Evening star., 1901-09-21
A PHILIPPINE MONARCHY.
"Presfdent" AEufnaIdO Was to Have
Been Proclaimed King.


From the Manila American. July TO-
A gigantic scheme to establish a mon
archy laid out by Agunaldo and his cabi-
net officers in 1895 is being unearthed All
the memoranda is not translated, but before
long sensation will be sprung on the Fill
pino people which Will open their eyes, The
failure Of the politicians to secure inde-
pendence knocked the scheme in the head
or the Filipinos would now be cringing be-
fore a native king and a court more ty-
rannical, probably, than was the rule OF
the friars
The examination OF the papers of the
many insurgent generals and officers has
developed the fact that the would be foun-
ders of the Filipino republic proposed to
form monarchy aS soon they gained
their independence Aguinaldo was to be
slated for the first duke of the empire
Then there would be created other dukes
counts, and so on, and brilliant court
would be established in Manila General
Luna was the only dissenting officer IN
the bunch of conspirators, and it is be-
lieved that his death might have been the
result of his refusal to support the move
ment.
The insurgent leaders always had their
own way about everything They kept
the common people excited over the cry of
independence, liberty, etc, while they ma
nipulated the political end. They expected
to secure their independence, and they
knew that once the future of the coun-
try was in their hands, and the Filipino
army to back them they could establish
the kind of government which best suited
them 1t was a wild oriental dream that
died aborning.
honors proposed is not known, but Buen-
camino, Mabini, Palermo, Rosario and other
members of the cabinet were to bask in the
favor of Emperor Emilio and divide up the
'swag." Plenty of gold lace ard trim
mings were to be added to the court and
a complete monopoly of power and glory
was to be the portion of those willy Fill
pinos.
General Luna, the warrior, did not take
kindly to this Idea. He had been ap-
preached in covert manner in reference
to the possibility of such a scheme being
adapted to the Filipino people. 1t is said
that he snorted like a war horse and an
honest man and gave the member of the
cabinet who approached him to understand
that he was fighting for the liberty of
the people and not for politicians. He ex-
pressed himself so emphatically on the sub
ject that the conspirators decided to leave
him alone
The greatest secrecy was maintained and
it has only been recently that any docu-
ments relating to the proposed conspiracy
have been developed. The accumulations
of papers captured from the insurgent Of
hcers. both official and private have been
keeping translators busy, and as yet but
little impression has been made on the pile
of documents. From time to time refer
ence to the monarchy is found and little
by little the fabric Of the oriental dream is
coming to light.
The authorities refuse to give out any,
thing officially. but it is known that an ex-
pose of the whole matter will one day be
made public and the Filipino people will
then see the leaders of the insurrection in
their true cOlOrS
Pedro Paterno had for years been fish
ing for honors from the court of Spain, but
had failed to make an impression there
After he had managed the Biac-na-bato
treaty. he believed that he would at least
be made count In this he was again
doomed to disappointment, and it is un-
derstood that he was the prime mover in
the scheme and had been named as the
first duke of the Filipino empire as a rec
ognltfon OF his ability as political
schemer
1t is also understood that even in the
coterie who had the scheme under way
there was counter plot. While Emilio
would be chosen as the first king to satisfy
the people. he was to be gotten rid of lust
as soon as the hands of the cabinet were
suH1ciently strengthened to warrant his re-
HoFai, and a more cultured Filipino and
cieFer politician would take his place Who
this person for this honor was to he had
not been decided upon, but possible tho
Rrst duke would have been chosen
A New American representative called
at the residence of Pedro Palermo yester
DAY afternoon, but that gentleman was not
at home. $40 --0'
Emilio Aguinaldo refused to talk on the
subject. but did not deny the truth of the
story. He seemed embarrassed when the
supJect was opened and surprised that the