The Philippine Islands Part 59

A course of study in _Vocal Music_ is also offered to Normal School students, and this may possibly lead to the first discovery of a fine Philippine musical voice.

There is also a _Public School for Chinese_ situated in the _Calle de la Asuncion_, in the business quarter of Binondo (Manila).

In the _Saint Thomas's University_ (_vide_ p. 194) there are few changes. The diplomas now issued to students in Law and Medicine are only honorific. With or without this diploma a student must pa.s.s an examination at the centres established by the Americans for the faculties of Law and Medicine before he can practise, and the same obligation applies to Americans who may arrive, otherwise qualified, in the Islands. Practical instruction in the healing art, or "walking the hospitals," as it is called in England, is given at the _San Juan de Dios Hospital_ as heretofore. The theoretical tuition in these faculties is furnished at the _College of San Jose_. Besides the Government schools, there are many others continuing the Spanish system, such as the _Colegio de San Juan de Dios_, where, besides the usual subjects taught, the syllabus is as follows:--

Commerce.

Drawing.

j.a.panese Language.

Modelling in Plaster.

Piano, Violin.

Sketching from Nature.

Stenography.

Typewriting.

Watercolouring.

And preparation for the B.A. examination.

The _Seminario Central de San Javier_, under Jesuit superintendence, is really intended for students proposing to enter the Church. Many, however, follow the course of study and enter civil life. In the large provincial towns there are Spanish schools, and at Dagupan the _Colegio Inst.i.tuto_ follows the same curriculum as that established in the Manila _College of San Juan de Letran_. In Spanish times Jaro was the educational centre of the Visayas Islands. Since the American advent Yloilo has superseded Jaro in that respect, and a large school is about to be erected on 75 acres of land given by several generous donors for the purpose. The system of education is uniform throughout the Islands, where schools of all grades are established, and others are in course of foundation in every munic.i.p.ality. Including about P1,000,000 disbursed annually for the schools by the munic.i.p.alities, the cost of Education is about 20 per cent, of the total revenue--a sum out of all proportion to the taxpayers' ability to contribute.

According to the Philippine Commission Act No. 1123, of April, 1904, the official language will be English from January 1, 1906. It will be used in court proceedings, and no person will be eligible for Government service who does not know that language.

In general the popular desire for education is very p.r.o.nounced. American opinion as to the capability of the Filipinos to attain a high degree of learning and _maintain_ it seems much divided, for many return to America and publicly express pessimistic views on this point. In daily conversation with young middle-cla.s.s Filipinos one can readily see that the ambition of the majority is limited to the acquisition of sufficient English to qualify them for Government employment or commercial occupations. The industries of the Islands are relatively insignificant. The true source of their wealth is agriculture. In most, not to say all, tropical countries, the educated native shuns manual labour, and with this tendency dominant in the Filipino, it is difficult to foresee what may happen as education advances. The history of the world shows that national prosperity has first come from industrial development, with the desire and the need for education following as a natural sequence. To have free intercourse with the outside world it is necessary to know a European language. This is recognized even in j.a.pan, where, notwithstanding its independent nationality, half the best-educated cla.s.ses speak some European tongue. If the majority of the Filipinos had understood Spanish at the period of the American advent, it might be a matter of regret that this language was not officially preserved on account of the superior beauty of all Latin languages; but such was not the case. Millions still only speak the many dialects; and to carry out the present system of education a common speech-medium becomes a necessity. However, generations will pa.s.s away before native idiom will cease to be the vulgar tongue, and the engrafted speech anything more than the official and polite language of the better cla.s.ses. The old belief of colonizing nations that European language and European dress alone impart civilization to the Oriental is an exploded theory. The Asiatic can be more easily moulded and subjected to the ways and the will of the white man by treating with him in his native language. It is difficult to gain his entire confidence through the medium of a foreign tongue. The Spanish friars understood this thoroughly. It is a deplorable fact that the common people of Asia generally acquire only the bad qualities of the European concurrently with his language, lose many of their own natural characteristics, which are often charmingly simple, and become morally perverted.

The best native servants are those who can only speak their mother-tongue. In times past the rustic who came to speak Spanish was loth to follow the plough. If an English farm labourer should learn Spanish, perhaps he would be equally loth. One may therefore a.s.sume that if the common people should come to acquire the English language, agricultural coolie labour would become a necessity. In 1903 one hundred Philippine youths were sent, at Government expense, to various schools in America for a four-years' course of tuition. It is to be hoped that they will return to their homes impressed with the dignity of labour and be more anxious to develop the natural resources of the country than to live at the expense of the taxpayers.

Since the Rebellion, and especially since the American advent, a great number of Filipinos have migrated to the adjacent British colonies, China, j.a.pan, America, and Europe. There is a small colony of rich Filipinos in Paris, and about 50 or 60 (princ.i.p.ally students) in England. They have no nationality, and are officially described as "Filipinos under the protection of the United States." When the Treaty of Paris was being negotiated, the Spanish Commissioners wished to have the option of nationality conceded to all persons. .h.i.therto under the dominion of Spain in the ceded colonies; but the American Commissioners rejected the proposal, which might have placed their country in the peculiar position of administering a colony of foreigners.

In 1904 the Government sent selected groups of the different Philippine wild and semi-civilized races to the St. Louis Exhibition, where they were on view for several months; also a Philippine Commission, composed of educated Filipinos, was sent, at public expense, to St. Louis and several cities in America, including Washington, where the President received and entertained its members. Many of the members of this Commission were chosen from what is called the _Federal Party_. In the old days politics played no part in Philippine life. The people were either anti-friar or conformists to the _status quo_. The Revolution, however, brought into existence several distinct parties, and developed the natural disintegrating tendency of the Filipinos to split up into factions on any matter of common concern. The Spanish reform party, led by Pedro A. Paterno, collapsed when all hope was irretrievably lost, and its leader pa.s.sed over to Aguinaldo's party of sovereign independence. To-day there is practically only one organized party--the Federal--because there is no legislative a.s.sembly or authorized channel for the legitimate expression of opposite views. The Federal Party, which is almost entirely anti-clerical, comprises all those who unreservedly endorse and accept American dominion and legislation. They are colloquially alluded to as "Americanistas." Through the tempting offers of civil service positions with emoluments large as compared with times gone by, many leading men have been attracted to this party, the smarter half-caste predominating over the pure Oriental in the higher employments. There are other groups, however, which may be called parties in embryo, awaiting the opportunity for free discussion in the coining _Philippine a.s.sembly_. [285] Present indications point to the _Nationalists_ as the largest of these coming opposition parties, its present programme being autonomy under American protection. The majority of those who clamour for "independence" [I am not referring to the ma.s.ses, but to those who have thought the matter out in their own fashion] do not really understand what they are asking for, for it generally results from a close discussion of the subject that they are, in fact, seeking autonomy _dependent_ on American protection, with little idea of what the Powers understand by Protection. In a conversation which I had with the leader of the Nationalists, I inquired, "What do you understand by independence?" His reply was, "Just a thread of connexion with the United States to keep us from being the prey of other nations!" Other parties will, no doubt, be formed; and there will probably be, for some time yet, a small group of _Irreconcilables_ affiliated with those abroad who cannot return home whilst they refuse to take the oath of allegiance prescribed in the United States President's peace and amnesty proclamation, dated July 4, 1902. The Irreconcilables claim real sovereign independence for the Filipinos; they would wish the Americans to abandon the Islands as completely as if they had never occupied them at all. It is doubtful whether entire severance from American or European control would last a year, because some other Power, Asiatic or European, would seize the Colony. Sovereign independence would be but a fleeting vision without a navy superior in all respects to that of any second-rate naval Power, for if all the fighting-men of the Islands were armed to the teeth they could not effectively resist a simultaneous bombardment of their ports; nor could they, as inhabitants of an archipelago, become united in action or opinion, because their inter-communication would be cut off. When this is explained to them, there are those who admit the insuperable difficulty, and suggest, as a compromise, that America's position towards them should be merely that of the policeman, standing by ready to interfere if danger threatens them! This is the nave definition of the relation which they (the Irreconcilables) term "Protection."

However, the cry for "independence" has considerably abated since the Secretary of War, Mr. W. H. Taft, visited Manila in August, 1905, and publicly announced that America intended to retain the Islands for an indefinitely long period. Before America relinquishes her hold on the Colony (if ever) generations may pa.s.s away, and naturally the Irreconcilable, will disappear with the present one.

That the Filipinos would, if ever they obtain their independence, even though it were a century hence, manage their country on the pattern set them by their tutors of to-day, is beyond all imagination. "We want them to learn to think as we do," an American minister is reported to have said at a public meeting held in Washington in May, 1905. The laudable aim of America to convert the Filipino into an American in action and sentiment will probably never be realized.

Why the Philippines should continue to be governed by a Commission is not clear to the foreign investigator. Collective government is inconsonant with the traditions and instincts of these Asiatic people, who would intuitively fear and obey the arbitrary mandate of a paramount chief, whether he be called Nawab, Sultan, or Governor. Even as it is, the people have, in fact, looked more to the one man, the Mr. Taft or the Mr. Wright as the case may be, than they have to the Commission for the attainment of their hopes, and were there an uncontrolled native government, it would undoubtedly end in becoming a one-man rule, whatever its t.i.tle might be. The difficulty in making the change does not lie in the choice of the man, because one most eminently fitted for personal rule in the name of the United States of America (a.s.sisted by a Council) is in the Islands just now.

The Philippine a.s.sembly, which is, conditionally, to be conceded to the Islanders in 1907, will be a Congress of deputies elected by popular vote; the Philippine Commission, more or less as at present const.i.tuted, will be practically the Senate or controlling Upper House. The Filipinos will have no power to make laws, but simply to propose them, because any bill emanating from the popular a.s.sembly can be rejected by the Upper House with an American majority. The Philippine a.s.sembly will be, in reality, a School of Legislature to train politicians for the possible future concession of complete self-government. In connexion with the public schools a course of instruction in political economy prepares youths for the proper exercise of the right of suffrage on their attaining twenty-three years of age. The studies include the Congress Law of July 1, 1902; President McKinley's Instruction to the Civil Commission of April 7, 1900; Government of the United States, Colonial Government in European States, and Parliamentary Law.

The question of the Filipinos' capacity for _self-government_ has been frequently debated since the Rebellion of 1896. A quarter of a century ago the necessary 500 or 600 Filipinos, half-caste in the majority, could have been found with all the requisite qualifications for the formation of an intelligent oligarchy. The Const.i.tution drawn up by Apolinario Mabini, and proclaimed by the Malolos Insurgent Government (January 22, 1899), was a fair proof of intellectual achievement. But that is not sufficient; the working of it would probably have been as successful as the Government of Hayti, because the Philippine character is deficient in disinterested thought for the common good. There is no lack of able Filipinos quite competent to enact laws and dictate to the people what they are to do; but if things are to be reversed and the elected a.s.sembly is to be composed of deputies holding the _people's_ mandates, there will be plenty to do between now and March, 1907, in educating the electors to the point of intelligently using the franchise, uninfluenced by the _caciques_, who have hitherto dominated all public acts. According to the census of 1903, there were 1,137,776 illiterate males of the voting age. In any case, independently of its legislative function, the Philippine a.s.sembly will be a useful channel for free speech. It will lead to the open discussion of the general policy, the rural police, the trade regulations, the taxes, the desirability of maintaining superfluous expensive bureaux, the lavish (Manila) munic.i.p.al non-productive outlay, and ruinous projects of no public utility, such as the construction of the Benguet road, [286] etc.

The Act providing for a Philippine a.s.sembly stipulates that the elected deputies shall not be less than 50 and not more than 100 to represent the civilized portion of the following population, viz. [287]:--Civilized, 6,987,686; wild, 647,740; total, 7,635,426. The most numerous civilized races are the Visayos (about 2,602,000) and the Tagalogs (about 1,664,000).

_Population of Manila_ (_Approximate Sub-divisions_) [288]

Race. Pop. Race. Pop. Race. Pop.

Filipinos 189,915 Americans 3,700 Other Europeans 1,000 Chinese 21,500 Spaniards 2,500 Other Nationalities 1,313

Total in the Census of 1903 ... 219,928

(Exclusive of the Army and Navy.)

The divisions of the Munic.i.p.ality of Manila stand in the following order of proportion of population, viz.:--

1. Tondo (most).

2. Santa Cruz.

3. San Nicolas.

4. Sampaloc.

5. Binondo.

6. Ermita.

7. Intramuros (i.e., Walled City).

8. Quiapo.

9. Malate.

10. San Miguel.

11. Paco.

12. Santa Ana.

13. Pandacan (least).

The total number of towns in the Archipelago is 934.

_Populations of 40 Provincial Towns of the 934 Existing in the Islands_

(_Exclusive of Their Dependent Suburbs, Districts, and Wards_) [289]

Town. Civilized Pop.

Bacolod 5,678 Dagupan 3,327 San Jose de Buenavista 3,636 Batangas 1,610 Ilagan 1,904 Balanga 4,403 Iligan (or Yligan) 2,872 San Fernando (La Union) 1,142 Balinag 1,278 Imus 1,930 Baguio 270 Jaro 7,169 San Fernando (Pampanga) 1,950 Binan (or Vinan) 1,173 Jolo (Walled City) 541 Cabanatuan 1,894 S. Isidro 3,814 Capiz 7,186 Lipa 4,078 Tabaco 4,456 Calamba 2,597 Lingayen 2,838 Taal 2,658 Calbayoc 4,430 Olongapo 1,121 Tacloban 4,899 Cebu 18,330 Majayjay 1,680 Tarlac 3,491 Cottabato 931 Molo 8,551 Tuguegarao 3,421 Daet 2,569 Puerta Princesa 382 Vigan 5,749 Davao 1,010 Santa Cruz (Laguna) 4,009 Yloilo 19,054 Dapitan 1,768 Zamboanga 3,281

_Civilized Population, Cla.s.sified by Birth_

_According to the Census of 1903_

Born in the Philippine Islands 6,931,548 Born in China 41,035 Born in United States 8,135 Born in Spain 3,888 Born in j.a.pan 921 Born in Great Britain 667 Born in Germany 368 Born in East Indies 241 Born in France 121 Born in Other countries of Europe 487 Born in All other countries 275

6,987,686

The regulations affecting Chinese immigration are explained at p. 633. Other foreigners are permitted to enter the Philippines (conditionally), but all are required to pay an entrance fee (I had to pay $5.30 Mex.) before embarking (abroad) for a Philippine port, and make a declaration of 19 items, [290] of which the following are the most interesting to the traveller:--(1) s.e.x; (2) whether married or single; (3) who paid the pa.s.sage-money; (4) whether in possession of $30 upward or less; (5) whether ever in prison; (6) whether a polygamist. The master or an officer of the vessel carrying the pa.s.senger is required to make oath before the United States Consul at the port of embarkation that he has made a "personal examination" of his pa.s.senger, and does not believe him (or her) to be either an idiot, or insane person, or a pauper, or suffering from a loathsome disease, or an ex-convict, or guilty of infamous crime involving moral turpitude, or a polygamist, etc. The ship's doctor has to state on oath that he has also made a "personal examination"