The Philippines.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11744, 22 September 1902, Page 7

The Philippines.

WHAT AN AUSTRALIAN THINKS

ABOUT THEM.

(Sydney "Daily Tefegrapb.") It" is becoming quite the fashion nowadajjfT~for tihose whio can spare the time to take a trip to.what -is called the Far East, includling in tihe term America's recent purchase, the Philippine Islands, whereof Luxon is the largest,-havingMan-ila for its capital city and chief port of call.

Manila, witih a population of 260,000 souls, induces tJbe expectant visitor to look &>v a thriving and industrious community on arrival, wherein he is grievously disappointed, if he makes any stay there. It can readily be understood that there must be some bustie and excitement abtendling ifahe commissariat' for 20,000 soldiers which America has to keep stationed in stjlxei Philippines, tthe Joentrajl distributing point being Manila. Of course there is much that is novel and interesting to be seen even in a short stay in that quaint old town, which has been for centuries under Spanish sway. Great cathedrals, cracked and battered externally by repeated shocks of earthquake, white-rob-ed padres, religious processions, Filipino wedding festivities, pompous funerals, amdi many odd ceremonial*?, added to the peculiar architecture of the buildings reminding the visitor of old-time pictures of ancient Castile.

Spanish is the safest language to reiy upon to pull the visitor through the islands. Costume in no way defines nationality in Manila. The writer finding himself in a banik one morning, and requiring some information from* a Filipino teller, who did no* understand Englisii looked round and saw a lady dressed in Spanish costume near at hand, and Mas about to ask her aid as interpreter when to his surprise the lady, bowing slightly, said in purest American, "I beg pai-dm, senor, but can you tell me where I am to get this cheque cashed? These brown mien don't seem to know much English." I sympathised, and shortly a white official hove in si,gli<t wiho spoke Spanish.' and Telieved our difficulties.

There, as elsewhere in the East, the Chinaman is found to be the best ft]lround linguist. Hie can speak a liitle x>f everything sufficiently pidgeon to make himself understood, if he wants to be At present he does anicisb of tihe work as well aa a good share of the talk, but i !ie Filipino hates him, and if America hoi is on to the islands, John will have «-o go, sooner or later.

But the Philippines, if the bustle of military neeessitaes be .removed, must fje pronounced -the slowest (place on r.«rth, and the most; deadly. It is well that adventurous Ausfcrailianis should know the hard facts as they exist, and which f*re> not to be gleaned from jottings of tourists, whose stay in the islands is limited by the steamer's arrival and departure, usually a couple of days. To put these facts as concisely as possible, it is best to state at once what risks are run by a resident in these lands, whera Tagalo, Castellano, and English languages are struggled with in tihe endeavour to establish a mutual understanding between the cosmopolitans inhabiting iaem. He will, to an absolute certainty, contract the debilitating malarial fever, most probably the bone-raciring dengue fever, whilst the fatal cholera is> always on the Jook-oufc for victims. " • j ' "

Regarding the last-named scourge, the authorities are making gallant efforts to destroy the allies of such a deadly epidemic as the lazy, dirty habits of the Filipinos and Spaniards have created in the more settlel parts of the group. It will thus be scsi? that, though a Land oi eternal summer, it has its drawbacks from a residential point of view.

As to gaining a livelihood there, in addition to the foregoing handicaps, there arq the facts that the islands crdy product? tobacco, hemjp, sugar, rice, and rubber, all oi which is exported in its raw state, as grown by the natives. Copper is found far inland, but it is extremely doubtful, whether the cost of transport will justify the expeDse of working the lodes, and the same may bj said of iron deposits. Gold; in payable quantities, has never been found in these islands. There being very little* subsoil, fruit trees and vegetable growing have proved a failure, and nearly all the food for European consumption is imported. An intending resident will not be encouraged by the prospect, yet I have merely stater) tlio bare troth.

The conclusion drawn from a residence in the Philippines ia that they offer no inducement for white settlers, as, apart from climatio considerations, they have no inherent wealth, such as India, Africa, and other insalubrious ,pi!iaces, where white men have overcome adverse conditions of existence.

Reference has been made to the laziness o? the Filipino; yet some allowance must be made for the conditions of his existence. Under a sweltering heat all his life, without any stimulant to exertion, it is not to be wondered at that he makes very little effort beyond what is necessary for mere subsistence.- Fish he can catch in plenty; rice and bananas cost him little effort to obtain; clothing he has little need of or liking for; and the bamboo and nepa provide him with ample housing accommodatioit.

Truly it may be said that the Philippines' are not a place for the white man. Yet America has them, and has taken the browr man for a brother, and those whose curiosity has led them to examine this remark, able purchase a»e puzzled to know what the OTner will ultimately do with it; and amongst the most puzzled are many prominent Americans.