The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-12
A Philippine ROMANCE.
AguinnIdO Alleged to Have Gone to
War Because of Love.
From The New York Journal.

War Because of Love.
From the New York Journal
Manila, Nov. 9.-Aguinaldo. the Philip
pine dictator and president of the revolu-
tonary government of the islands, Is not
having things entirely his own way OF
late enemies among his own people have
developed and have been causing him con-
siderable trouble and embarrassment.
Thus far there has been no open nor
formidable attack made upon him other
than the stories and reports which those
Filipinos who seek to become his rivals in
leadership have been circulating regarding
him.
Among a number of the better class of
the Philippine people there has now de-
veloped considerable opposition to Agui-
naldo. They charge that he is scarcely able
to read and write; that his calling in life
is nothing more than that Of barber
which trade he learned when ne was quite
young.
Like all Tagalos, to which tribe he be-
longed, what little education he received
was in the parochial schools Of the monks
and friars, and, therefore, it is alleged he
is influenced by the teachings and instrIc-
tons of the religious orders whom, the
>Filipinos fear, he viii not Gust when Span
ism sovereignty is reiinquished, should ne
become actual president of the islands
His enemies then go back into his life
and declare that his hatred of the Spanish
and his determination to create revOlu-
ton arose as a result of a love experience,
rather than from the injustice which Spain
had practiced upon his people, and that,
further in attacking the government of
Spain he saw an opening to promote his
own interests and aspirations.
In this connection the story is told that
about ten years ago Aguinaldo was about
10 marry a Mestize girl of Cavite, who was
then studying in a convent there. Aguin-
aldo managed to induce the girl to escape
and flee wi n him, against the will of the
monks. Together they fed to Mindanao
where the Two were captured by the off
GERS of the government, at the request Of
the monks. and Aguinaldo was brought to
Manila in chains and the girl returned to
Cavite and placed in the convent.
Aguinaldo was charged with abduction
and was sentenced to serve one year in
prison. During his imprisonment Agunal-
do planned to secure revenge against the
Spanish authorities for depriving him of
his wife, whose father was a Filipino of
considerable wealth and owned an estate
some distance from Cavite.
He studied how he could attack those
whom he believed to have wronged him,
and decided upon a master stroke by which
he hoped to wrench the government trom
the hands of the Spaniards and set him
self up as an independent ruler of the
islands.
He did not know now he was going to
set about doing such thing, bur ne de-
termined to do So He had no money and
was not widely known throughout the ISL
ands. Upon being liberated he undertook
an investigation of the methods of the
Spanish officials and learned something of
their corruption. These facts ne spread
broadcast among the people and made him
self known through them.
Aguinaldo next Joined a small party of
conspirators in Manila for the overthrow
of the Spanish government, and soon be-
came their leader He was active in sup
port of the movement, and readily drew
a large number of supporters to the cause
of the independence of the Philippines
The Spaniards soon saw that his influ-
ence was growing, and that he was liable
to make trouble. They accordingly gave
him a sum Of money to desist from his
attack upon the Spanish authorities and
to abandon the cause of revolution. He
accepted the amount, retired TO Hong Kong
and made an agreement not to return to
the islands. This fact his enemies among
the Fiipinos have not forgotten.
Aguilando remained in Hong Kong for
several years, and. believing that there
was another opportunity to make a strike,
and having expended nearly all of his
money, he returned to the islands at the
time Admiral Dewey sailed for Manila,
and was soon again established as the
leader of the revolutionary government.
Just at that time the Philippine people
needed a leader, and he took advantage
of this circumstance 10 establish himself
as dictator. II is not probate that these
attacks made upon Aguinaldo by his enc
mics will amount to much. but they are
nevertheless made by leading Fiipinos,
who AgIinaldo's friends and supporters
charge in return are but the hirelings of
Spain, and open enemies TO the independ-
ence of the Islands.