The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-11

Manila politics seem prOlOnBeu SER
les of farces and flascos. Any one
who knows the inside workings OF Lu-
zon politics is aware of much deceit,
double-dealing and misrepresentation.
We have just come through a cele-
bration organized by Pedro Paterno
to commemorate the decree or am
nesty of June 21. We are now aware
of the following facts: That the am
nesty amounts, so far, to nothing;
that the celebration was premature,
abortive and unpopular with the peo-
pie; that Pedro Paterno organized 1t
for political motives of personal ad-
vancement, and that Judge Taft, by
his foresight and prompt action, pre-
vented the American official represen-
tatives from being placed in a false
position. The whole affair was unfor-
tunate in it's inception, in it's develop
ments and in it's results.
Pedro Paterno was at one time pres
ident of the Filipino congress. He
came to Manila from the insurgent
lines about four months ago and was
placed in tail. He was later temporar-
lily released by General Macarthur to
aid Don Felipe Buencamino in the lat
ter's efforts to bring peace to these
islands on the basis of the absolute
recognition of American sovereignty
| by the Filipino people. Paterno's po-
! litical longing was for independence
| under American protection and he
soon diverged from Buencamino's more
| conservative measures by the publ
| cation of n document advocating Phil
| ippine 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' fiaSta as a token of
| Filipino appreciation of the decree of
| amnesty. His programme included
| horse races and resattas, parades by
| day and night, dancing, illuminations
| and fireworks, and a banquet attended
| by prominent Filipinos, General Mac
Arthur, the American civil commission
and the foreign consuls OF Manila. At
| the banquet there were to be speeches
| by Filipinos only, and Paterno stipu-
| lated that every speech must first be
| submitted to himself and receive his
approval. These plans were submitted
| to General Macarthur and to General
| Bell. provost st-marshal of Manila, and,
| receiving the written approval and en-
| dorsement of these gentlemen, Pater-
no went ahead with his prepc 'ations.
During these preparations there oc-
Cured several incidents of interest.
! Palermo caused to be erected on Ma
| nilas main street ten triumphal
arches. These were to be adorned with
portraits and patriotic phrases. The
authorities discovered that portraits
of Aguinaldo were given prominent
| places on some of the arches, that in
one instance pictures of President Nc
| Kinley and Aguinaldo were placed
side by side under the same big
wreath, and that the inscribed sem
tences declared for Filipino inde-
| pendence. The posters were censored
and edited to conform to the theory
of American sovereignty and the pic
! lures of Aguinaldo and President Nc
Kinley were removed. At this time
there were freely circulated through
out the city hand bills signed with the
name of Aguinaldo and other promi-
nent rebels In the field, warning all
FilipinOs to desst from any partici-
patton in the amnesty celebrations, and
threatening those who did so with the
vengeance of the Filipino revolu-
tionists. These hand-bills were pal
pable fakes, printed in Manila pur-
poStlN u dltTIIl tle people. Inc Tu11lOT
OF an outbreak in Manila was spread
and many men actually declined in
vitations TO the banquet because of
their fears that explosive bombs
would be thrown among the guests.
Disquieting rumors of this kind were
persistently foated by those Filipnos
opposed to the celebration.
Preparations for Trouble.
Saturday, the first day of the peace
festival, saw the American guards in
Manila doubled, their cartridge belts
filled with Krag cartridges, and the
provost marshal had issued orders that
for three days all American troops in
the city, excepting guards and pa
trolls, should remain in barracks and
ready to answer a cali TO arms.
The celebration was to begin Satur-
day afternoon, but the people of the
city took no interest in the affair;
they were impdssive ana without en-
thusiasm. When questioned, the most
intelligent said that as they could see
no result of the amnesty, they saw nc
reason to celebrate its promulgat ton
The less intelligent disclaimed any
knowledge of the fiesta or its purposes
So the horse and bicycle races and
other street games announced for Sat-
urday did not come off, and with a
feeling of interest as to what might
happen, the invited guests repaired tC
the Gorilla theater, at half-past sever
to attend the banquet. Here a large
, crowd waited for two hours Their
signs Of impatience and unrest being
; duly increased by the circulation oi
. rumors that Pedro Palermo had beer
, summoned before General Macarthur
and that the banquet had been sus
, pended by military order. At $50
Judge Taft and General Wright, Colo
= mol Wilder. representing General Mac
, Arthur, and Lieutenant Menoher, rep
! resenting General Bell, and Pedro Pa
r terno entered the theater, and tn,
: meal began. IL was a meal and moth
r ing more. The guests were silent, onl!
+, commenting on the music and flora
decorations on the tables. the for
eign consuls had long since gone hom'
and the many Filipinos and Ameri
cans who looked on from the boxes
and galleries wondered what tn,
: trouble might he. There were II,
!, speeches and no toasts. Before tn,
% meal was actually over, the signal t,
rise was given and heartily accepted
by everyone, and the company dis
? | persed as quickly as possible. TIL,
? theater was not cleared, however, be
fore twenty American soldiers en-
: tered the building, and this made tn,
tagging Filipinos scurry away quicke
than ever. Outside the rain CAM
down in tropical torrents, but tn,