'Cbc Conservative ,
the republic after its establishment.
There were civil wars between the
church and 'the liberal parties. The
liberals secured the confiscation of much
of the church property. The United
States has never had a similar condition
to deal with , and our government and
politics are utterly unfitted to meet its
requirements. "We should shrink from
such a problem. "We should let the Fil-
piuos work out that question for them
selves in their own way. It is alleged
that one reason why they wish for in
dependence is that they desire to gain
control of the forfeited church property
of the Spanish government ( which is
very valuable ) , and of all Spanish con
cessions , in order to dispose of them to
their own advantage. By Spanish con
cessions I mean charters for water
works , tramways , electric lighting , and
other industrial interests and points of
vantage of all kinds. The treaty with
Spain compels our government to re
spect all corporate and treaty rights ,
under which rights all the desirable pro
perty of the islands is held , and leaves
no booty for the United States to offset
the expense of military control and ad
ministration.
An Oillcial Report.
Moreover , in the Philippines , as in
Formosa , Hainan , Saigon , Singapore ,
Ceylon , Java , Sumatra , etc. , the best
fields of enterprise are largely controlled
by wealthy Chinese financiers , who be
sides their general interests , mining or
agricultural , in a very clever way do an
immense loan business. Mr. Edw. W.
Harden , special commissioner of the
United States , in his official report on
the "Financial and Industrial Condi
tions of the Philippine Islands" says :
"The business of lending money to
planters is largely in the hands of the
mestizos or Chinese half castes , who ex
act interest of from 12 to 80 per cent ,
and even as high as 40 per cent for the
use of their money. "
Also , "The half-caste Chinese mesti
zos make a business of lending money on
city and country property not generally
acceptable as a guaranty by the banks. "
They will make advances on security
that an American banker would reject ,
and more often on no security at all.
When certain conditions are present ,
liberal loans are made at the limit of
peaceful ondmauce as to the interest
rate , and so it comes to pass in those
countries that Chinese practically hold
thousands of people , of every station in
life in a peculiar or financial form of
bondage. This is in substance what a
merchant at Manila has written. To it I
may add ( from reading and observation )
that the Chinese are constantly emigra
ting to all other Oriental countries con
tiguous to the Flowery Kingdom and
are even pressing upon the Hawaiian
islands in large numbers , and where
once these people obtain a foothold they
never relinquish it. The well-known
WMBUi
i.
business sagacity of the Chinese clearly
demonstrates that it is futile for the
white laborer , mechanic , merchant , or
shop keeper to attempt to compote with
them in Oriental lauds.
Tito Labor Question.
Upon the question of labor in the
Philippines , special commissioner Har
den , already quoted , says :
"The question of labor is a serious
one. The natives ore not to be depended
upon as laborers. They work only when
they see fit , and their work is far from
jeiug satisfactory. The best workers in
; ho Philippine islands are the Chinese
coolies , most of them , however , are in
and around Manila. The Spanish gov
ernment had a law in force under which
Chinese coolies were allowed to land on
the payment of a tax of $50 a head.
Under the military occupation of Manila
no more Chinese have been allowed to
land at that port. Planters nud busi
ness men believe the Chinese should bo
allowed to come in , under proper restric
tions , as they make the best servants
and in many ways the best laborers that
cnu be obtained in the islands. "
The Chinese are , in fact , the best la
borers that can be obtained in the Ori
ent , but are the masses of the American
people ready to invite race troubles by
an influx of Asiatics either by unre
stricted immigration or as citizens of
the United States under the annexation
of the Philippines ?
As to retaining these islands , the
whole scheme is one of forcible annexa
tion , dictated by commercial greed.
Commissioner Donby , who is popularly
supposed to dominate the commission
now in the Philippines , and doubtless
does , after stating the proposition as a
purely "business" one , has said :
"The cold , hard , practical question
alone remains : Will the possession of
these islands benefit us as a nation ? If
it will not , set them free tomorrow , and
let their people , if they wish , cut each
other's throats or play what pranks they
please. To this complexion we must
come at last , that , unless it is beneficial
for us to hold these islands wo should
turn them loose. "
If this does not dispose of the last
semblance of altruism , the last vestige
of benevolence , I do not know what fur
ther evidence is needed. We cannot as
similate alien races , and the invitation ,
however presented , to bring Oriental
peoples under the government of the
United States , with freedom to come
and go as citizens , means more just such
happenings as have disgraced this coun
try in the brutal murders of Chinese on
the Pacific coast , and of negroes in the
western and southern states. It is im
possible for the masses to overcome race
antipathy. The history of the world
shows that all branches of the Aryan
race will assimilate with each other , bul
never with the Mongolian , African , etc
The Spanish have come nearer to it with
the Indians and Malays than any other
nice , but it is only partial with them and
has resulted in the overthrow of Spain's
sovereignty in every colony whore it had
taken place. JOHN J. VALENTINE.
NO TRANSMITTED ANTAGONISM.
The head of every family should im
press it upon his descendants that nil of
lis fights and contentions with individ
uals die when ho dies ; and must bo
juried in forgotfuluess and the llowors of
forgiveness grown upon their graves.
The contentions and wrangles which
separate and aggravate some good men ,
ought never to be perpetuated. Anger
and wrath which have fired one genera
tion should bo extinguished with the
passing away of that generation.
THE CONSERVATIVE is against the con
servation of the causes of personal bit-
; ornoss and strife and there in nothing
more lamentable than to bequeath a
personal fight , quarrel or contention to
one's own sous. Lot each generation bo
satisfied to have its personal animosities
die when it dies. Cumulative causes of
trouble and uuhappiness should not bo
transmitted or impressed upon posterity.
A VISIT TO AN OTO13 COUNTY
' 'I see him directly I come in sight of
the place ; it was corn-shuokiu" time ,
and ho was throwin' corn into his crib.
Crib was , oh , I d'kuow , may bo twelve
foot high ; he never had no boards
knocked off the top , like the rest of us
do , just pitched the com clean over ;
looked like ho done it easy , too. Soon's
lie see mo , course , he came out to meet
mo ; didn't say a blame word , just
reached into the buggy an' picked mo
up , lifted mo clean over the wheel , an'
my feet never touched the ground till he
set me down inside the house. I weigh
about a huudred-n-seventy , but I was
stockier in them. days. Got into the
parlor , an' ho set me down in a chair ,
an' then what does he do but reach over
and got the big Bible oif the center-
table and nlank it down in my lap.
'There , ' he says , 'there's a good book ; '
an' off ho goes , 'thout another word , an'
I never see him again till he'd put up
my horse an' finished pitchin' in his
corn. Course 'twas all in fun. "
The county commissioners of Otoo
county , in the state of Nebraska can
beat the calendar. These three learned
officers of the law can make two days
labor out of the work done in one day
and get paid for same. They make out
and audit their own accounts. These
commissioners average salaries of about
eighty dollars each per mouth. They
must work at the rate of about eight to
ten dollars a day two days in one.
Their compensation per year is greater
than that of the average clerk , account
ant or book-keeper in Nebraska. When ' "V -
shall their salaries be increased ? When
will they make three days out of one ?
