Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-10-19
AS TO AGUlNALD0,
Character of the Democratic George
Washington as Seen by
Major White.
Threats, Murder and Other Forces Ex-
erted by Him to Retain
Leadership.
A elf-Constituted Dictator, and not
the Leader Desired by
the People.

When Major Frank White was in
the city last week. a y the Richlanl
County Gazette, the writer obtained
from him an account of the %organiza-
ton and operation Of A%guinaldo's
government, in order to have informa-
ton at first hands from one who was
on the spot at the time, and who was
prominent enough in army circles to
have definite knowledge of what was
going o
Aguinaldo, says the major, was a
voluntary exile when the Americans
went to Manila, he having sold out 10
the Spanish government for $4OD.WDO
in gold. and left the Philippine islands,
promising to return. Soon after the
battle of Manila he came to Manila
from Hong Kong on the United States
boat Mccullough. and landed there and
established himself at Bacoor, near
Manila, where ne consorted with sew
eral Filipino leaders who had collected
bands of insurgent troops, several
thousands in all, with which they had
been camping around Manila.
1T was not long before Aguinaldo is
sued the proclamation of %independ-
once Of the Filipino republic, which
document was signed by himself as
provisional prcsident-that is to say.
he assumed to be acting as president
until some n could be duly chosen.
His next step was to appoint his rela-
tlves and friends from the different
provinces as members of the Filipino
congress and assemble that body at
Maiolos, an interior town. BY the
appointment OF his military associates
to this congress he gained control Of
the troops which these men had gath
cred together.
When the congress assembled at
Malolos, Aguinaldo brought out a con-
stitution ready made, and caused it to
be adopted by the assembly of men
whom he himself had named. When
it had been so adopted. he advertised
for the people to come together at Ma
lolos and ratify it. Several thousand
people did assemble at Malolos for
that purpose, and they, with a large
force of soldiers assembled there, lis
tened to the constitution and went
through the form of r%atifying it. it
is hard to- see how they could do any
thing else but ratify it, with several
thousand rifles and bolos waiting to
support and propagate it. Aguinal-
do was named as president by the men
whom he himself had selected.
The crowd assembled at Malolos to
ratify the constitution was not more
than ) per cent of the population ri
the archipelago, even if women and
children and the entire resident popu-
lation of Malolos be included. Here
then, was a constitution ostensibly
ratified by > per cent Of the people
who we're supposed to be governed 'y
it. There was no general election
held to vote on the constitution, as is
done in civilized countries. neither
have the people ever had an opportua.
ity to vote on it.
At thai very time, the major says
nine-tenths of the people Of the
islands were opposed to Aguinaldo's
government and favorable to the Am.
orleans. They wanted the Americans
to protect them from outside enemies
and from the disorderly elements
among themselves; they wanted L
learn western arts and sciences FROM
the Ameicans; they wanted til:
friendship and assistance of the Am.
erican people.
Notwithstanding the hostility o.
nine-tenths of the natives, says thu
major. Aguinaldo was able to main.
tain his government among them TO-
q time, because he had an army, while
the people opposed to him had no
been allowed by the Spaniards to carr,
arms, and consequently they Were
were powerless to resist Aguinaldo':
demands. He could impress then
, into his army. He could force then
to pay taxes to him. He could anc
did resort to fines, Imprisonment, rob
/ berry, torture, and death as penaltie!
: for those who would not support hin
in his plans. Thousands of men VIII
hated him were compelled to serve il
his armies because it meant death Il
refuse. 1t was less dangerous to OPP
pose the Americans than to Oppose
Aguinaldo, because the American!
were farther away and were NOR,
merciful to those who fell into thei
hands.
Major White says that Aguinald,
never has had, at any time since n,
became the dictator of the so-calle,
republic, the friendship and supper