The evening times., 1901-03-28
{ rculation Statement.
The cnntnre of AsuinaIdo.

Except in = sentimental sense We do
not know that the capture Of the rebel
chief, Emilio AguinaIdo, by General
Funston is particularly important from
4 military point of view. Nevertheless
it was an achievement which reflects the
greatest credit and honor upon the gal
liant American soldier who planned and
executed the enterprise. and We sincerely
hope That he VIII be rewarded for it.
The story of the adventure reads like
a novel: which is natural enough
for the little brigadier. its hero. has
the makings of a dozen novels in
his exceptional self Disraeli once said.
Adventures are to the adveuturer, and
Funston is as great an adventurer. IN
& respectable sense. as the great
d D'Artagnan ever was The remarkably
clever ruse through which he managed
to get his hand on the willy Tagal leader,
viii be remembe as long as war has
written histories. The nerve, address,
courage. coolness, and skill required to
carry out what most people would regard
as a foolhardy undertaking in the cir
cumstances. and with the Insignificant
means used. could not have been sup
piled by many men cut Of a thousand
If the effort had failed nobody could have
young Kansan soldier has added fresh
laurels to i fame already considerable
when one considers his age and oppor-
tuuity.
Now We have Ag7IfnaIdo what shall Ne
do with him2 He is a rebel and liable 10
military execution as such But We have
outgrown the archaic custom Of hanging
rebels, and his neck is safe enough on
that count What is more serious for
Aguinaldo is the fact that he has repeat
edly defed the Usages OF civilized war
fare and incited or ordered murders ard
hideous atrocities, of which Americans
and friendly uatiEes have alike been the
victims For these crimes his life Is for
feIted. but We DO not ina gine that It will
be taken That is, unless the prudence
and cunning which have marked his
course from the time he took up arms
against Spain have fOrsaken MIN. For
example. If AguinaIdo were TO start in
and talk. after the manner of Rathboae.
mint at disclosures concerning the e.ten-
siEe Manila commerce with the insar-
gents. and mention things ike the pill
lars Of the temple probably it would go
hard with him But if he hs.s the wisdom
to make 4 prompt profession of silence, it
be done to him
As matter Of proper precautiOn il is
TO be hoped that Aguinaldo may he care
fully locked up somewhere Mere exile
would accomplish nothing. for he could
slip into the Island Of LUzon within a
month again. His many offences against
the laws of war and the commonest in
stincts of humanity viii give General
Al, oh, g,fy
where he viii be not only out of mis-
chief, but out of the way of his addIe-
headed admirers ia the United States.
No doubt We shall hear from them at
once.
The Boston Filipino Junta viii now
have an excellent excuse for meeting and
organizing lodge Of sorrow. on the
most extensive scale Of weepfuluess and
hysteria- By tomorrow. we expect, pc
titions demanding clemency for the cap
tive VIII begin to pour in on the President
It IS lucky for him that Congress is not
in session If it were, Mr. Hoar
would make the circumambient ether
howl with Danegyrics Of the fallen Wash
ington. Napoleon, Lafayette. Kosciusko.
and Lincoln. As It IS. perhaps he VIII
content himself with a paper or two in
the Worcester Spy and the Atlantic
Monthly" and let It go at that. We are
unable 10 learn that Major Pond has
completed his arrangements with Aglin-
aldo for a lecture tour, but unless it shall
Immediately appear that the latter is TO
be impriSOned-chained and left to die
IL dungeon. as his American adorers
would pat it-that matter viii certainly
be arranged by cable before the end Of
the week