The Washington times., 1903-09-28
MABINI TELLS STORY
OF FILIPINO UPRISING

meet MIN at Cabanatuan Tor CONFER
ence; but when the latter reached this
pueblo he did not find the former at his
residence, and was treacherously as
sassinated by the soldiers on guard |
there. Col. Francisco Roman, who ac-
companied him. died with him. While |
Luna was being murdered. Senior |
Aguinaldo was at Tarlac assuming COM |
mand OF the forces the deceased had
organized.
Prior to his death Luna had his
headquarters in Bayambang, and had
been in Benguet to investigate whether
the place would furnish good defensive
conditions in the event of retreat.
More still, he had already begun to send
there the heavier pieces of necessary
ordnance. Nevertheless, Senior Aguin-
aldo established himself and bis gov
ernment in Tarlac and amused himself
with political and literary work. neg
lect which General Otis took advantage
of by landing troops at San Fabian.
while the cavalry, making a detour by
San Jose and Umingan. took San Quin-
tin and Tayug. thus cutting off Aguin-
aldo's lines of retreat and administer
ing a mortal blow to the revolution.
Aspired to Premiership.
Il cannot believe. even now, that
Luna worked to wrest from Senior
Aguinaldo the high position he occu-
pied; but II is certain that he did as
pire to become the head OF the cabinet
in place Of Senior Palermo, with whom
he did not agree. as the autonomous
program of the latter was an infrac-
tion Of the fundamental law of the state,
and. as such. constituted a punishable
offense. This is shown by an announce
ment which the newspaper La Inde-
pendencia,' inspired by Luna. published
few days before his death. in which
> il was said that the Palermo Buenca-
mino cabinet was to be replaced by an
other. of which Luna was the head and
secretary of war at the same time
when, few days later. he received
the telegram from Senior Aguinaldo
summoning him to Cabanatuan. Luna
may have thought. perhaps. that the
purpose of the conference was the new
cabinet. He had not thought that they
! we're seeking to murder him at the very
q critical moment when the revolution
$ most needed his strong and intelligent
4 arm. He could not believe that law
y full and proper ambition would inspire
= fear in Senior Aguinaldo. who had made
him general-in-e chief Of the Filipino
: army.
Luna's Estimate of Aguinaldo.
True II is that occasionally Luna al
lowed himself to say that Senior Aguin
: aldo was q man of weak character AM
! an incompetent leader. but such wordi
j were the mere explosions Of a spirite'
= nature who saw his plans Illustrate
I. through lack of necessary support. Al
!, his acts revealed uprightness and pa
- triotism, combined with zeal and en-
p ergy equal to the occasion. II at time
N he was hasty and even cruel in his de
= cisions, it was because the army wa
IN desperate straits owing 70 the de
Il noralization OF the soldiers and lac
\ of munitions-acts of daring courag
a and Of extraordinary energy could alon
D. prevent it's disruption.
A. ..The death of Andres Bonifacio ha
b. fully demonstrated the existence In sen'
p Aguinaldo Of a boundless ambition Il
A. power. and the personal enemies
II Luna. through skillful intrigues. exploi
ed this weakness to the latter's ruin ]
saw that the revolution would ha'
81 triumphed. had Senior Aguinaldo. instei
g. of allowing Luna to be killed, supports
him with all his might. would be Z
=, presumptious: but / entertain not u
- slightest doubt that the America
10 would have had higher opinion OF q
g. valor and military capacity Of the FIJI
%. pinos.
es Luna living. am sure that the mo
es tai blow struck by General Otis Won
r. have been stayed or. at least, averted
n time, and the incomDetency OF Sen
q AKuinaIdo FOR military command Won
~, not have been clearly shown Beside
mr. Sener Aguinaldo, in order 20 rid hims'
us of Luna, utilized the very soldiers Z
i'm latter had punished for breaches OF di
nc ciplne. Senior AguinalGo. Therefore, kill
=, discipline by destroying his own arm
=, Luna fallen. his strongest support
: revolution-fell and the ignominy OF
- fall. resting entirely upon Senior Agui
a. ADO. turn COST TIC AuOl al hNehAil VI 1
latter, a thousand times more bitt
IT, than physical death.
nq "Senor Aguinaldo, then, ruined hi
les self, condemned by his own acts. TIL
i'm does Providence punish the great
nd ITO epitomize: The revolution fail
De- because it was poorly directed; becat
lat its director conquered his position !
ing through meritorious, but through rep
sh hensibIe, acts; because instead of ST
is porting the men most useful TO the ps
.de pie. jealous OF them. he rendered tn
TO useless. Believing that the aggrandii
ty. ment of the people was nothing mt
than his own personal aggrandizeme
he did not Judge the merit OF men fr
PIT their capacity. character and PATRIOTS
Tue but from the degree Of friendship a
NJ relationship which bound him TO the
ITO and. wishing to have his favorites res
IN to sacrifice themselves for him, he sho
lad ed himself complainant even with tn
I'm. faults.
lRh Having thus scorned the people.
fpl people deserted him. And the peo
-, having deserted him, he had 10 fall Il
wax idol melted by the heat of
n 4