The times., 1898-08-14
AGUINALDo's YOUTH
from student to Farmer. Then Chief
of the Insurgents


Ihe young msn-he is only tUen+v-sa,--
en- years cId-whO is at the head of thirty
thousand Philippine insurgents and vb,
mas caused the President of the United
states some anxious hours. was born in
the village of linus. in the province Of Ca
Vite. and lived there until the rebellion
His family titled the soiI-rice fields and
sugar cane-the possession Of which the
order of the "RecoHets." the grearast
proprietors Of the province. contested by
incessant lawsuits. The father of As,in-
aldo. having little means, endured great
( PT7vatidns in order to enter his son in -lfIe
College of ST. Jean de Lateran. then at
the University of St. Tomas. at Manila.
The cost of entering these establishments
is high enough; it varies from LOO 20
100 francs a year. according TO the
wealth OF the family.
In this school he studied Latin grammar
ana Spanish grammar Although he
passed easily from college TO the unfver-
sity, the professors regarded him as stu
pid- ms Dominicans, says a Manila
writer IN lie Temps. of Paris. "despairing
OF making AguinaidO any credit TO them
sent him back to his father, advising the
latter to embrace for his son a career
quite other than that OF the priest, of Iet-
tars or of science-the profession of arms
Gen AcaTraga, who was born in the
Philippines. who has been chief of state
at Madrid. minister of war and lately
president of the council OF minister's IN
spain, also made his first studies al the
University of st. Tomas, and was also
sent back 10 his family as an incapable
student
The father of Aguinaldo naturally did
n p f..r~ -
teIiIsence OF his son. and entered him at
the normal school which the Jesuit
fathers directed at Manila; he was be-
ginning there TO be noticed by his pro-
fessOrs, when his father died He re-
turned 10 linus and devoted himself ca
gerly 10 cuitivating his patrimOny. in
spite of the persistence of the RecOllets
in not recognizing his rights
Thus matters went on until 1898. when
DR.. Rizal created at Manila the Philip
pine League II has no other object.
this league. than TO unite politically the
archipelago with the metropolis 1t was
OF short duration. for, 10 belong To it. it
was necessary TO have an annual revenue
OF 2.010 francs. Rial was deported. and
soon afterward was formed another secret
I society which in a short time counted
more than 250.0o0 members. 1t called it
self by the name OF 'Katipunan.' which
siSnineS society or cooperation and OF
protection for rural socialists
1T was then that the government of the
| Philippines. confOunding the members of
the 'katipunan' with those of the Philip
pine League and the Free MasOns. under
took against the natives the policy of re-
preston. cruel and merciIess. which has
| been so fatal. An order was given TO ar
rest Aguinaldo. who was suspected of be-
! ing one of the most active chiefs OF the
/ Free MaSonS- The Spanish officer
charged with this mission presented him
/ self before the dwelling with a dozen
/ native soldiers armed with bayonets.
I Aguinaldo. without an fnstant's hesita-
/ ton. knocked out the brains of the un-
happy officer: then. haranguing his es-
I cort, he shamed them at being in the ser
I vice OF power which for so many CEN
+ turies had oppressed the country. His
4 appeal TO rebellion was without doubt
+ eloquent, for the little troop acclaimed
/ him. and putting him at its head. went
} out of linus, gaining the wooded heights
7 which surround the village.
This was the nucleus of the insurgent
army, which now consists of not less than
: $1,000 combatants, having for its unques-
toned chief the blackballed student OF
the University of st. Tomas