1256 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



show him how he can accompHsh this 

 result with greater certainty and less ex- 

 ertion. We are also gradually bringing 

 about the raising of coffee, cacao, and 

 similar crops, which can bear the heavy 

 cost of transportation to the coast and 

 still be sold at a profit. 



The people of Bukidnon, many of 

 whom lived on rich and fertile plains, 

 actually believed that it was necessary to 

 go to the forest-clad mountains and clear 

 away the trees in order to get ground on 

 which food products could be raised. The 

 introduction of a few disc plows, with the 

 necessary work animals, soon demon- 

 strated to them that the splendid prairie 

 soil at their very doors would produce far 

 larger crops than they had been able to 

 get on the mountain sides with all their 

 hard work. 



Now the plows are kept going night 

 and day through the greater part of the 

 year. In one town, where a plow arrived 

 in advance of the cattle to pull it, 15 men 

 promptly hitched themselves to it and 

 kept it moving until the work animals 

 arrived ! 



In my opinion, Rizal's dictum that the 

 future of the Philippines lies with the 

 people of the mountains is likely to prove 

 a true saying. Their courage, loyalty, 

 and industry are admirable qualities on 

 which to build, and if the ''fair-deal" 



policy which has been inaugurated is 

 steadily adhered to they will go fast and 

 far. 



I have purposely omitted all reference 

 to the great work that has been done in 

 the Moro Province, which makes a story 

 by itself. It is a story of surpassing in- 

 terest, and it ought to be told by some 

 one of the many men who have played 

 an important part in the work. I myself 

 have had no direct connection with it. 



The men who are entitled to the lion's, 

 share of the credit for what has been 

 done for the non-Christian tribes of the 

 Philippines under American rule are the 

 provincial and subprovincial officials, 

 who, in the face of innumerable and ap- 

 parently insuperable obstacles, have car- 

 ried on their country's work with dogged 

 persistence and unfaltering courage, con- 

 tent to do the right thing because it 

 ought to he done. A Kipling would find 

 abundant material in the life of any one 

 of them for a true story of absorbing 

 interest, but no one of them would thank 

 him for telling such a story. 



If through the medium of this article 

 I succeed in conveying to some of their 

 countrymen even a vague idea of the 

 task which they have undertaken and of 

 the success they have achieved, I shall 

 be more than satisfied. 



