At the Army Navy Club is a library that specializes in military genres. When we visited it during the orientation tour, our guide meant to highlight a peculiar item called a "death mask." It is a custom among some military that when a beloved member dies, a mold is made of the deceased's head. The resulting imitation is the "death mask" that we ooo-ed and aahh-ed when we visited the library. Something else, however, caught my eye. A tiny green book on which I saw the word "Philippines."
Some guy at the eve of the 20th century wrote about the impressions of my native country and her peoples and it was not favorable! It was downright shocking and a little enraging. The author pointed out positive attributes but it paled in comparison to the negative ones.
"The hot and moist air, while unfavorable to Europeans and Northern Americans, enable more languid and contented races to thrive ...
The aborigines, Negritos, are physically small and mentally low, so incapable of improvement that scientific reasoners do not regret their dying out. The savages, still infesting the mountain and forest recesses, have never submitted to the Spanish arsenal of sword, thumbscrew, rack, damp cells, and strappado; they remain unenlightened ...
Taken at their best, that is, unaffected by the mistraining under the departed government (the Spanish) which fostered treachery and cunning by its cruelty, the Filipinos are asserted to be honest, hospitable and affable."
Why do the Americans even bother to liberate us from the Spanish? Resources of course! Here is what the Philippines have to offer.
"The article of produce by which Europe and America know the place is hemp, Manila rope being used extensively in whaling fleets and the present navies, wire rope not having ousted it from its pride of place as yet. But the soil is fertile for grain, mainly rice, the main item on the Philippine bill of daily fare, bread fruit, plantains, mangoes, etc.; some culture is given to cotton, tobacco, sugar-cane and sisal; it is stated assuringly that the United States could be supplied with all the sugar needed from our new acquisition alone."
It's not an incredible surprise that conquering nations think this of the Filipinos, but I was stirred irately to read such a candid account.
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