The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-16
FILIPINO MAKESA FIASC0.
PEDRO %PATERNO'S ATTEMPT TO GEr
POLITICAL INTLUEACE.
started a Fiesta 60 Celebrate the Granting OF
Amnesty and Then fried to Boom Filipino
independence -in1ammatory speeches Not
Delivered aud q Banquet That Failed.

Delivered aud q Banquet That Failed.
MANILA. Aug. THE proposed celebration
In honor Of The amnesty granted 10 the Philips
pines 10y President Mckinley was n fasco owing
chiefly To the undcrhand methods Of Don
Pedro Palermo. one Of the %clcverest of Filipino
politicians. Palermo H. seeking every oppot-
tunity TO advance himself a. the leader of l,
people. in TACT he does control a very iu0u-
! entail party. and II was to offset the growing
power OF Felipe Buencamino that he started
the project Of the fiesta. Tho scheme
was an elaborate one. On saturday and
Sunday, July 2s aud ~. there were to
be parades. contests and entertainments
OF various kinds. 4 week before the fiesta
the preparations were getting along in
n satisfactory way. and many thousands ot
dollars had been subscribed by the citizens
Then a change came. People 'ttah 10 ny
that the celebration ut this time was premature.
IL was particularly noticeable that those men
who have been conspicuous in their profcs~ed
and perhaps actual friendship TO the Governs
ment held aloof. Palermo continued 10 work
with surprising energy. and on saturday aftor-
noon the city did present somewhat Of "A gala
appearance. Lofty bamboo arches bearing
patriotic sentiments were erected over Tho
principal thoroughfares and allcgOriCal paint
ings were displayed in the tastefully decorated
stands. Through all the notices and scuti-
ments, however, there ran a vein that destroyed
the impression Of sincerity and led one to hs
suspicious. Long live the free Filipino peopls
and America. the protectress." let amnesty
be more complete and ample. extending TO
the political prisoners condemned by nj AIRY
commissions" Americans and the F~i'iriu"I
united in eternal alliance" Labor demands
peace" we're some Of the mottocs. Several
attempts were made to set M pictures Of Agui-
A - -, .. ...l. $500, ia. liz.
nor's palace portraits Of Mckinley and AGui-
naldo were set in a single frame and fastened
to the top. As soon az this was seen II was
taken down by the police. In view of these
demonstrations very complete arrangement,
were made 10 handle the large crowds and 10
put down any disturbance. A. y turned. out
and no trouble was reported iron, any quarter.
4 grand banquet 20 which the principal ojt-
zens we're invited was arranged, for saturday
niKht, Judge Taft and Gen. Wright ut tho
Philippine Commission accepted invitations.
and together with the representative Oi ths
Covers were laid N the Teatro 2oriila for about
two hundred persons, and the place was ~plcn-
didly decorated with bunting and greens. Here.
as II turned OUT, Palermo was To make his master
play. Late on saturday afternoon the authors
tiles learned OF the character OF the proposed
newspaper who had seen copies. All the adj
dresses. including Paternos. were Of an III
hammatory character and calculated 10 rouse
NV I''lp' =. W. N Nl'll9 WVFAIF'Afby
but vet II did cause some surprise. II seemed
hardly, possible after his protcstations of good
faith that Palermo could he guilty NJ such \
colossal deceit, But the facts spoke for them-
selves.
en-. Mac Arthur immedia tely sent for rs-
terno, and the Commissioners through Jndgs
Taft wrote II polite note Withdrawing their
acceptance and giving their reason, The.
$40, Just an hour before the banquet was n
begin. About ! o'clock Judge Taft was inter-
viewed He said thai having learned that The
dependence and were inflammatory and Tx ely
o cause excitement he could not attend the
remain Il listener and not denolnce the speakers
In his capacity Of guest he had not been asked
10 speak, 40 he deemed it best TO Withdraw his
While Pedro Palermo was out irving IN make
his peace with Gen. Macarthur he left bis
brother MaHimino in charge Of the feast. The
guests began TO arrive in great. numbers, and
by 40, the appointed hour, all the diners vera
present save the guests Of honor, and the boxes
and galleries we're filed with Filipinos and their
families. Many Of the best element, caps
and brought their wives decked. out in the
began to wonder what. the cause Of The delay
could be 4 number Of those occupying boxes
a cigarette, Every time a carriage drove M
word would go around that the que d Of honor
o nsa ns sIE.yT and f1 mem anf tRe w crowd a m diyidsd into GTfIP Il FIG
buncheS again, In the, meantime Pedro Pa
terno was having a lively interview with Gen;
OF to find Judge Taft. The Judge lives about
q mile and a bali from Gen. MacArthur's palace.
bur Palermo il not daunted by small obstacle.
1.-THE americans could OF be induced TO appeat
AZ the banquet II would be a dreadful failure
and perhaps have to be abandoned entirely,
SO Pedro raced through the muddy streets to ths
Judges house. There he promised that all
the speeches should be suppressed. that nothing
Of n political nature should he mentioned. and
he made such earnest appeals. outlining ths
GOOD that nigh YET be sccomplihsd that Judge
as the cause Of the trouble namely the speeches
had been eliminated lie and Gen. Wright,
was telephonad to the theatre 10 announce
IL arrived at an opportune time. for matters
were becoming serious. At o O'Clock a number
Of prominent citizens got up and left the build
ing and several Of the women were sent homo
TO see the thing out The balance OF opinion
was aRainst the Americans inasmuch a. they
making the Filipinos ridiculous, and i there
is anything that makes a Filipino fighting
mad J i ridiculc II il had not been for m"
ing music. those 200 owners Of empty stonachS
could not have been kept auiet FINALLY a
spanish Journalist. who discovered that there
was 10 be no speechmaking. flew 10 the trle-
phone and commanded. begged and beSeeCh'd
central 70 connect him viii, his office With
most ludiCTolS eNpr, ~~iOnS ne eNplHiued that
he would be ruined and disgracpd IL he could
not stop hi, printing presSeS, for, the whole
up and included exact copies of the proposed
speeches, which were now 10 remain unhsard.
even 0ONn 10 lne applHlSe ana Slut REMARKS.
Between go and 10 O'Clock Judge Tai, and
Gen Wright appeared and were conducted
to their places by Senior Palermo The Judge,
dressed all in black and wreathed in smiles.
} stood on one side of the table and the General.
in black dress coat. white w~aistCoat and trousers
and crash shoes, bowed from the opposite place.
while he orchestra broke out with The STAR
Spangled Banner" amid tremendous applau,c.
The guests quickly took their places and lost
no time in becomin interested in the eNc"l-
lent menu. Lieut. Col Wilder and Lieut.,
MenohPr. representing Gen Macarthur and
Provost-tienera Bell. came in Just after the
commissioners and took seats near thou.
The dinner was entirely without unpleasant
incident and quietly ended about an hour and
"a half later. When the walters had stOl rcd
sClrrying about the national anthem was
rendered and the Judge lett the theatre on
the arm of Palermo. with Gen Wright. aud
the three stood near the entrance, bowling
as the GUESTS filed out
The COMMISSIONER had come 10 the rescue
M the last minute but the day had not been
saved. The banquet, the chief event Of IN"
feast. was n failure, and the opportunity n
advance the cause Of peace was lost. lhs
parades and illuminations, OF the next day
were carried out in n half-hearted manner
without enthusiasm or interest
What will ba done with Palermo is not known,
He has deceived the Americans and deceived
the peacefully inclined Filininos who followed
him M n leader that would rave the way 20
peace The objectionable speeches were well