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Title: The Philippine Islands
Author: John Foreman
Release Date: September 30, 2007 [EBook #22815]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS ***
Commercial History of the Philippine Archipelago
Embracing the Whole Period of Spanish Rule
With an Account of the Succeeding American Insular Government
London: T. Fisher Unwin
1, Adelphi Terrace.
MCMVI
It would be surprising if the concerns of an interesting Colony like the _Philippine Islands_ had not commanded the attention of literary genius.
de Comyn and others, nor do I aspire, through this brief composition,
to detract from the merit of Jagor's work, which, in its day, commended
itself as a valuable book of reference. But since then, and within
the last twenty years, this Colony has made great strides on the
path of social and material progress; its political and commercial
importance is rapidly increasing, and many who know the Philippines
have persuaded me to believe that my notes would be an appreciated
addition to what was published years ago on this subject.
The critical opinions herein expressed are based upon personal
observations made during the several years I have travelled in and
about all the principal islands of the Archipelago, and are upheld
by reference to the most reliable historical records.
An author should be benevolent in his judgement of men and manners and guarded against mistaking isolated cases for rules. In matters of history he should neither hide the truth nor twist it to support a private view, remembering how easy it is to criticize an act when its sequel is developed: such will be my aim in the fullest measure consistent.
By certain classes I may be thought to have taken a hypercritical view
of things; I may even offend their susceptibilities--if I adulated
them I should fail to chronicle the truth, and my work would be a
deliberate imposture.
I would desire it to be understood, with regard to the classes and
races in their collectedness, that my remarks apply only to the large
majority; exceptions undoubtedly there are--these form the small
minority. Moreover, I need hardly point out that the native population
of the capital of the Philippines by no means represents the true
native character, to comprehend which, so far as its complicacy can
be fathomed, one must penetrate into and reside for years in the
interior of the Colony, as I have done, in places where extraneous
influences have, as yet, produced no effect.
pages, but this is not exclusively a History, or a Geography, or an Account of Travels--it is a concise review of all that may interest the reader who seeks for a general idea of the condition of affairs in this Colony in the past and in the present.
The success which has attended the publication of the Second Edition of this work has induced me to revise it carefully throughout, adding the latest facts of public interest up to the present period.
Long years of personal acquaintance with many of the prime movers in
the Revolutionary Party enabled me to estimate their aspirations. My
associations with Spain and Spaniards since my boyhood helped me,
as an eye-witness of the outbreak of the Rebellion, to judge of the
opponents of that movement. My connection with the American Peace
Commission in Paris afforded me an opportunity of appreciating the
noble desire of a free people to aid the lawful aspirations of millions
of their fellow-creatures.
My criticism of the regular clergy applies only to the four religious
confraternities in their lay capacity of government agents in these
Islands and not to the Jesuit or the Paul fathers, who have justly
gained the respect of both Europeans and natives: neither is it
intended, in any degree, as a reflection on the sacred institution
of the Church.
I take this opportunity of acknowledging, with gratitude, my
indebtedness to Governor-General Luke E. Wright, Major-General Leonard
Wood, Colonel Philip Reade, Major Hugh L. Scott, Captain E. N. Jones,
Captain John P. Finley, Dr. David P. Barrows, Mr. Tobias Eppstein, and many others too numerous to mention, who gave me such valuable and cordial assistance in my recent investigations throughout the Archipelago.
This book is not written to promote the interests of any person or
party, and so far as is consistent with guiding the reader to a fair
appreciation of the facts recorded, controversial comment has been
avoided, for to pronounce a just dictum on the multifarious questions
involved would demand a catholicity of judgement never concentrated
in the brain of a single human being.
I am persuaded to believe that the bare truth, unvarnished by flattery,
will be acceptable to the majority, amongst whom may be counted all
those educated Americans whose impartiality is superior to their
personal interest in the subject at issue.
It is therefore confidently hoped that the present Edition may merit
that approval from readers of English which has been so graciously
accorded to the previous ones.
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