate
race Of munSrels.
The university of the Philippines,
the finest school In the territory OF
the brown race, had It been among
CaucasiAns would have been per-
manent fount Of light to the race
Fine hospitals were established.
the SURROUNDINGS of Manila were
cleansed OF all miasmic diseases,
fine streets and drives established,
country roads Of the finest built and
all the surroundings of civilization
established and up to about 1912 you
set the dates On buildings erected
and improvements made. Since that
native instructors, native officers and
natives generally have been taking
the places of the American and every
tendency is TO retrograde and in If
ty years after we shall have return
ed them to the entire control Of their
government / doubt il there will be
a mark of the once great civilizing
influence that was forced upon
them.
l will say right here it was a mis-
fortune when we acquired these
islands and the sooner We may hon
orably get out of them the better,
except that we maintain the origin
al thought Of Caucasian supremacy.
The Philippines comprise over
three thousand islands, much of the
territory only rocks sticking out of
the ocean with no vegetation. The
island of Luzon Is nearly as large as
our state of Iowa; with intelligent
agriculture and energy 1t could pro-
duce q large amount Of material for
the comfort of the world, but with
a climate so weakening as to cap all
energy 1t can never be great fac
tor in civilization.
They are exporting considerable
sugar and q great amount of jute or
hemp as it is called. The plant from
which this is taken Is much like the
banana plant growing about ten feet
tall. This is cut about o3ce a year
and makes this growth from the
root, the plant Is chopped down and
run through a machine that separ-
ates the outside from the core, the
outside having the lint from which
the rope and binding twine is made.
Our ship loaded very large amount
of it, I was told eight thousand tons
of 1t which our farmers will be tie
ing their grain with this year.
When the writer landed in Manila
he had not the cash funds to buy "a
postage stamp and the first thought
where can l get gold for my bankers
checks. I had found it impossible to
get gold in Japan for them and to
get Japanese money there was q dis
count Of 40 and japanese money
would be of no account here.
7 at once walked to the United
States sub treasury as / could hardly
hire q conveyance with nothing to
pay with. Presenting my passport
as an American citizen l was assured
that I could have all the eagles that
I desired and soon with a lighter
heart and much heavier pocket book
found myself In position to secure
a public conveyance where desired.
Autos are very common in Manil-
la but q small horse In light car
riage does most of the carrying. The
heavy hauling here Is all done by
the water buffalo or caraboa as call
ed by the natives. This clumsy
monster with body like rhinosceros
and twisted horns. often three feet
long, presents about the most hum
lble, akwardest beast OF burden
found: poor with their tongue hang
Ing out. their great Sltmeys forms
,(Continusd On a s.)ais