Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-08-19
OUR FILIPINO ALLY.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GENERAL EMi-
L,O AGUlNALno, THE INsURGENT.
Quiet aud Ambitious, He 10 Unrumod
Alike In Victory and Defeat-His Head
quarters 1t Cavite - Aguinaldo's Simple
Reception Of visitors.

If General Emilio Aguinaldo, who
has declared himself dictator Of all the
Philippines, were to walk the streets Of
an American city, the casual observer
would take him for a Japanese student
or artisan. He Is short, but we'll knit,
has tho japanese cast Of face and form
Of head, and the casual observation
would be strengthened by bristly black
pompadour of the kind 90 common
among the mikado's subjects. There are
no outward or visible marks of genius
except that the general IL slow and de-
liberate. and that may be sign Of depth
and breadth of mental caliber. Agui.
naldo is unrufled alike in victory and
defeat. In tho privacy of his state cham.
Der he may execute double shuttle or
survey himself in q mirror when his
trusted lieutenants bring tidings Of q
fresh victory or he may toss on his cot
at night when the Spanish occasionally
have the advantage, but the visitor
searches in vain for the play of emotion,
sentiment. hope or despair when he is
presented.
The correspondent at Cavite Of the
New York Tribune brought Aguinaldo
the tidings from Hongkong of the seizure
of the cargo of the Pasig. The interpre-
tor was little slow in breaking the
news, but when it was told the chief
tain simply said it was ''too bad" and
extended the warmest thanks for the
unwelcome advices.
Aguinaldo's chief concern now is the
preservation Of his precious head. jap
anese heads are cheap enough nowadays,
but the Spanish have bid this one up to
$25, 900. When he first landed here,
Aguinaldo fought with his men, but
there soon came need for more exeou-
tive work and an increasing fear Of as
sassination, and the leader sought safety
in Cavite. There he is surrounded by a
corps Of his trusted followers. The safe
guards which surround him there are
such that he is protected from every
thing save the treachery Of those in high
place.
He has established headquarters In
the former home of a rich native, stu
ated on Gale de Arsenal, Cavities main
avenue. The house is broad, low, roomy
and typically Spanish. 1t was in old
Cavite. that Aguinaldo was born 20
years ago, and he has established his
aged mother and several of his relatives
in his headquarters. There is a paved
court at the street entrance, and a guard
Of insurgents line it on either side.
They come to o present for Americans,
and good form calls for salute in re.
turn. A stairway leads from the court,
and the landing at the top is large and
makes q good antechamber. Here stand
guards in uniforms of a material suspi-
ciously like blue gingham marked down
10 9 cents. IS. d, ~ ,,r.,>. ..,..,.,-
There is little delay for the American
|, visitor, and the summons to enter the
reception room comes quickly. The
presentations are simple. Aguinaldo
comes in,. extends his hand for q short
shake and then motions the visitors to
seats. He wears spotless suit Of white
linen, a white shirt with we'll polished
front, high collar and black cravat
tied in q bow and red velvet slippers
embroidered in gold.
When questioned as to his troops at
q recent interview, General Aguinaldo
examined small map showing the
provinces heading on Manila bay and
traced tho movements Of his troops, the
distribution Of his garrisons, the loca-
tions Of his lines and the prospective
advances with deliberation and mas
terry Of details that at least carried the
conviction Of triumph. He smiled over
the capture of Batangas without the
loss of man, but that was the only
change in his countenance in q long
interview. 1t took long stretch Of the
imagination to fully appreciate that the
quiet little man in spotless linen was
the leader of an active rebellion and
the ally of an invading force. Aguinal-
do is quite comfortable in the looted
town OF Cavite. In his Office he has a
modern desk, backed with bevel edg-
ed mirror that came from some Euro
pean mart; couple of large, strong
iron boxes for the dictatorial treasury,
an abundance Of easy chairs, All old
grand piano several feet taller than the
modern mako and q large hatrack of
fanciful design. The only signs of war
were tho ends Of sword chains that
peeped through holes in the gingham
coats Of the officers in attendance and
a metallic standard holder that leaned
against the hatrack.
The court Of the dictator Is not i'm
pressive A chamberlain was identified
as boatman who had worked for some
days for the newspaper correspondents,
and there were other touches of opera
bouffe. Agninaldo's present concern ia
the defeat Of August, and he will. not
discuss the future of the islands. He
and his followers, however, hope for
republic under limited American pro-
tectorate. Aguinaldo seems to possess
real ability, but none Of his followers
shine in the estimate of the Americans
here. They are of a rather low order,
as q rule, and generally ignorant and
illiterate, and Aguinaldo himself has
not completely proved his strength Of
character, but he has fought long and
hard, success is in sight, and he is am