The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-02

abroad of the sons of the executed
Philippine leaders. 1t was, however
held for a probable emergency. and
the emergency came The Spanish
with characteristic treacnery, broke
every promise made the disbanded in
surgents, slaughtered their leaders. and
welded the letters of the people only
the more tightly. The friars were at
the bottom of this, and they knew no
mercy. The result might have been
foreseen. The people were driven into
very frenzy and another revolution
Which became an avalanche of retribu-
ton which nothing could stop. 1t was
at this time that the American fleet
came to the aid of the struggling Fiji
ipinos. Dewey's grand victory toNe1
the knell of Spanish tyranny in tne
Philippines, and Aguinaldo at once en-
tered into relations with the victorious
Americans
The money at his disposal was spent
for arms, and with these and other
munitions of war received from his
American allies he returned to the is
lands. An enthusiastic welcome await
ed him here. He was Joined by thou
sands, and in few weeks had no less
than fifty thousand natives under his
command. Only a few thousand of
these were armed with modern accou-
trements; but they were all ablaze
with enthusiasm, and town after town
was taken. / think him to be a pure
and sincere patriot. Believe me, from
what / know of the man. he will fight
even the Americans themselves rather
than see the islands or any part OF
them given back to Spain. He is in
tensely bitter against the friars as he
has reason to be, as they have been
the most cruel oppressors. After
when the government wished to carry
iato effect certain imperative reforms,
it was they who thwsrted every adj
vance.
Aguinaldo has unbounded influence
with his countrymen, and, notwith-
standing S25, 900 has been offered for his
head, not one attempt. has yet been
made upon his life. He is bravery per-
sonified and this is the secret of his
power. The Filipinos win never follow
a coward. They are naturally fatalists
and Indifferent to death, and have the
greatest contempt for a man who
shows the slightest evidence of fear.
This IS Why they SO despise the Chinese.
Aguinaldo is always at the head and is
a born leader. He takes the Initiative
in every case, and consults with no one.
He will brook no opposition, and his
followers know this He has had one or
TWO wouid-be rivals, but they cannot
Withstand him. He is supreme in the
affection and in the confidence of the
people, and I believe him to possess
wonderful administrative talent. His
one consuming passion is liberty, his
one thought the contamination of that
end. He is perhaps not always very
scrupulous as TO the attainment of his
end; vet his proclamations are surely
both wise and moderate, his conduct all
that one would ask In even European
dictator; few, indeed, have shown
! themselves as modest and as merclful.
In appearance he Is of medium height
and rather slender-though supple,
strong and muscular. He holds his head
very erect and is possessed of tremen-
dous egotism and some personal vanity
He dresses neatly, and in common with
his countTyman, is rather fond of pomp
and ceremony. His complexion is light
brown. and his eyes are black and in
tensely piercing. He wears his jet-back
hair pompadour, and has a quick but
deliberate manner. His countenance is
impressive, and he masks his emotions
with a smile.
IN speech he is direct and intense,
and In a harangue has no equal. His
addresses to his troops never fail to in
cite them to a fury Of enthusiasm. On
such occasions he becomes transformed
and his personality is overwhelming.
His soldiers hang upon every word and
obey his every oehest unquestioningly.
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