Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-02-04
aetiseellanepas &saaing.
AGUINALDO.
Sketch of the Leader of the
Philippines.

AGUINALDO.
Interesting Sketch of the Leader of the
Philippines.
In his features, face and skull Aguin-
aldo looks more like European than
Malay. He is what would be called
d handsome man, and might be COM
pared with many young men in the
province of Analusia, Spain. If there
be truth in phrenology he is a man
above the common. The zone of the
skull, which indicates mentality, is
we'll developed for European-ab-
normally large for a Malay. The
moral zone is of medium development
and the animal of cerebellar zone is
comparatively small, with the excep-
ton of the reach over the ears, indi-
eating destructiveness and cruelty.
The phrenologist would be bourne
out by the consensus of those who
know him. Friends and enemies agree
that he is intelligent, ambitious, far
sighted, brave, self.controlled, honest,
moral, vindictive, and at times cruel.
He possesses the quality which friends
call wisdom and enemies call craft.
According to those who like him he is
courteous, polished, thoughtful and
dignifed; according to those who dis
like him he is insincere, pretentious,
vain and arrogant. Both admit him
to be genial, generous, self-sacrifcing,
popular and capable in the administra-
ton of affairs. If the opinion of his
foes be accepted he is one of the great
est Malays on the page of history. If
the opinion of his friends be taken as
the criteron he is one of the great men
of history irrespective of race.
AGUINALDo.
Aguinaldo was an apt scholar. He
was precocious like the Malay, ambi-
tious like the Caucasian, and he had
memory like that of Chinaman-the
greatest memory possessed by man.
At the age of 7 he was the equal OF
most half-breed boys of ~, and at 10
he was mentally the superior of most
of the Tagals and half-breeds of the
district.
When he was IA or Is he was en-
rolled in the medical department of the
Pontifcal University of Manila, under
Professors Nadia and Buitrago. He
was bright student, but nothing is
known of his college career. Shortly
after this time he committed what is an
objectionable sin, both secular and
religious, in the Philippines by joining
the Masonic order. Masonry was a
prohibited thing in the Philippines un'
der Spanish rule, and any man joining
the organization might under an an
cient law be tortured and executed.
About this time Gn 1889 he had some
trouble with the authorities and went
to Hong Kong, where there was a fair
sized colony of Philippine exiles and
also of Filipinos who had crossed the
China Sea in business enterprises.
Here he obtained his first knowledge
of the great world outside of the mar
row Spanish civilization in which he
had been brought up. He attended
the drills and parades of the British
garrisons, frequented the gunshops on
Queens Road, purchased firearms for
his own use, and in every way tried to
increase his fund of practical knowl-
edge. According to report he crossed
over into Kowloon and served short
time in the Chinese army, and there
finding that nothing more could be
learned from the corrupt mandarins
who oficered the troops, but never
drilled them, he obtained his discharge
and joined the crew of Chinese war
ship which had some European instruc-
tors. He met the late Captain Nc
Giffin and is said to have served under
him several months. Whether these
rumors are true or not, one thing is
clear during his stay in Hong Kong
and that neighborbood he gained a
wide knowledge of warfare, both mil
itary and naval, and read many books
upon strategy and the campaigns of
Bonaparte, Wellington, Won Moltke,
and Grant; and there are numerous
photographs in existence in that city
of him in both soldier and sailor uni
forms. During the past year he has
surprised many new acquaintance
with his knowledge and accurate opin-
ions upon the famous battles and gen.
erals of Europe and America during
ha pracont npptnry
AGUINALDO BEFORE THE WAR.
The action of the United States in
January, 1898, produced as much ex.
citement and discussion in Hong Kong
as in New York, London or Madrid. 1t
was cloud very large and very dark
upon the horizon, and it portended dis
aster and retribution to Spain. Pro-
badly no one in Washington at that
time thought of the Philippine end Of
the question. The American ear had
heard the cry of "Cuba Libre" so long
that it was deaf to the cry of "Filipi-
nos Libres" on the other side of the
world. The Spaniards themselves do
not seem to have perceived the possible
outcome of struggle between the two
powers. Even as late as March no
Spanish commander appeared TO have
given any attention TO the defence OF
Luzon and the other islands against
an American fleet. Aguinaldo showed
remarkable foresight from the begin
ming. He told his colleagues and follow
ers that the opportunity had come. He
made contracts with adventures to
deliver arms in the Philippines, and he
displayed extraordinary activity in