The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-26

THE FILIPINO CHIEFTAIN
SKETCH OF AGUINALDO BY A MAN
WHO TRAVELLED WITH HIM.
Part He Has Taken in the Revolt and
Shrewd Use He Made OF Dewey's
Victory of Last Year.
Joseph L. stickney, in Chicago Record.

Emilio Aguinaldo is of Filipino-Spanish
blood. the native predominating to such an
extent that he is as dark in complexion as
the darkest kind Of Africo-Caucasian half
breeds. He was born IN the province of Ca
vite about twenty-nine years ago. HIS
mother was a Filipino and his father was,
probably, a Spaniard. Some gossips assert
he was a Spanish army officer. while 9TH
ers declare that he was a learned profess
sional man. II Is generally understood In
Manila, however. that his past cannot be
accurately mbe by any VI the an
habitants Of Cavite earlier than his fourth
year. at which time he became an inmate OF
the family OF a noted Jesuit. He was treated
there as a mental. holding the position Of
"make-a]earn" boy-that is, one who was
learning the trade Of a house servant. II
was not long before the neighbors noticed
that the bright-looking servant was receiv-
ing more than the usual amount OF care
and attention at the hands of his employer,
and that he dressed better than many Of
the sons of wealthy FIlipinos who lived at
home.
1t is reported that when he was seven
years old Emilio was better educated than
most Spanish boys of his age in Luzon. and
he showed remarkably proficient as a stu
dent. He entered the medical department
OF the Pontihcal University when he was
about fifteen years old. According to one
account he was making good progress to-
ward his degree as a doctor Of medicine
when he upset his whole university career
by Joining the Masonic Order. Soon after
ward he went TO Hong-Kong and knocked
around for several years. practically a po-
iitical refugee, because OF his Masonic anil
atsA
in May, 1895. told me. however, that his chief
was educated at the law school in Manila.
and that he returned to his native province
to practice law some time before the out
Dreak OF the rebellion of 1886. l understood
mat he even held a position under the gov
liar place. After the rebellion began Aguin-
aldo did not take any prominent part in 1t
until DR.. Jose Rial was executed by the
Spaniaros,. but soon thereafter he was par
ticipating in the negotiations with the Span
Ism captain general for the "paciication"
or the Islands: and was recognized as one Of
the leaders OF the insurgents.
THE "PACIFICATION" DEAL.
The socalled "pacification' has been de-
scribed in different ways, according to the
bias of the writer describing it. On the one
hand, it is claimed that the rebel. leaders,
foreseeing that, for lack of arms, they
would fail to drive the Spaniards from the
archipelago. decided to make terms with
their oppressors in order to secure the re-
forms they desired without further fighting.
Accordingly. they agreed to surrender all
the arms In the possession of the rebe.
forces and to disband their troops In con-
sideration Of the agreement Of the Captain
General TO carry out certain important re-
forms In the government. and. further, to
insurgent ranks the sum of $500 .00o. Mexi-
can; equivalent to about $4,000 in American
airy. 1898. and one-haif the agreed sum was
the islands. Those who believe that they
l Tsre say aet 1h e his by NOTIFY lO1ty m mss isft G Of B paaSI0 in
whether the spaniards fulfilled their
p %ss seen thai mhen none It Of Of f fhe Z refor mnsn wa IS
forthcoming. they used this sum for the
WHICH to attack TX" the e spaniards in cavite
province.
Another version of the transaction. how
ing divided the first payment OF $500. 600 and
as then quarreling over the distribution OF
the second sum OF $1,000 be, beea nse some Tonasve 81
too large a share Of the first payment. 1t is
certain that when the Maine was blown up
pore, and that he was then all ready to sail
much 1 know from his secretary; who would
1t was true and known to be true by other
| people. 1t was only when the disaster TO
the Maine raised the possibility c. war h pc !,
| Aguinaldo decided to return to the Philip
| pines for a renewal of the revolt.
HOW HE BECAME A LEADER.
Aguinaldo did not arrive in Hong-Kons
until several days after Admiral Dewey had
sailed for Manila. He had had some kind
| of a negotiation with the United States con-
sui at Singapore relative TO the part he was
to play when the Americans attacked the
| Spaniards in the Philippines, and he began
to work" the consul in Hong-Kong in a
| similar way. 1t need not be supposed, how
ever. that he was at all deceived by any
promises these two men may have made to
| him. for he was too well posted in the re-
sponsibilities that are intrusted to mere
consular representatives to imagine tnat
they could bind the United States; but he
was shrewd enough to see the advantage
that would accrue to him personally II ne
| should be able to tell the Filipinos that he
had secured the cooperation Of the United
States. 1t was evident that he would be
able to pose as the biggest man In Luzon IL
he could convince his former associates that
he had been the means OF bringing the
Americans to help the natives throw on the
yoke of Spain. Aguinaldo Is entitled to q
great deal Of credit for his foresight, Tor u
was by this move that he became the Fill
pino dictator.
On the 18th of May he was allowed to EN-;
bark IN the !, M NssniIa hay III with aboui FORTY
a N " <lLLaAo eeSF 80
natives who had been living a precarious
existence in the British colony. and who
were glad to go back to their homes in an
| American dispatch boat. When Aguinaldo
and his rather molly group of followers
landed In Cavite there were not one hundred
Filipinos in that town. but the men who
had come from Hong-Kong with him were
sent into the interior to tell the people that
a new savior mad come to rescue them from
the Spaniards. Within a week the natives
began to flock into Cavite. coming by boat
across the bay during the night, because
the Spaniards had possession of the neck of
| land that connected the point upon which
| Cavite was situated with the rest OF Cavite
province.
A GREAT MOGUL
These men found Aguinaldo Installed as
the great mogur' of the Filipino cause. He
was In constant communication with Ad-
miral Dewey. who gave him boats, coal,
I, cannon, Mauser rifles and ammunition.
When he told them that he had been the
means of bringing about the destruction Of
the Spanish feet. through his alliance"
with the United States, they saw nothing
| improbable in his claims. Naturally they
| accepted his leadership at once, and he went
on TO arm them with rifles received from
Admiral Dewey and with others brought
over from Canton. His successes In driving
the Spaniards inside the walls of Manila
| added still more TO his prestige. and II was
not a cause for surprise when he declared
himself dictator. That he was probably the
most able Of all the Filipinos may be adj