The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-28
CHIEF OF THE FILIPTNOS.
AGUINALDO. VINO CALLS HIMSELF
PRESTDENT AND WEARS 4
GOLD WHISTLE

acrupulouS 1ounE Man Whose Peopl
obey His slightest Bshest-An Adven
tdrer Who, in n Small Way, Emulate
Napoiaon-He Intended to Enrich Him
self with the spoiIs Of MRnila-Unplens
antness Growing Out 81 His Mistrust q
Our Intentions-Terribie Misrule of IN,
spaniards Gave Him His OppOrtunity
CAvTTE. Philippine Islands. July 22.-Sehol
Don Emilio ARuinaldo y F~aury-there was
time not so long ago when he left OF both thu
front and rear ends Of that name-is a verJ
clever young man. He has read the story Of 6
young man from Corsica. who made consider
able history at the other end Of the century
Far be II from any carpihg critic TO suggest that
he ondeavors to initiate that master OF artil-
lery. But there are certain marked traits which
the two men have in common. even TO the de-
sire TO wear gold collars. They say he is %
years old. and he looks II. It is a noticeable fact
that all the leaders Of the Filipinos nre young
that Is the result OF the conditions which make
the background Of the revolutions, which make.
In fact. the leaders themselves. Spanish artists
have painted many gloomy pictures. Their
work has been In dark colors and sombre hues.
The galleries hang many of their portrayalso OF
..ruffering. Spanish realism in the Philippine
Islands has produced a work all black and red.
all sorrow and suffering. outrage and anger.
nHtTeu anu l0JuStlCe. muTutT unu DIOOu, VII
hardly a bright spot in all the canvas. These
young Filipinos represent a new idealist school.
and the day OF the old master Is done forever.
BEGAN LIFE Az A SERVANT.
In the days when young Aguinaldo was
neither Senior nor Don. hut Just plain Emilio.
he was servant boy for a Jesuit priest. and
there lay the beginnings Of his fortune. for this
Jesuit. true TO the traditions and teachings Of
his order. however false to the policy OF his
Church. gave the boy the foundation of the ed
ucation which by its development has given
him the mastery over his people. The native
wit got the tools with which to work. and
boundlcss ambition drove It on until achieve
ment is assuming proportions beyond the Wild
est dream Of boyhood servant days. He left the
priest and studied medicine. He went to Hong
Kong and saw something Of other peoples and
OF other intellects than degenerate Spanish or
undevelopcd Filipino.
HORRORS OF SPANISH RULE.
In this growth to manhood and this struggle
for education young Aguinaldo found personal
experience Of the amazing blindness OF the
masters OF the islands. The rule OF the Spanish
in the Philippines is almost beyond belief.
Nevertheless the testimony is convincing.
The nation which deliberately does all in its
power to retard the progress Of learning. to
prevent the education of its people. has small
claim to civilization. In these islands II was
practically q crime for a Filipino to achieve any
education. II he came to the notice of the
authorities 1t was more than probable that. IL
he were not disposed Of more effectively. he
would be exiled. Aguinaldo suffered this pun
ishment for his ambition. and now he Is taking
revenge. His friends. his relatives. suffered
similarly. and now strive with him for VEN
Reance on the Spaniard. He has taken his
vengeance by what means no could, and II his
methods have not always been most consistent
our standards of honor, ii must be remem
bered who were his masters and from whom he
learned the lesson Of good faith.
shall not try to tell the story OF the Filipi-
nos. Aspot here and there shows the trend
of their own development, and OF their work.
They are stoical in endurance. one benefit OF
three centuries of Spanish oppression and mis-
rule. They cali endure and be still, endure
physical pain and suffering. with the outward
Indifference OF a red Indian. They have the !
patience of Fdmbe Serdno. limitlesa courage OF
the fighting sort, and ambition. in the case OF
their leaders, that knows neither metes nor
bounds, In manners they are polite and
and intercourse with European
civilization has given some OF their leaders a
distinguishing polish. They affect the hauteur
and the reserve of their old Spanish rulers. and
thereby attach to themselves the dignity of
position. The people are simple. open-heRrtad.
hOspitalle. with an unsuitable faith in the
wisdom. the ability and the truth OF their lead
ers. Especially is this true Of Aguinaldo. BY
means he acquired his hold on the
Filiplnos, his word now is law with them. as
Gen. Anderson has found out in his brief eX-
perienc, here.
INFLUENCE OF A CORRUPT PRIESTHOOD.
Father Cecilio Damian. pastor Of the church
at San Rogue. the village across the Causeway
from CavitG. told me that there was but one
ronl nunCn fnr tho rohallion thpuuh thok ono
cause produced many second causes. That
one cause was the priests. This is a Catholic
country.
How many people are there in all the Philip
pine Islands ~ ! asked Father namian.
"Eight Millions he replied. Perhaps a
more: perhaps a few less"
How many Catholics are there in the Philip
pines % asked.
Eight millions. Perhaps a few more: per-
haps u few loss"
Altogether there were about 1900 priests
when the Filipinos rebelled. There were Au-
Dominicans. Franciscans, Logar-
lists. and Jesuits. All but the Jesuits had ma
famam" throughout the islands. Father
did me the honor to endeavor to I'M
derstand my Latin. which no one else has ever
been able to do. but that, after all. was not so
Father Reany. chaplain OF the Olympia.
being the chief talker. Latin being the only
ground between us. the range OF the
Interview was not wide. 1t began with our In
Iuiry for the twenty-three priests who had
been imprisoned in the old convent at Cavite.
Father Damian agreed with our assertion that
here had been twenty-three priests. There
he stopped for a long time. Finally, by dint
N English. Spanish. German. French. and
Latin. a large measure OF the first which
no failed completely to understand, and
/ small scattering OF the others. which
le crashed at In the traditional fash
ON Of the drowning man and the tradi-
aional straw. We drove 1t through his head that
We wanted TO know where those twenty-three
priests were. They had been moved that {
morning, and 1 wanted one OF them who had
been getting some material for me. When the q
meaning OF our remarks finally dawned on ]
father Damian his face lighted up with a ]
'mile that was beautiful to see. Always before c
he had replied mon intelHgo." but now sure +