Identifier: philippinelifein00lero (find matches)
Title: Philippine life in town and country
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: LeRoy, James A. (James Alfred), 1875-1909
Subjects:
Publisher: New York : Putnam
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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t inthe Philippines, and cannot be disregarded. Yetit is possible to see that there are other circum-stances which have entered into the accountagainst the Filipino labourer as lazy and im-provident, and a reasonable optimism may enter-tain the belief that, with altered conditions, hemay become fairly industrious, that is, industriousfor the tropics. He has been, in the main, hope-lessly ignorant; education, even of the simplestsort, will put him less at the disposal of his in-dustrial master and lord. His physical wantshave been few, and his pleasures gross, if simple.On the spiritual side he has been stimulatedmainly through his superstitions, and the priestlyexactions of the past regime, while not great noroppressive as a rule, have ceased to be beneficialeven in the way of stimulating the peasant tolabour, as that peasant has become somewhatsophisticated and inclined to shirk this burdenin all ways possible. In the old atmosphere ofthe Philippines, it was impossible that the ordi-
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Typical Filipino Community 77 nary labourer would look to the future, or aim atanything more than meeting the necessities andgrasping the pleasures of the moment. Unlesswe assume that no race indigenous to the tropicswill ever advance, under any circumstances,beyond that stage, there is cause to expect thateducation and expanding opportunities will breeda reasonable degree of ambition. In the last seven years the Filipinos wantshave grown with rising wages, sometimes fasterthan the wages, which have doubled and trebledthroughout the archipelago. He may incline topatent leathers, if he be a young dandy, ratherthan to books, to cheap watches rather than tobetter food; but at least, be his judgment often sodeficient, he has not displayed that apathy to animprovement in his material surroundings whichsome have assumed in the native of the tropics.Always, the Filipino has displayed considerableapplication and tenacity in sticking to a job wherethere was a definite end or reward in sight. H

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