The San Francisco call. [volume], June 30, 1907, Page 4, Image 4

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
Enos Brown
— tj~- HE magnificent dimensions to
| which the United States has ex-
I panded in the lust ten years is
. hardly realized even yet by the
rrcat mass ot the population. The na
jun. as a result of the brief but glorl
ius .war with' Spain, has added to its
lor.iinions countries so far distant that
t can be truly said that the run never
t»:r.*c-s to shine upon the Stars . and
s'r'pes which wave above its frontier
!o!-^£. The new empire that has been
tcijuired is no wild or undiscovered
rou.-itry, but one which has been sub
•t.ctcd to ttic sway of a European power
)ui-> nearly lour hundred years, and its
j ; oplo influenced, to a greater or less
lesrix. by contact with a civilization
ror« or less advanced. The millions
jf diverse races who inhabit the Phil
ippines have been affected by the cul
ture of Spain and raised from an ab
lect condition of barbarism to a state
af civilization, which, while far from
perfect, is nevertheless hopeful for the
future. •
There axe in addition tribes and races
«o low in the moral scale as to reduce
them to a level with the most degraded
and barbarous people. Their religion
Is paganism of the most primitive type.
People without law or morals, yet capa
ble, it is declared by experts who know
their mental aitltude and who have
studied the intellectual development of
these strange rares, of becoming-, under
proper tutelage, industrious, e'nterprls-
Ing and capable. Dr. Barrowes. Chief
or the United States Bureau of Insular
Affairs, asserts that in five years, at
the present rate of advance, no" child
In the Philippines will be unable to ac
quire an elementary education and be
well grounded In the essential begin
nings of knowledge. The region now in
habited by these barbarous tribes is be
coming more contracted every year. The
Bchoolmaster Is slowly extending his
outposts and finds even among the most
primitive races a disposition to learn
that will soon remove every trace of
illiteracy among all but the aged. With
education civilization will slowly pro
gress and the natures of these bar
barous people soften. Head, hunti/ig,
piracy and assassination will gradually
cra.se. Christianity will supplant su
perstition and a population now savage
a;:d steeped in ignorance will learn the
arts of peace and engage In the'de
velopment of the wonderful resources
of the country and be capable,of'ad
ministering its affairs.
In a few short years the habits .'of
these primitive tribes must change.
Civilization will bring new thought,
new habits and new aspirations. The
lime is not distant when the tribes
of the Philippines may equal, ' If not
surpass, the most civilized \u25a0 nations of
all the Asiatic continent Before such:
a consummation is : possible, education
roust be general and the numerous
tribes welded Into a homogeneous peo-
pie. Then may afppearthe instincts "of
nationality and a capacity for.admin
istration. -Last of all — independence.
Our Immense Task
The immense difficulty of the task
undertakenby the.American people;to
make a nation out of barbarians and
semibarbarous material can be better
understood: on studying the present
habits and culture of the various tribes
represented in the pages accompanying
this paper. There has . never been
shown at any; one -time "so large a va
riety of different tribes which make
up a greater proportion of the inhabi
tants of the Philippine) Islands. Each
year the number, of people coming into
the domain of civilization becomes sen
sibly greater and the strange apparel
\u25a0worn from time immemorial will be dis
carded.-to be seen no more/ In ten
years, under American tutelage, the
outward appearance of these barbarous
racms will undergo a complete trans
formation.
Until within the past ten years the
United States could -hardly be said to
have "pagans." as such, • among . its
vast population. • To be sure,' certain
tribes in the most, inaccessible regions
of Alaska were once addicted to pagan
incantations and .'superstitions, but
their number altogether was so" infini
tesimal .in comparison .with .-the total
population of the country that- no per
son ever thought for a moment of con
sidering the element as. more 'than a
curious "atom* 1 which, in tl«e regular
order, • was doomed : to extermuiation ' in
a few short years or else to be assimi
lated into a common body t under, the
wardship/of United* States "authorities
or as soon as the missionary- could
bring to their minds the enlightenment
of Christian truth. -
V The days of the Alaska Eskimo as a
pagan are numbered. -The change; in
material conditions' of the territory has
brought the native ? iri "direct contact
with the. whites and,' his gradual, ex
termination is assured. Scarcely, a" trace
of the original aborigine of the .coun
try, remains, paganism, with ac
companying rites,- exists ionly- among
certain of the tribes which maintain the
old' traditions. The Navajo, Zuril," Hopi.
Hupa, Cherokee,:;- Apache,' Blackfoot
and kindred tribes "have their "snake
dances and incantations to the rain gods,'
besides retaining; some faith \u25a0fin medi
cine men,^but these \u25a0harmless; supersti
tions have degenerated- from : acts Tof
faith to- a means of j profit; ."moreover,
the influence .of elementary": Chris
tianity, which most; of /'theTtribes pro
fess," has had a decided'effect"ln'modify
ing ancient beliefs.
: With ' the acquisition of *. the - eastern
empire* the. United States', at {the same
time ;, came : into possession f of : a choice
assortment of • real - pagans, holding a
faith that had been handed down! from
the most primitive times, unmodified
arid "uncorrupted. by;; the ; slight'inter
course - with the . Spaniards. "' In addi-
tion several hundred thousand follow-,
ers ' of Mohammed \u25a0 , were I acquired, de
voted adhcrentß •of the ~ prophet, but',
professing a faith- that Was at once
corrupt and impure- •
The -.population of the 'Philippines,
according to; the, census . of i 1303, is
7,635,426, divided Into 6,987,686 civilised;
'and 647,740 wild \ ov 'barbarous people.
•Of the '\u25a0\u25a0 last " .about? 1 ; four-flfths \u25a0 are
Moros, or Mohammedans,^ and" three
fifths ; pagans. ;;.' All,'' ' with * • the - ; ex- i
ccption of foreigners and'-»S Xe-'
gritos, are' of Malay;; extraction.:
Generally speaking, the civilized, so
called, .are; included- in 'the \u25a0 Visayan,
Tagalog.v Ilocano, - 'Bicol.V Parigasinari.;
;Pampangan, '; Cagay'ari* 'and "'* Zambalan";
; families, while theV pagans are ; sub
divided into; the >Morq,~.- Igorrote,; 'Bukid-.
non| Subanos,^ Mandaya, '\u25a0-! Negrito "'. and
'Manbbos. . The, manners and customs of
.these pagan"', tribes .are "- untpuched . by,
4 modern- influences.' : Con tact v with the
superior' civilization* of ,' the 'whites is
making its r impression *and :be
fore*many years; the distinctive habits
-which -.have been » inherited f rom \u25a0 a ; "lqrig
line •" .'of -forefathers 'mustvdisappea'r.iiri
thej process". of assimilation,' which Vis*
'destined, to -.unite f all .'the"; races /of;' the
• Philippine Islands into one people. '
>The Small-Negrito : *
\ ~ Ant important ' element of the \ various
people arid tribes \of 'the' Phil lppiriesV is'
the Negrito, a .race known as • the V'Htr
"tie I blacks." • . dwarfish '» in .: size, , round
headed, flat-nosed, with kinky hair, and
the - subjecf- of whose'^ ofigiri ';• has : riot
yet ceased to be' discussed by'ethnolb
gists.. It was assumed '. b'y.i early writers
that "the Negrito • was ';the iTprb'd uct'bf.an
'early' 'amalgamation T; "with" : : the 1 ;, Malay,"
but this is;now, doubtcJ. as the i physical
differences between the .two forbids the
.supposition.;" The Negritos inhabit : the
northern* ; part of^ the island of Luzon,:
and for a. primitive raca-have developed
considerable "advancement in agricul
ture.,'; Their weapons are bow 'and, ar-,
\ row, fashioned with some skill and r used
;• with t effect. \u25a0- Every, man Is tattooed as ;
sobriias he arrives at'the age "of -man- ,
{.hood/* '..'."*.'," . " , "-,»\u25a0\u25a0 \u25a0./ ; '
;.'; .' It^ie believed /with .education these '
; people" will' develop into a; good.' 'i tract
\u25a0 able population. 1 \u25a0'_ They are;; bright as
. scholars .and anxiotis to .learn. • As
'hunters they are 'successful and -as
I warriors ' vindictive and. persist
, ent. •\u25a0\u0084"*•-'';>\u25a0.- \u25a0/\u25a0:".\u25a0 .;.-. -:'\u25a0.'.'- *"">\u25a0\u25a0/"'.? *
The ,\: Igorrote •. inhabits ;;, a : ; part ; of ;
, northern',' Luzon and .beyand^a-'Vloubt •" is -
a typical • primitive Malayan. . I"i«re is
no • uncertainty ,; as ,to Uhe : origins of
,* these .people-in the minds .of 'ethnolo-.
7 gists. 1 .;/ The Igorrote' is fa "muscular,;
smooth faced,': b'ro'wnfman," of 'a .* type"'
lower ; than \u25a0 and .higher - than
.the average ' barbarian. • '. - '^ - "". '-_)
f^The^Cordillera' of the* 'PhilipplnesVis^
•fthe? dwelling*; place' o'f.Uh'e.^racerC,^Thej
:Bontoc' igorrote is fairiy.typical of. these
% peopfe.V'He J is practically icui't-";
;'*ure* andean 1 inveterate head hunter. '- In
. 1899 400 : warriors , joined;* the .'.lifsufrecr-'
; tion? and'proceeded .torflght': the ;-Ame'r-^
.'icaris.^ They ?,were'-"arm'ed'r',withV ; spears,
: battleaxes : and ", shields,', arid.'a i fight 'en -^
sued £ at ". Calqocan, Just \outsidel Manila.
\u25a0 One A-olleyjtromTthe 'American guns set
\tled\the"' Igbrrotes. 'They /dropped; their
".weapons . arid • hurried home; \u25a0 Now.'* they
are.friendiy. ..The religion of jthese peqi
- pie is.based; on, the ibeliefi in' spirits; one'
\u25a0 of 1-the J most I primitive : ':ykribwii. r -;! They
"'are' of *a p . kindly ' dis'positibn^ arid JT gen -
UNDER OUR FLAG;
THROUVEOUT THE WORLD
I— Ca*;ayuaa» ;<Pblllp»iae»). - :
v S— fl<uKoarvr«nißii^tloTvest [type,-— -.v
' S— Diminutive aeKri to woman, -
4-i-Kavias;muts (Alaska). * >.; /.
\u0084 s— Ot#r « «•« i i e ft aln. ,-.' .V} '•/ ; •\u25a0 . : " \u25a0 ;f :
«— -Zual. ladlan. ' •\u25a0 j- . -.\u25a0-..
7—Ataof Mladana*. -, - :
, S— Sultan^of Zulu. ; ;^~ * .
*,- \u25a0 9— Pneklß '. woraaa. - ( Xe w Mexico) . <
1 0 — Babaeos . of M ladanao. '.-\u25a0 >>>'<*\u25a0'; "- i
11—-**nbnoa nomai ' ' < I'hllipplaea). ;
- 12— Igorroies. '\u25a0.'"'-. '- .' '. ; -•''.- .".•:"\u25a0*' " ". '*'.
13— Dcatlf; Tall*?-; ladlan!" { V
14— Tiagniaa^Phlllpviaeii). ; ; , ;
; 15— tvlaugumat nomii (Alaska),
lfi— Educated Moro.
. 17— I.aKnnu Tadlan. . • - ' • "_'*"V
IS— •Mnqnl India**. 1 :'"> : \ -
1 '> — On - Bical rlvrr. Soat hera liniom. :
"2O— Kak«»<l lidlan. / \ tr ; ;
• 21— Han-allaH r daMol»tX."liirl«^ { ]
erally trusrWof thy. ..At school the. chil-^'.
drcn are the '/brightest of all Filipinos. : ,
The ; physique ( of :the Igorrotejs superb,-,
and -he : has -no vices; that destroy iths \u0084
1 body. His courage ' is ; high. Enterpris-!"*
*ing' and adaptable.^"; he -r.i*. industrious .
' and.' willing; to learn, and.: it'.is believed^
will -readily ; yield . ; to ; and . assimilate 1
modern ideas.'. ; : , : ' \u25a0 -:'..
\u25a0j.The:Tagals^br;Tagalogs are I the pre« "
dominatingjrace 'of the"Philippine»,' and ',
the* tribes upon Vwhich- .Spanish *civiliza'r.' r .
: tion \ has -' made, the ' gf eatest*. impression. '\u25a0'
iTlicy ; are \u25a0/ the:' best \u25a0- : known ', of -rail » th© .
'Fiilpinos^an^^re ? Chfis\^ns:t;'.ThiburicVi
of ' the population,' of ." the^ city^of , Manila i
are? Tagals.i'who ;h'ave {adopted-modern
manners /arid Qustoms," and ' are consid- "
e'rably ; advanced HncultureTi -^ - ; - . \u25a0 'A*\ ; •
I The -wild • ' tribes'tof in- .
elude j>the ." Mo'rqs-^bi'Vlloors.lra^ Spanish
designafioh Jfor^ Mohammedans,^ *°S* a '
rloWjltype-'of ;'th"e»religiqn\of?Mohammed^
> prevails among them.^- .They, are(.Malays '-'\u25a0
\withvall : }-the.^en^r^rise^Cco*urage}and : .
; ferocious . instincts -of 'that* enterprising);
race; They?, resisted iHhe' Spaniards ?'foir}
•centuries a^ridHtTis;qnly ; within>the^last
; forty; years] that^Spain^ was fable' to,' sub- -
; ject ;them.. - The •\u25a0 Americans ': found "z the J
-the i greatest ; In; allvthe
\u25a0: islands a ; and V\ with >J them . the '.most;
sanguinary^ conflicts^ have ; taken .place."
A ;V;Certein^'am6*unt'j''off;'^cultureL: exists T
'\u25a0; among .4 ?; thWeJA people", :; ff though ;not i
.ranking :.^yery •*.';;' riiuch*;, ; ab'6v€ \u0084• the ;
>"wild" ; vi tribes. ,\~ ( As ' ; navigators .' ths'y^
,* excel,'* and<- asji agriculturists « they^ have *
.'\u25a0 msuia •' some " prosress.' '*. The! r . prlncipai