The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 52, 1841-1898: Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 52, 1841-1898: Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
there will be few children to transport after sixteen years. European
Spaniards, if prohibited from marrying native Filipino and mestizo
women, will marry only Filipino-Spanish women. Hence, as they
continue to retire to Spain, the white population will constantly
decrease. There will not be a sufficiently large number of whites to
become turbulent, and the domination of the Peninsula over the islands
will be ensured. This plan can be carried out at an annual expense
of about 40,000 pesos, and probably much less. This will really be
a saving over present expenses, for retirement and widows' pensions
cost more, the widow of an oidor receiving 18,000 reals vellon. Hence,
the passive classes receive about 175,000 pesos annually. However,
Mas does not advocate that those receiving pensions at present be
deprived of them or sent to Spain, as this would be unjust and cause
discontent. In former years the quarrels and discontent did not lead to
desire for independence. The population was not so great as now; also
(and especially) since an annual situado was sent from the Peninsula
to pay the government employes, and the latter thus depended on the
Spanish treasury, they would have gained nothing by rebelling. This
is the case at present in the Marianas Islands, where the officials
are paid and supported from the money and food sent there, and the
few whites there, consequently, have no desire for independence.] It
will also be asked, in addition, whether, in case the Philippine colony
separated at present, it would be possible for the white population to
become masters of the country, or would there be a tendency for them,
perhaps, to amalgamate with the colored population. The observation
is very just. The Filipino-Spaniards do not think of forming a body
with the (Indian) natives, nor is it possible for them to desire it,
for now they are the masters and in such an event they would become
equals and even inferiors, since the vast mass of the natives would
quickly reduce them to nullity in the matter of government, and
in place of the privileges and exemptions from paying taxes, which
they at present enjoy, they would more than once have to obey and
humble themselves before the very one who now mops the ground that
their foot touches. In the recent occurrence of Tayabas, [8] when
the first news of the insurrection arrived, I was at a gathering of
several Spanish leaders, and they all believed, or at least suspected,
that the whites of the country had compromised themselves in the
matter. I maintained immediately, and obstinately, that they were
mistaken in this, since however disloyal and intemperate one may fancy
the Filipino-Spaniards, it was impossible for me to believe that it
would ever enter their heads to arouse and arm the natives. In fact,
the true spirit of the movement was soon known, and it was seen that
the Filipino-Spaniards were as alarmed at the result (if not more
so) as were the Europeans. Their hopes and plans, then, can only be
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