The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-04-11
Baltimore SUM-

only 81 years old, has risen to he one
of the leading figures in the eyes OF
the world. His friends say he is one
Of the great men OF the age; his enc
mics. that hs is at least a wonderful
| man.
He was born in linus, little viii
lage near Cavite, Luzon.s His father
was a well-to-do planter, and his son
when young was sent to the College
of St. Jean de Lateran. Afterward
he matriculated in the University Of
St. Thomas, Manila. and the father
was obliged to exercise much self
sacrifice in enabling the son to com
| plete his course OF study.
| While in these schools the young
man who was destined to lead the
Filipino revolt against the United
| States received a careful drilling in
Spanish and in the Latin classics. In
the latter part Of his course at the
University he also studied physics,
metaphysics, theology, Jurisprudence,
law and medicine. He left the Uni
versity without having completed hi.
course, but subsequently resumed
| his studies in a normal school con-
Quoted by the Jesuits.
Not long afterward his father died
and Aguinaldo was forced to return
homo to look after hi. patrimony,
which had been threatened by law
suits instituted by the order o: the
Recollectos, an organization COM
posed Of the great landowners of Lu-
| Zon.
DR.. Rial organized the Philippine
League in 1898, the object OF which
was to unity politically the parts OF
the archipelago. Rial was banished
but the order of Katipunan was form
ed soon afterward. and acquired a
membership of 100000. The object
OF this society was cooperation
for the protection of the Luzon ma
| tives.
The Spanish government declared
ban on the society. A Spanish Off
Ger, with a squad Of native soldiers,
was sent so arrest Aguinaldo, who
was suspected Of being one of the
leaders. Aguinaldo, when confront
ed by the Spanish officer, promptly
shot him, and then appealed to his
| companions to abandon the service OF
! Spain and strike blow for liberty.
The soldiers heard his words gladly,
and instantly proclaimed him their
leader. With them Aguinaldo sought
the Businesses of the forest, where
thousands of his countrymen flocked
to him. all eager to join the standard
| Of revolt.
This was the inception Of the Fill
| pino revolt against the Dominion
| of Spain. Within a few months the
leader had enlisted under his banne +
800 men and had gained several
| important victories.
The blockade maintained by the
Spanish squadron in Philippine
waters against the importation OF
arms for the insurgents gradually
drove the Filipinos to the wall, and
in December 1897, the celebrated
"pacilication' of the Island was nego-
tiated, the go-between being Senior
Pedro Palermo. director of the Manila
museum. a Filipino who had remain
ed at least passively loyal to the
Spaniards. The Filipino junta At
that time was composed of Aguin-
aldo. who exercised such executive
| powers as were possible to so feeble
an organization: Artacho, home secre-
tary; Montenegro, foreign secretary;
Bilarmlno. war secretary, and Baldo-
nero Aguinaldo, cousin OF Emilio,
| secretary Of the treasury
The so-called pacification'' in
cluded the payment to the insurgcnt
leaders of $S0O.0OO in Mexican silver,
equal to about $4O0, 900 in gold.
Aguinaldo and his associates agreed
to surrender all the arms in the pos
session Of the NATIVES. and quit the
archipelago, remaining away at the
pleasure of the Spa nish government,
and TO use their utmost influence to
disband and disarm the insurgents
Aguinaldo was to 90 to Hongkong
TO receive the first installment OF the
Spanish money and he was then to
cable to Artacho. who had surrender
ed to the Spanish captain-general as a
hostage. On receiving Aguinaldos
cable message that the money had
been paid, Artacho was to disband
tho insurgent organization. disband
the troops and give up their arms
This part Of the program was carried
out in December, 1897, and the early
part OF January, 1898.
The cash payment was divided
among the junta, and Aguinaldo
started for Paris, The purpose of
getting the money, his adherents have
often stated, was to store it up for
use in another revolt. By some Of
Aguinaldos enemies it was charged
that the money was bride, though
In the last year or little has been
heard Of this accusation
Aguinaldo had gone no farther
than Singapore on his way to Paris,
when the destruction Of tho Maine in
Havana harbor brought on acute ten
sion OF the relations between the
United States and Spain, He remain
ed in Singapore to see whether the
Flllpinos might not profit by SPANS
difficulties.
1t was then that there occurred the
negotiations with Consul Pratt,
which, Aguinaldo has maintained,
Justify his assertion that the United
States made an alliance with him bv
which he was to assist in expelling
the Spaniards from the Philippines
and in return the United States wa.
to recognize the independence of the
Filipino Republic.
He was taken to Manila from Homo
kong on one Of Dewev's auxiliary
vessels and soon armed and eouinned
large force This force. as is well
known, so operated at first with the
Americans, and it was largely due to
its efforts that Manila was captured
by Gen. Wesley Merritt. army in
August. 1898.
Then came doubt and distru.t. The
treaty OF Paris ceding the Philippine
Islands to the United States was con-
cluded. The independence of the
country, which Aguinaldo had cherish