The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-07-17
EMILIO iGUIMAlOO.

have spent no little time In studyinI
Emilio Aguinaldo. says a writer In TIT
London News. Arriving in Manila ba,
with the hrst expedition 10 the Philip
pines In the spring OF 1898. I saw Agui
naldo several times at Cavite and In
front OF Manila as an allv OF Uncle Sam
After the fall OF the latter city. on Aug
~ lSSS. az Gil siA or seven weeks before
tbs outbreak Of the new insurrection on
| fep I. 1919, ] repeatedly visited Agui-
naldo at Bocoor and afterward at Ma
ialos where he moved HIS government"
J Personally. Agulnaldo made a very poor
| appearance. lie certainly did not look
| like a man who had much brain power.
| One could find any number OF Tagals I'm
Manila whose faces portrayed more in
telligence than did that of the man they
had chosen as their leader. / was sur
prised 10 find that certain members of
Aguinaldo's cabinet spoke of the facial
characieristlcs of their president in d
NOSE cisrepectful manner. In fact, il
was from few casual remarks on such
SUBJECTS that 4 obtained my first inkling
OF what 1 later became firmly convinced
Was the case-that AguinaldO was merely
hgurehead. tool in the hands OF clever
men Ike Maoini and the elder Palermo
Aguinaldo had learned from some source
thdl stold silence. gave an impression
or depth and keen perception. / have
oeen present at more than one interview
IN which an attempt was made To draw
MN out, but generally with little or no
success 1 am convinced that constant
intercourse with Aguinaldo was what
MS generals 10 despise him thoroughly
Ihis generals open statement rega riding
me poor opinion In which he held Agui-
naldo subsequently, led that worthy TO
"A N x1 nh q
obstreperus subordinate was assassi-
mated. That incident lost the insurgent
president many friends. but the true
story OF the assassination was 50 manipu-
lated by Agulnaldo's supporters that few
or the Filipino people ever knew the
truth regarding the matter
J. believe II was a general named Pho
del Pillar. who was captured near Manila
IN May last year. who first started the
stofy OF Aguinaldo's supernatural pow
ers Pillars following chiefly came from
a province called Cavite. which Law Just
south OF the city of Manila and was the
worst hot-bed of insurrection In the ISL
and or Luzon. Pinar commenced TO work
on the ignorance and superstition OF the
natives OF Cavite province, which is peo-
pied by Tagals. the dominant race I'm the
phiipplnes. by claiming familiarity with
.ne ,.ne splrlt world and making prophecies |
based on revelations which had come to 1
him I'm the form OF dreams |
During the months Immediately prior to /
the insurgent outbreak. when the insur- |
pare themselves for the struggle which |
they had decided to make I'm the name of |
liberty, Pho del Pillar decided to strength |
EN- the cause OF Aguinaldo by proclaiming |
him In league with the powers of the air, l
Or some kindred supernatural agency. |
soon stories were afioat 90 the effect that \
the president had been seen at night. dur
ing nerce storm, riding his horse 1
through the skies In order that he might \
VISIT ms various parts OF his army In the |
same night
III.
Tarlac. town In the province which af-
terward saw the last stand of the
called government OF the Republica FL |
ipina, who told me of the following Incl
lent: During the first insurrection OF the
Ftlipinos against the Spaniards bait
Lalion of insurgents was engaged In a
midnight attack on portion OF the Span
sh line not FAR from Manila. The nerce- |
ness OF the onslaught resulted in the re-
-reat OF the enemy. In the moment OF !
victory the little band suddenly discov-
.red that their front and both TANKS were
covered by an advancing Spanish brigade. |
They had commenced a retreat, which
meant great loss. when they were rallied
py ., no less parsonage than Aguinaldo
naked sword I'm his hand. led them toward
the enemy instead Of away from them,
hnally turning apparent defeat into VIC
tory and causing the isnominious retreat
of the Spaniards. But the strapgest part
of the story was that at the time Agui-
naldo was seen 20 rally the demoralized
battalion and lead Il in so successful an
sleeping In his own tent miles and miles
away
Now, that native was a rich man. and
n many WAYS an Intelligent one. He had
daughters who had received splendid mu-
'ical educations In France and Germany.
ma sons who were graduates OF the coll
eyes OF Manila and Hong Kong. Yet
was no more possible 10 shake his belief |
n the truth Of that story than IL was TO
make him white man. The way In |
which he clung 10 the belief in the semi
divinity OF Aguinaldo was typical OF the
light in which most natives who were
Tot blessed with sufficient education 10
wash away their inhorn superstition
ooked upon eel presidente"
So when. in the fall Of 1900. the armies |
" Gems. Macarthur and Lawson had prac-
ically swept northern Luzon clear of In
urgent bodies of any size, when the !
Tarlac government had been relegated 10
oblivion when every member OF Aguinal-
los old cabinet was either a prisoner In
Manila on parole or dead when the
'nited States troops OF the invaluable and
ardily supplied cavalry were securing !
he country for the insurgent leader. the
ighed
Men were found who were willing 10
elp the newcomers To catch lesser Of
enders. but no native dared 10 even con-
ider the possibility OF planning for the
apture of Aguinaldo. In the very north
rnmost province ~ the Island of Luzon,
{ a time when Aguinaldo was supposed
o be in the vicinity OF the nearby noun
aims. interviewed few Filininos who
ad been particularly loyal 10 the Ameri-
ans and brought about the capture Of
he insurGent leaders IN that district
hey told me, what had heard from one
nd OF the island 20 another. that no ma
I've dared 10 plot against Aguinaldo. for
he rea son that he was like a god and
ould discover their plans bv some occult
1eans OF which they understood no more
han that they were greatly 10 be feared.
Thus it NAV be easily understood that
o many natives whose ideas Of the mean
ng OF such words a. liberty" and 'in-
enendence" were most vague. tgunaldo
represented "the republic" With him az
arge, the vagarieS OF the native mind
egarding the future were legion With
Is capture goes out y spark Of hope,
Which IL all alat the Filipinos. as race.
ave had to sSShg FOR many long month.
Burdock Blood bitters gives a man a
lear head. an active brain a strong
igorous body-makss him NJ for the bat
le OF life.