The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-27
AN INDISCREET FILIPINO
SENIOR T0NTELA CONES To ANERI-
CA TO PLOT FOR AGUINALDO.
Says He Is No Hypocrsfe and VIII Not
Take the Oath Of Allegiance
to the United States.

NEW YORK, Dec. 26.-Rafael Del Pan
Fontela, a refugee from the Philippine
islands and first president of the Madrid
Junto, has just arrived in New York from
canada. 81 came here TO be free" he ex-
planned. 1T was impossible for me TO
be other than a slave TO America when
1 lived with my wife and five chi.dren in
Manila. so 1 la com where I won't have
to be subservient. Americans are not sub
servient TO Americans and while i don't
approve OF the American methods employed
la the Philippines. I'd rather be a free
American than an enslaved Filipino"
Senior Fontela was a lawyer and editor
In Manila. When he war began he was
Aguinaldo's chief adviser. Driven out OF
the Philippines by the American soldiers,
he fed with his wife and five children TO
Madrid. There he established the first
Filipino Junto and was made its president.
with an idea that such a junto would
flourish in Canals he left Madrid and went
TO Montreal. He has been there for the
past several weeks. You hear so much Of
American independence in Canada he
continued. That / determined to come here
and get some OF IT,"
NA4ot - WIS 1aA.
for him to return to the Philippines and
resume his law practice and the publica-
ton Of his newspaper were he willing to
swear allegiance to the stars and stripes.
I'm NO hypocrite." he explained, land
can't take such an oath when my people
are In a struggle which must end in
death or freedom. ] will not return 10
the Philippines until independence has been
gained. The impression has got abroad
that Aguinaldo is dead. This is nonsense.
He has a large following and every man
under him is there TO do or die. The war
has just begun unless America accede to
the demands of the Fflipinos."
regarding the formation of a new party
which the United States officials say will
rally the Ffiipinos TO the colonial policy.
doomed TO failure. The leaders, Buenca-
mino and Palermo. are leaders without a
party. They are time servers. During
the Spanish domination they were more
effective life of the Filipino republic they
were ardent patriots. When the United
States troops captured the Filipino CAPT.
tai. Tarlas, the men allowed themselves
to be taken prisoners and have since pro-
fessed ardent enthusiasm for United States
supremacy. Any proposal made by them
is sure to be rejected by the Filipinos. who
will apply TO them the proverb which. be-
ing translated, is the same dogs with diff
ferent collars Last June Buencamino
made an attempt TO organize a party for
autonomy. No one responded In October
Palermo tried to organize festivals I'm Ma
lila and asked Filipino revolutionists to
cooperate with him in asking for a broa.i
plan of disagreement. The United States
people can hardly have forgotten the COM
plete failure of the Manila festivals and
the Indifference with which the people
treated Senior Paterno's efforts. Now Pa
terno and Buencamino join their forces,
proposing 10 organize a new party, a Fed
eral party AS the force of each amounts
zero"