The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-08-21

One at all familiar with the conditions,
with the f.cti that there are some sc
tribes in ALL that they are of all degrees
Of civilization. from the highly educated
and polished Nestizo to the savage can
nibal; that they speak widely differing
languages and have all sorts of religions
Catholic, Mahemetan and heathen-must
recognize at once the impossibility of u
single Government for the entire archi-
pelago that WIS isat all representative in
its character. Nothing is possible but a
Government hacked by extraneOus mill
tary force, mGiifieGl locally by such self
government as1the people of limited areas
may be capable Of. If the United States
is to he responsible for such Govern
ment in the philippines, she would far
better administered herself than turn its
execution over to the Tagals.
The Constitution adopted was published
in Spanish, the language i'll which it was
framed-a language, by the way. which
not 10 per cent. of the persons to be gov
erned could read or speak. and l made
Il translation of it into English for my
own Information. / sent it to n paper in
the United States for publication, but be-
fore it reached this country it had been
killed beyond resuscitation by the attack
upon Manila and had ceased to be of fur
Their interest. 1t provided for a purely
oligarchical Government, representative in
theory but not so in practice. the self-per-
petuating legislators electing the Presi-
dent. The latter was given dictatOral
powers greater than any assumed by any
South American dictator. He could sus-
pend the Constitution Mt any time. and the
punishment of treason was left entirely
in his hands. He could accuse and ar
l,itrarily execute any person he chose, and
1T would be a hold man indeed who I'M
dertook seriously to rival him for elec-
ton. Aguina!dO's assassination of Gen.
Luna and others shows how he would
use such despOtic constitutional power.
and he is but representative of the spirit
and ideas of the Malay race.
While the Constitution was being
framed AguinaldO was busy organizing
and equipping an army. 1t was not at all
difficult to get recruits. for the young Fill
ipinOs are full of ginger and would far
rather play ut soldering than work for
living. The difficulty lay in equipping
it. This required money. At first con-
tributions from the wealthy Mestizos and
confiscations of property of Spaniards
supplied means. but in the end system
of taxation was introduced which pro-
vidcd considerable revenue. All the ac-
customed Spanish taxes were levied and
collected by representatives of the Agui-
naldo Government. the people paying be-
could do nothing else. Even heavier bur-
dens than formerly were laid upon them.
a man could not go from one town to an
other without paying for passport. nor
sell anything whatever without paying a
tax uDOn it.
Even in Manila these taxes were col
lccted right under the noses of the Amer-
can authorities. who We're also collecting
the regular taxes for municipal expenses.
the city residents tins paying a double
tax. My own muchacho. who came over
with me from Cavite and was accus-
toned TO say. "NO Uucre AguinaldO: no
querc insurrecto: Aguinaldo muchO malo."
paid this tax into the insurrecti0nary
fund. If he had refused he would have
been bol0cd some dark night as a warn
ing to others. Quite number were treat
ed in this way. and il helped the collcc-
ton of funds wonderfully
THE KATTrUNAN SOCIETY.
The medium by which this easy colIec-
ton of taxes was made possible was the
katipunan Society. This society, | was
at first given TO understand, is sort of
Masonic order. but | soon learned that
rhi:; is not trHe in any sense. 1t has
neither Masonic origin nor does it pos
scss its purposes and methods. 1t is sim
ply and purely a secret organization for
the purpose of promoting insurrectiOn by
assassination and terror. 1t sprang into
existence Il nHmber of years ago as a
means of throwing off the yoke of Spain.
Its membership WIS limited. but it's de-
crees were dreaded. AgHinaldo used this
Instrument to further his ends He pro-
cured a large increase in it's membership
and every memberTwas oatiibound in sup
port OF the Insurrection and in support of
all measures deemed necessary by its
leaders to further its ends. What these
have been il is needless to specify. The
dispatches have from time to time told of
men buried alive up to their necks and
left to starve or have their heads eaten
of by hogs Or peckcd by chickens or cpn-
sumed by ants; of men disembowcleh with
knives or beheadcd with bOlos; of natives
supposed to be friendly TO the Americans
entirely or being found dead
All this is the work of the Katipunans.
Some of these assassins have been cap
tured and hanged. but most of them are
unknown, and still maintain a reign of
terror in some places.
Tho insignia Of the Katipunan are the
triangle and the sun and stars. Possibly
this IL why the society was said to be
Masonic in its nature. 1t is significant
Of the character of the Filipino Govern
mcnt and of its spirit. that these Kati-
Dnnan insignia are emblaZoned upon the
flag adopted by the insurgent Govern
lheHI. Inc fl1plnO nag bears the devices
Of this assassination society; and recog-
milton of it would be Endorsement of it's
methods and its fruits
The more common sign of the Katipu-
nan was tx X X the same as our own
Nu Klux Khan, and they were not unlike
in Significance. l have seen this sign
carved everywhere. The milkman who
Irctted barefootcd along the street carry
ing quart or two of milk in joint of
t,nn dam
shoulder had these significant letters
carved on the mik-holder. / have seen
It on the bamboo measures used for meas
nring rice or tobacco in little store.
and OH the sides of ox carts and carroma-
los. and even on the steps of houses.
i was once invited to join this society,
early in our association, before the fall
IF Manila. Talking with some native SOL
Tiers about the good will of the Ameri-
ans. they assured me the Americans and
FilipinOs We're brothers. | assented TO
his proposition. whereupon they took nv
irm and looked to see if l had upon it
he little puncture to show that l had
given the blood bond of the Katipunan,
he oath being administered with the
of blood from a puncture in the
eft forearm. They We're disappointed not
% find it and then and there offered to
ningle blood with me and administer the
bath. / declined as politely as | could
BY saying that this was not an American
custom.
CTO be continued.
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