Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-07-06
AGUlNALDO and HIS CAUSE.
Now York Evening Pos. -

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fight against usP How far does he |
represent the people of the Philip.
pines in his resistance to American |
sovereignty? What is his following and |
what its character? Do the people
really believe they are fighting for in
dependence and the right to govern
themselves? Is Aguinaldo their chosen
and trusted leader, or self-appointed
tyrant from whose domination the
Filipinos would be glad to escape?
These are questions which,a great many
Americans are asking themselves now,
and we are indebted to the Hon. John
Barrett, our former Minister to Siam, for
a very full and undoubtedly authentic
answer to all of them. Mr.. Barrett 10
at present in great favor with the I'm
perialistic press, because he is strong
In the expression of his belief that the
auti-Imperialists are responsible mainly
for the proongation of the war, since
their utteranoes have encouraged the
Filipinos to continue their resistance
to our assumption of sovereignty.
We find in the pages of the Review
of Reviews for July, advance sheets Of
which have been sent to the press, an
extremely interesting article by Mr..
Barrett. upon the philippine situation.
He reiterates therein the views, which
he has expressed repeatedly elsewhere,
and which 1--we have published, concern.
ing the harmful influence Of the anti
Imperialists. 1t is not necessary to
reproduce those now. What is of yalun
in his article is the account which he
gives of Aguinaldo and his relations to
the Philippine people, and this portion
we quote in full elsewhere. 1t presents
the most favorable picture of Aguinaldo
and his cause that has yet been pub.
lished in this country. 1t represents
him as the idolized popular leader, who
had returned to his country under the
protection of the ships of nation, called
America, which had gone to war with
Spain and would give them freedom
and Independence at once" The "im-
preston went abroad among the masses
of the people that Aguinaldo had
arrived to establish an independent
government and that the Americans
would assist him. The people fiocked
to HIM in such numbers that he had
contributions Of large sums of money,
unlimited supplies Of food. and more
soldiers than he could arm. The
people were educated to believe that
they were to have absolute independ-
ence.' rs
Within a few months, Aguinaldo
organized government which ''de-
veloped into much more elaborate
affair than its most ardent supporters
had originally expected" BY the
middle Of October; 1893, says Mr.. Bar.
rett: $50
He had assembled at Malolos a con
gress of 100 men, who would compare
in behavior, manner, dress and educa-
tion with the average men of the better
classes of other Asiatic nations, possibly
including the Japanese. These men,
whose sessions / repeatedly attended,
conducted themselves with great de.
| corum, and showed u knowledge of
| debate and parliamentary law that
would not compare unfavorably with
| the Japanese Parliament. The execu-
tive portion Of the government wBs
made up Of ministry of bright men
who seemed to understand their re-
spective positions. Each general
division was subdivided with reference
to practical work.. a, There was large
force of under secretaries and clerks,
who appeared to be kept very busy with
routine labor" 6s
| Does that sound like the description
of an assemblage Of sayages, or OF an
assemblsge Of Intelligent men, who
knew what they wanted-isnew their
rights, and were bound to maintain
them? And now read what Mr.. Barrett
says Of the army which Aguinaldo col
leeted: ~"
1.-The army, however, of Aguinaldo
was the marvel Of his achievements.
He had over 20 regiments of compare
lively well-organized, we'll drilled and
well-dressed soldiers, carrying modern
rifles and ammunition. saw many of
these regiments executing not only
regimental, but battalion and COM
pany drill, with precision that aston
ished me. Certainly as far as dress was
concerned, the comparison with the
uniform of our soldiers was favorable
largely, except in the higher positions,
with young men who were ambitious
to win honors and were not merely
show fighters. The people in all the
different towns took great rride In this
army. Nearly every family had a
father, son, or cousin in it, Wherever
they went they reused enthusiasm for
the Filipino cause. Tho impression
made upon the inhabitants of the
interior by such displays can be readily
appreciated. AguiDaldo and his prin-
cipal lieutenants also made frequent
visits to the principal towns, and were
received with the same earnestness that
We show in greeting successful Presi-
dent +" ~
We submit that when Mr.. Barrett
publishes facts like these, he does more
to discredit the war which we are
carrying forward in the Philippines
than all the utterances OF the, anti.
imperialists, and all the soldiers letters
combined, can do. He makes an effort
to show that Aguinaldo is culpable,
because when no found that the a meri
cans were not going to Withdraw and
leave the Filipinos to rule their owr
country, he concealed the fact from his
followers. He also endeavors to show
that while our forces maintained fmost
agreeable relations with Aauinaldt
when he first returned, Admiral Dewey
was careful to avoid formal recogni
tion." But Mr.. Barrett knows very
we'll that there is other evidence Of
this point which establishes beyont
dispute that Aguinaldo and his Sol
lowers were led to believe that they
would be helped by the A mericans'tt
establish their own independence
There is the Official dispatch OF Admjra
, Dewey himself, sent TO tho Secretar,
of the Navy on June 9th, 1885,.
"Aguinaldo, insurgent leader, witt
IL Of his staff, arrived May 18th, p,
, permission, on the Nashan. 4 " vi
; have given him to understand that
consider insurgents as friends, beinl
opposed to common enemy. He ha
gone to attend meeting of insurgen
| s. ~ - a..