The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-13
ACUINALDO'S INDIVIDUALITY.
Some Facts as to the Personal Life Manners and Traits
of the Filipino Leader

the natives, after Ag,iInaldo's departure by de.
portation. Ills example in taking 'cash
bribc," as Consul Williams states, stimulated
others to go and do likewise
When the Spanish. American war became I'M.
minent, Agunaldo, with a few friends, made
trip to Singapore, affecting great mystery. Ills
actual errand was to meet an Englishman,
Bray, and the American consul at Singapore.
As the consul had not been informed Of Wilde
mans experience with Agoncillo, lie was quite
moved by the appearance Of the native "supreme
chief" and rushed In to take him In hand and
helped him to ''co.opcration" with Admiral
Dewey. This lasted until the consul received
stern admonition from the state department that
he mist stop making political promises to In.
surgents. 1t IL to this episode at Singapore, and
the cfYusion OF .he American consul there, Ike.
wise a temporary enthusiasm on the part OF MI.
wiltleman at Hong Kong. and slight aberra'
tion aftcr some time by Mr.. Williams at Manila
respondence that reflected their untutored zeal,
which was promptly and sffectually denounced,
and further examples OF 1t forbidden by the
state department.
SOME MATTERS OF HISTORY.
A few letters written and words spoken at
this time the enemies Of the United States In
our midst quote necessarily a. authority. II
each of the consuls had deliberately, OF his own
account, ''rccognized' Agunaldo as a ''govern.
mcnt," as was his constant affirmation OF desire,
they would simply have exceeded their author.
ity. There would have been no treaty.
Il Is u circumstance Of interest in this asso.
citation that In the letters Of Nr. Wildeman TO
the state department about the dishonorable
proposition that Agoncillo made coming from
Aguinado-the gun contract with brihe In 1t
for the United States-the name Of Aguinaldo
was not mentioned. and therefore he wasn't idcn.
titled at the state department right away as
that particular rascal. II he had been. warn.
ing addressed to the American consuls to beware
OF such person might have saved some trouble,
but anyone determined to take part against his
country and aid and comfort enemies, could
hnd some excuse.
There never was poorer one than the gar.
bcd clippings from the writings OF Mr.. Pratt,
a Cleveland appointment, and such extracts as
may be so colored and distorted as to disguise
truth in the letters of Consuls Wildcman and
Williams, whose experience as cons,ils was very
brief before they were thrown into the whirl
Of the excitcments Of our Asiatic complications
suddenly and unexpectedly But upon the whole
they did extremely we'll, for 1t only takes an
kcrcst reading Of what they wrote to convict
Aguinado and his "compotriots'' as impostors
intriguing with the Spaniards in wanton hostility
to Americans, a determined and persevcring
insistencc upon hostile proceedings against the
American troops. and finally the outright act OF
war that caused the terrible punishment of the
ingrate
DEMOCRATIC OUTRAGE UPON TRUTH.
There never was a greater outrage upon truth
than to apply the term 'perfdy," as Bryanites
habitually do, to the conduct Of President Nc.
Kinlcy in this association. He was whole.
hearted American all the time, and generous all
through, offered everything to the Filipinos for
peace except such recognition Of Aguinaldo as
would help to place him in the position to re.
sumo tyranny spoliation, corruption and every
form Of sordid and vindctive oppression, begin
ming where the Spaniards left off.
Point by point these propositions are made
good by reports, the veracity and perfect All.
thenticity of which are sustained, SO that con-
tradiction is as irrational as it is unpatriotic.
The spirit of contention as against the admins
tration Of President Mckinley and the conduct
Of the officers and men Of the American army
and navy is that of reckless partisan combatants.
It will not stand the hammer or bear the light.
The story Of irst war in the Philippines.
the episode with Spain, is short one. Admiral
Dewey was ordered to take the feet under his
command at Hong Kong-he had been four
months on the Asiatic station-fnd the Spanish
feet and destroy it.
A week later he had obcyed orders.
There were fourteen Spanish gunboats that were
not caught in the American fre Of May 1st
Each carried threench rife and from two to
four machine guns. The three-inch rifles were
adapted for the destruction OF merchantmen, and
the machine guns were good at close quarters
The gunboats were we'll suited to the annihila-
ton Of our Asiatic commerce.
One reason for remaining at Manila was to
over.awe the Spanish gunboats "in retreat" and
it was done effectively that they have never
been heard from, and are almost forgotten.
THE BELlTTLERs OF AMERICA.
The belittlers of America-those who have
crank passion for bitterness against their own
country, wall over it that Dewey didn't take
fight after his victory. II he had done so, the
American flag would have been signal for the
destruction of any merchant vessel on the Pacific
ocean, remote from the American shore.
International law would have compelled Dewey,
had he left the harbor and arsenal he conquered,
to take one of three routes to America. There
wasn't a spot he could go to in the Pacific
ocean away from Manila where he could have
been at rest for even a week. He could only
call at port to stay long enough to get coal
to go to the next port. lie could have made
choice between going to San Francisco, which
would have been to take the Asiatic squadron
out Of Asiatic waters altogether, or he might
have chosen the route home that he did finally
and have been at disadvantage of the Spanish
coast, where all her fleets might have been gath.
cred to meet him; or he could have taken the
long route around Africa.
In either case he would be running away and
putting himself hors du combat. II would have
been equally disastrous and disgraceful to have
done this. 1t isn't to be thought Of by any ex.
cept those degenerates who accept the Malay
view OF what we have done in the Philippines
and who want our country to humble itself In
repentance and set up protectorate for ty'
ranny that would be worse for the Filipino in
habitants than that Of Spain.
AGUINALDO's INDIVIDUAL ENTERPRISE.
There are no "people," in the organized polti'
cal sense in the Philippine islands, Of the native
races, and never have been. Aguinaldo's gov.
ernment was not political organism 1t was
an individual enterprise, not Of the people or for
the people, not for the inhabitants OF the islands
but for the impostor and adventurer who had
success in poisoning the minds Of the Filipinos
who were full of joyous recognition of Americans
as their liberators. Those he did not peryert he
succeeded by blackmail banditt that raided
Manila itself for revenue. Those robbed did not
dare complain, being threatened with the hor-
rors OF vengeance 'when the Americans were
whipped out"
The American consul Williams, was obliged to
abandon his official duties before the war broke
out, and was on the Baltimore in the battle.
After that found the natives In state OF thanks
giving, displaying extreme admiration and the
fondest gratitude toward Americans. lie was
beset by multitude who learned that he was
the United States consul--this was at Cavitc,
and he had such reception that he could hard
ly get to his boat to return to headquarters on
the ship OF war where he was guest
There We're many demonstrations of this sort
The merchants OF Manila, who had been COM
PEELED to take refuge in Hong Kong, eagerly
made application to become citizens OF the
United States
At that very time Asuinaldo didn't want to
go back to his own country without ICON