The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-12
A STUDY OF AGUINALDo.
CHARACTER SKETCH OF THE
LEADER OF THE FIIIPINOs.

Man of Much AbiIity-The Intimate
Personality of an individual Who
Appears Somewhat at Odds with
Uncle Sam at the Present writing
writer in the American Review of Re
views gives character sketch of AguI-
naldo which presents that leader of the
Philippines in a somewhat different light
from that in which he is regarded by most
Americans. The following is an abstract
of the article in question:
To understand Agunaldo thoroughly one
must understand the Philippines thor
oughly. To do this with existing infor-
nation Is exceedingly difficult 1t is,
therefore, more difficult TO make a correct
and complete analysis of the man.
In his features. face and skull Aguinaldo
looks more like a European than a Ma
lay. He is what would be called a hand
some man, and might be compared with
many young men in the province of An
dalusia, Spain. If there be truth in phre-
nology he is a man above the common.
The phrenology would be borne out by
the consensus of those who know him.
Friends and enemies agree that he is in
teiligent, 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
dignihed; according to those who dislike
him he is insincere, pretentious vain and
arrogant. Both admit him TO be genial.
generous, self-saerihcing, popular and ca
pablo in the administration of affairs.
Like all great men he has had a very
checkered career. He claims TO have been
born in the province of Cavite, and at any
rate il was in this province that he was
first known as little boy. His friends
say that he was the son of a Spanish gem
eral; his enemies at Manila that he was
the offspring of a dissolute but learned
Jesuit. At the age of 4 he was a house
boy in the home of a Jesuit priest in Ca
vite. A house-boy In the Philippines, as
in China, plays the part of house-dog
rather than that of a domestic servant. If
the head of the house Is cruel. he Is kick
ed and cuffed by everybody and lives on
short commons; If his master is kind and
affectionate he enjoys about the same at
ttitllOIl as one vi tue ctiilhTNAl VI the lam
lily. Aguinaldos master was a very
kind man and took deep interest in the
welfare of his little protege. He dress
ed him we'll so much so as to excite the
notice and even the wrath of some neigh
bors. More important still, he gave the
boy an education which, though unequal
to what every child receives in the United
States was a hundredfold better than
what is bestowed upon the little Tagals OF
Luzon.
About the year 1888 Agunaldo had some
trouble with the authorities and went ia
Hong Kong, where he obtained his first
knowledge of the great world outside the
narrow Spanish civilization in which he
had been brought up. He Joined the crew
of a Chinese war ship which had some
European instructors, managed to gain a
wide knowledge of military and nava
warfare and read many works upon STRAIT
egy. During the past year he surprised
many new acquaintance by his knowl.
edge of the famous battles of Europe and
America.
In the beginning of our trouble with
Spain Aguinaldo showed remarkable fore
sight. He made contracts with adven-
turers to deliver arms In the Philippines
and he displayed extraordinary activity
in personally visiting American naval Of
1cers, consular representatives, merchants
sea captains and private citizens, He also
called upon the leading English papers
there and tried in every way to arouse
sympathy for his people and his cause. In
this work he displayed a patriotism I'M
mixed with seifishness.
The mans shrewdness Is seen In the
fact that, although he had the power he
did not have himself appointed President
or dictator of either the islands, the peo-
pie, or Luzon itself. lie was simply the
president of the revolutionary government
and the revolutionary government consist.
ed or the commanding officers of the reyo-
lutonary army Practically he gave his
army civil and political phase and called
1t the government. He continued the triba
system in the provinces and villages, laid
down rough code of official etiquette
and closed the state paper with directions
as to insignia of office. In this he pre-
scribed for himself a collar OF gold, q tri.
angle badge of gold whistle of gold and
a cane with head and tassels Of gold. This
barbaric style of ornamentation may seem
funny to the American reader, but il is
very quiet when compared with some OF
the official court dresses abroad. A simple
uniform would have but little meaning
to an Eastern mind. The addition Of silver
and gold, of collars, badges, whistles and
tassels would satisfy the artistic or bar
baTlc instinct. FOR this reason the proc
lamation may be regarded as well adapted
TO the existing circumstances and to show
Aguinaldo 10 possess a good knowledge
of human nature.
He has not disclosed his programme Tor
the future. sIIis difficulties are increased
by the Jealousy of ambitious colleagues
and by the greed Of the INSCRIPTIONS and
grasplng. Despite his powers, he knows
that ne may be put away tomorrow by a
combination of enemies and rivals.
Neither is his problem cleared by the
attitude of the United States He keeps
himself well informed upon the govern
ment proceedings at Washington, and sees
himself denounced by a senator one day
and gloriied by another senator the next.
He reads propositions to annex. TO form
a protectorate, to cede TO other powers.
to give back to Spain. to establish ma
tive republic. If the average American is