The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-08-22
Prominent Filipino Goes to Jail
Voluntarily Every Night.
MUCH PLOTTING GOING ON
Press Censorship Has heretofore Forbidden
Publication Of PsternO's ysgariss--
BueneaminO Is Aiding Ameri.
can Authorities.

Copyrighted. 1900, Associated Press.)
MANILA. July 1.-THE recent politi-
cal vagariss IN Manila OF Don Pedro
PaternO. a prominent insurgent. have
received but little comment in the local
spanish press because the press censor
prohibited the publication both here
and in the United States Of this man $
strange dolngs. PaternO's Liberation
| from jail for the purpose Of working on
the peace propositions begun by Don
Felipe Buencamino. his immediate pub
llcatlon Of a most remarkable docu-
ment IN favor Of Philippine independ-
ence, his subsequent re-inearceration
and the fact that he then took the oath
OF allegiance to the United States and
was freed but declined 10 accept his
liberty. electing 10 remain in jail and
pose as a martyr. read more like an act
from comedy than the truthful rec
Ords Of a weeks political happenings
| in Manila.
Paterno came to Manila about three
months ago from Vigan. He says he
surrendered. but the army reports say
he was captured. In Manila he was
placed in the Anda street jail. along
with Buencamino and other political
| prisoners. While there he meditated
political coups. studied English and was
well lodged and fed at government ex-
pense.
When General Otis was leaving Ma
Mia he liberated Buencamino with the
understanding that he use his influence
with the Filipino people toward bring
ing about peace. Buencamino worked
away on these lines alone until about
the middle OF June. when he realized
that Paterno's influence would be a
good thing TO have on his (Buenca-
mino's) side Of the Undertaking; so per-
mission was obtained from General
Macarthur for Paterno 10 leave the Jail
every day in order to more easily con-
| fer and work with Buencamlno. Pa
| terno returned to the jail to sleep night
~, and 1t was understood between Cen
eral Macarthur and himself that his
| efforts and attitude must primarily
embrace the recognition OF the sover-
eighty Of the United States In the Phil
| ippines.
| With General MacArthur's permission
| there occurred. June p. the locally
| famous meeting in Paterno's house
where about two hundred well-known
revolutionists met TO discuss the terms
| Of an honorable and dignitied peace
with the American army. Thirty Of the
I two hundred men present were liberat-
/ ed from the Anda street jail purposely
/ TO attend the meeting. and. after a
| stormy and spicy session. they re-
solved that peace could be obtained on
eight certain bases. which. that same
| evening. were handed to General Mac
Arthur. The next morning the gener-
al was stricken with a local fever which
prevented his attending 70 his official
| duties for nearly a week. This delay
| in the proceedings was seized upon by
| the Filipino enemies Of Buencaminos s
plans (there were American enemies 10
| the peace scheme as we'll. but these
| latter We're passive)tO start an anti
peace campaign in the country with
the idea of forestalling the good that
| the Manila group hoped TO accomplish.
During the delay caused by the
| American generals illness. Paterno
sprang his coup d'etat in the form OF a
most remarkable and impertinent docu-
ment. without reason without sequence,
without head or tail, which began
with a quotation from a plan of Philip
| pine government and ended with quo
| tations from European statesmen like
| Gladstone. Won Moltke, etc. Paterno's
plan was nothing less than a seditious
plea for Philippine independence, and
ii had a disquieting effect on the people.
Ii was published simultaneously in all
| Of Manila's Spanish papers, a method
of publicity which insured its spread
throughout the entire archipelago.
In this document Paterno set forth
what he and his followers graciously
would delgn to accept from the United
States in exchange for a cessation of
! hostilities by the Filipinos. He con-
ceded the changing of the name Fill
ipino Republic to that of Free Phil
| ippine State" as son to the American
national pride; he demanded the admis-
| sion. on a basis of equality, of Filipinos
into the American army. navy and con-
sular corps; he demanded the recogni-
tion of the Filipino flag, but saw no OBJ
| lection to The Stars and Stripes flying
| by its side. After many printed col
umns of rules for our future restric-
ton and guidance in Philippine affairs
by which he practically limited our
power and control to the protection of
the international relations of the Free
Philippine State" Paterno remarked
that when the United States had con-
ceded the foregoing he opined there
would be peace. He also announced a
meeting in his house for the following
Sunday to discuss his new programme
As soon as the real nature and sig
niicance of Paterno's utterances were
made known TO the military authorities
they forebade the meeting in question
and Paterno was sent back TO the Anda
street Jail and kept incommunicadO.
The Filipino people jump at conclu-
sions They do not always read care
fully and reason clearly. and Paterno
worded his document in such a way
that the common people at once con-
cluded that the United States had con-
ceded to the Filipino people al that
Palermo had asked for and Paterno's
! stoel,. as the man who had obtained
these remarkably favorable concessions
from the common enemy. doomed ac-
cordingly. On the streets natives talk
ed volubly of the new concessions"
and said they had always known they
could bring the Yankees to terms even
tually.
And during these days there was
much talk Of uprisings in Manila, ex-
plosive bombs were found in the street.
houses were fired. General Estrella and
General Ricarte were captured in Ma