The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-12
FIESTA NASA SID FAILURE
FILTFINoS DIDN'T TAKE TO sENoR
PATERNo'S CELEBRATION
OF AMNESTY
BANQUET CLOSED By TROOPS
Guests Were Hustled Gut Into. the
Rain by File of American
Soldiers With Fixed
Bnyonets.

MOI ultimately acquainted with the mil
1tary history of the last two years. Ma
Mia politics seem prolonged series of
fracas and fiascos. Any one who knows
the inside workings of Luzon politics is
aware of much deceit, double dealir.
and Misrepresentation.
! We have just come through a cele-
bration organized by Pedro Palermo to
commemorate the decree of amnesty Of
| June Il. We are now aware of the fol-
/ lowing facts: That the amnesty
amounts, SO far, to nothing; that he
! celebration was premature, abortfve ard
unpopular with the people; that Pedro
Palermo organized it for political mo-
| tives OF personal advancement, and that
Judge Taft, by his foresight and prompt
action, prevented the American official
representatives from being placed in a
false position. The whole affair was I'M
fortunate in its inception, in It's deyel-
opEents and results.
Pedro Palermo was at one time presi-
dent of the Filipino congress. He came
to Manila from the insurgent lines about
four months ago and was placed in Jail.
He was later, temporarily released by
Gen Macarthur to aid Don Feline Buen-
canine in the latter's efforts to bring
peace to these islands on the basis Of
the absolute recognition of American
sovereignty by the Filipino people Pa
! ternos political longing was for inde-
pendence under American protection,
and --e soon diverged from Buencam-
mos more conservative measures by the
publication of a document advocating
Philippine independence. For this breach
Palermo was returned to jail and only
released after swearing the prescribed
oath OF allegiance to the United States.
His next move was the announcement Of
a two-days' fiesta as a token of Filipino
appreciation of the decree of amnesty.
His programme included .lorse races and
re gattas, parades by day and night,
dancing, Examinations and fireworks. and
banquet attended by prominent Fill
ipinos, Gen. Macarthur, the American
civil commission and the foreign consul5
of Manila, At the banquet there were
to be speeches by Fflipinos only, and
Palermo stipulated that every speech
must first be submitted to himself and
receive his approval.
INDORSED BY OFFICIALS.
These plans were submitted to Gen.
Macarthur and to Gen. Bell, provost
marshal of Manila; and, receiving the
written approval and Endorsement of
these gentlemen Paterno went ahead
with his preparations. During these
preparations there occurred several in
cidents of interest. Palermo caused to
be erected on Manilas main. street ten
triumpha1 bamboo arches. These We're
to be adorned with portraits and patriot
is phrases. Ihe authorities discovered
that portraits of Aguinalde were given
prominent places on some Of the arches
that in one instance pictures of President
Mckinley and Aguinaldo were placed
side by side under the same big wreath
and that the inscribed sentences declared
for Filipino independence. The posters
were censored and edited to conform to
the theory Of American sovereignty and
the pictures of Aguinaldo and President
Mckinley were removed. At this time
there were freely circulated throughout
the city hand bills signed with the name
of Aguinaldo and other prominent reb-
els in the field, warning all Filipinos to
desist from any participation in the am
nesty celebrations, and threatening those
who did so with the vengeance of the
Filipino revolutionists. These hand bills
were palpable fakes, printed in Manila
purposely to alarm the people The ru-
NOR of an outbreak in Manila was
spread, and many men actually declined
invitations to the banquet because of
their fears that explosive bombs would
be thrown among the guests Disquiet-
ing rumors of this kind were persistent
ly foated by those Filipios opposed to
the celebration.
Saturday, the first day of the peace
festival, saw the American guards in
Manila doubled, their cartridge-belts
filled with Krag cartridges, and the
proyost-marshal had issued orders that
for three days all American troops in the
city, excepting guards and patrols,
should remain in barracks and ready to
answer call to arms.
FILIPINOs NOT INTERESTED.
The celebration was to begin Saturday
afternoon, but the people of the city
took no interest in the affair; they were
impassive and without enthusiasm. When
questioned the more intelligent said that
as they could see no result Of the am
neSty- they saw no reason to celebrate its
PRONUNCIATION. The less intelligent dis
claimed any knowledge of the fiesta or
its purposes. So the horse and bicycle
races and other street games announced
for Saturday did not come off, and, with
feeling OF interest as to what might
happen, the invited guests repaired to
the Gorilla theater at 7:30 to attend the
banquet. Here a large crowd waited for
two hours, their signs of Impotence and
unrest being duly increased by the cir
eulation of rumors that Pedro Palermo
had been summoned before Gen. Mac
Arthur and that the banquet had been
suspended by military order At $50
Judge Taft and Gen. Wright, Col. Wild
er, representing Gen. Macarthur, and
Lieut. Menoher, representing Gen. Bell.
and Pedro Palermo entered the theater.
and the meal began. 1t was a meal and
nothing more. The guests were silent,
only commenting on the music and floral
decorations on the tables; the foreign
consuls had long since gone home, and
the many F'ilipinoS and Americans who
looked on from the boxes and galleries
wondered what the trouble might be.
There were no speeches and no toasts.
Before the meal was actually over the
signal to rise was given and heartily ac-
copied by every >one, and the company
dispersed as quickly as possible. The
theater was not cleared, however, before
twenty American soldiers, with rifles
and cartridges, entered the building, and
this made the tagging Fiipinos scurry
away quicker than ever. Outside the rain
came down in tropical torrents, but the
night was not one whit more dismal
than had been the banquet.
The reason for the utter failure Of the
banquet is that Palermo had assured
GeE. Macarthur that the speeches. there
TO be delivered would be within the
bounds Of propriety under the circum-
stances. and with this assurance the mil
itary authorities, represented by Col.
Wilder and Lieut.. Menoher, let Patefno
proceed. They did not read over tho
speeches beforehand. Under his diCec-
ton and with his approval the dozen
speeches, including his own, prepared
for delivery at this banquet, all dwelt
on Filipino independence under Ameri-
can protection. They practically reit-