s
for what they wish to give, and more often cheat them like Chinese. For
the Filipino is very stupid even in matters of self-interest. Once
I was with a Spaniard who was buying indigo. After the trading had
cost him more patience than Job must have had, the indigo was weighed
before him, the account was reckoned, the money made ready and placed
on the table in piles of 20 pesos, while there was one of 7, which
was placed separately, and another of reals and copper coins. The
man who had been most attentive to everything took the piles of 20's
and left the pile of 7. We called him back to tell him to take that
money which he had left. Thereupon he took the seven pesos, and it
was necessary to call him back the third time to tell him that all
the money on the table belonged to him. He himself had determined
that the price should be 52 or 53 per quintal, and then he took what
was given him. The majority are the same. Then it is learned that
a Chinese has bought for 20 the same quantity of indigo for which a
Spaniard offered 25. It is said that a Filipino would rather receive
one real from a Chinese than one peso from a Spaniard, as we have
just seen was written by Father Gaspar." (Mas, pp. 73, 74.)

[154] "And tell me, your Paternity," says Delgado (p. 309), "who is
not given to this vice in this land?"--an interesting commentary on
social conditions.

[155] Commenting on this, Delgado (p. 309) says: "Who are the ones who
cut the timber, and build the ships, galleys, and galliots, as says
Father Murillo, and work in the ships in the port? Then they do this
stretched out in their houses, as says our father master? It is true
that they are always poor, but the true cause of that is different. Let
them not admit into Manila so many heathen Chinese, who possess in
themselves all the trades and employments, by which one may seek
his livelihood. The Indians would apply themselves to these trades,
and would not lie stretched out in their houses, for the Sangleys do
not allow them to engage in these or to seek their livelihood."

Mas says (pp. 75-77): "I have never read a single manuscript or
printed book about the Filipinos that does not speak of their laziness.

"I, accustomed to hear the term 'lazy' given to Spaniards, and to
other men who have been or are idle--rather through the influence
of bad laws or because of the lack of laws, than because of the
impulses of their physical organization--was ready to believe that
th