The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-03
VIEWS OF
AGU|NALD0.
Captured Chief
Wants to See
America.
TALKS OF PAST,
PRESENT, FUTURE
He is inclined to Think That u. 5.
Sovereignty is Preferable to
independence.


correspondent had an interview This
morning with Aguina,do. He was
greeted cordially by the ex-repel leader,
who was in excellent spiIits. Aguinaldo
is still non-commit.al, fearing that II
he talks on the situa TN he will pc
misrepresented and his position thus
ieopardized. He said. will make
no definite statements on public or prl-
yate questions until l ara familiar with
the situation 1 am learning English /
and studying American government
When asked if he desired to visit the /
United States, Aguinaldo replied: Yes,
greatly; but I am at the disposition OF
the authorities.
The correspondent then asked him |
for his opinion of the scheme looking
| the purchase of the church estates by
| the Government, and their sale to the
natives Aguinaldo said he thought
| such a scheme would be satisfactory
| but he added that he was not familiar
with the proposal. He said he general
lily Endorsed the acts of the Philippine
| commission, which he had followed IN
| terruptedly in the newspapers for the
Hast half year. He has been secluded
in the mountains, however, and there
|
current events.
The correspondent presented to him
a photograph of his son Miguel, which
was taken the day after the child was
tcaptured near San FABIAN. Aguinaldo
thanked the correspondent warmly and
isaid it had been reported the boy was
dead. He added, jokingly: Whatever
lelse am accused of, ] am not respon-
1 sible for rumors that were circulated
while I was in the field"
At this point Colonel Mallory and
lieutenant Colonel Fieberger, professor
lat West Point, entered and took part
lin the conversation. Aguinaldo drop
ped his reserve and became reminis-
lcent. He said: "I was often very close
to the Americans. I expected to make
Inv greatest stand at Calumpit. When
lI abandoned Tarlac I commanded 1.500
rifemen. anticipated General Wheat
Ions landing at. San FABIAN. I planned
to retreat to Nueva Vizcaya. but was
frustrated by brave General Lawton.
II slipped through the Gordon with 200
men only four hours before the LANDING
Iparty came ashore
In response to a question concerning
Ibis opinion of the American troops, he
lsaid: How terrible are the Americans.
They are splendid and ferocious fight
ers, no sooner built arsenals and
barracks than they destroyed them.
Colonel March chased me in a most
lively fashion for two months In the
, western mountains until worked east
ward with thirty horses and eighty
men. I crossed to Cagayan, and lived
lon the east coast for eight months. MY
outposts often saw the Americans, but
II x:zs,, 49, CT, ,er1a crca-
ment, though I once commanded 10000
riflemen The watchfulness of the
army and navy practically destroyed
filibustering in Luzon.'
II do not desire to discuss insular
politics / am undecided as to my fu-
ture plans. 1 believe that the Federa1s
will be strong agents in the pacifieatior
of the archipelago"
He dominates the peaceful Filipinos as
he did the warlike ones. He argued
tseriouSly for several days with Judge
Arellano and General Trias as tt
whether he would take the oath Of al
legiance or be deported to Guam, bu
since he has taken the oath he accept:
American rule Internationally ant
asks guidance with seeming childlikt
o faith. 1t is possible, however, that HI
is INDUCING in deeper thoughts thar
|
those who have been his constant com
pslniors since his capture say that h
So is sincere.
MANILA, April ga reporter visit
eel Emilio AgCineldo this afternoon a
Sc Solstno street where he was removes
from the Malacanan Palace, and foun
him in a large room upstairs, furnishe
with a table, typewriting machine, fou
settees and twenty chairs. His wife
- who was entertaining n number of Fill
- Pine women friends sat at one emu Q
w THE room, while Aguinaldo, smoking
Ia cigar and chatting with Benito Legar
,c do, occupied the opposite corner.
=. Others present were Lieutenant Cole
i. mel John s. Mallory of the Forty-firs
-. Volunteer Infantry who has charge {
- Aguinaldo; Lieutenant Gilbert :.
=. Youngberg of the Third Artillery, an
"a Mr.. Fisher, General MacArthur's pr
ns vata secretary.
a. Aguinaldo, whose bearing was coul
q, teous and dignitied, was dressed
= white, locked well and, altogethe
- made an excellent impression. Legard
who but recently returned from tt
United States, talked of the trip, ar
Aguinaldo. who seemed greatly int
ested, smiled and asked nurnero.
Questions. He inquired particularly {
n to what President Mckinley said, ar
in seemed anxious to know what W.
he thought Of him in the United State
10 He was rather reluctant to talk Fl
puDilcdtlOIl ana CONSIDERED every que
ton carefully before answering. T
IDS said he was doing ali he could to a
!, sist in the pacification of the Filipino
-he and expressed himself as surprised
what the Americans had accomplishe
~ When he was first captured, he we
"a on to say, he was greatly astonish,
to find that majority of the Filipin
ss- entertained the opinion that America
sovereignty was preferable to ind
pendence, but now he was inclined
~ accept that view.
He explained that in the dissolutit
of the insurgent forces and the decl
vi ration of guerilla warfare the chic
had operated to all intents and pu
poses Independently. They recognize
him as commander in chief, sendil
NO him reports occasionally, and he issu
As some orders, but for the last sew
S43. months communication had been diff