Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-27

R|CARTE'S REBELLION
Only Armed Opposition to the
Government.
rs CALLED THE VIPER
AIDED BY ToLENTINo, A FORMER
PLAYWRIGHT.
Revolt of San Miguel-Return to the
Island and the Submission
of Mabini.
Is CALLED THE VIPER
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

to the government now existing Is a small
band of so-called patriots who are hid
Ing somewhere in the mountains of north
ern Luzon, under the leadership of a half
breed, part negro, part Tagalo. named Arte-
misc Ricarte He calls himself Supreme
Dictator and Captain General of the Uni
versal Democratic Republic of the Philip
pine Islands, Ricarte held a subordinate
place In the army of Aguinaldo was BAN
ished to Guam, refused to accept the am
nesty offered July 4, 1902. and would not
take the oath of allegiance. Hence he was
not allowed to land but slipped into Ma
Mia in disguise and was allowed to remain
here unmolested for two years or eighteen
months. He was the author of the afro
cious plot to blow up the entire community
with dynamite on the day of General Law
toms funeral but he managed to escape.
and, although the entire police and con-
stabulary have since been after him, has
never been captured. He calls himself 1.-The
viper" and is very proud of that title. Ig-
norant, illiterate, depraved. of the lowest
order of society. of the most vicious, vim
dictive and cruel disposition, he has never
theless considerable natural ability and
cunning. and is said to exercise remark
able influence over the ignorant and senti-
mental natives. He has been concealed In
the mountains for more than a year, and
has had several narrow escapes.
He issues lofty, grandiloquent proclama-
lions commanding the yankee pigs to
evaCuate the islands and threatening dire
consequences If his orders are not obeyed;
sends bundles of commissions and appoint
ments of military and civil positions to his
sympathiZers in Manila and elsewhere, and
has been able to corrupt several persons
occupying minor positions under the gov
eminent. Not long ago he succeeded In
persuading a corporal of the constabulary
and his command of sixteen men to join
Eig and faly N
the proposed republic. They deserted their
posts, carrying with them arms, ammuni-
ton and other property of the government.
but were overtaken. arrested, tried and con-
vcted and several of them have been sem
fenced to death. 1t Is necessary that the
government shall make summary and con-
spicuous example of these men traitors for
moral effect upon the remainder of the con-
stabuary. Ayala, the corporal, has made
a full confession, which describes the
shrewduess with which Ricarte conducts
his affairs
More than forty of Ricarte's men have
been captured and sent to prison, and
wagon loads of literature issued by him. In
GLIDING bonds, commissions constitutions
of his republic. codes of laws, prociaina-
lions and other evidences of authority, have
been captured and destroyed
Ricarte's Literary Coadjutor.
He has with him competent literary
coadjutor in the person of Aurelio Tolen-
IlnO, u pcpuldI pldyNiiSA -OA AhuNh Ne'1N'AS'
who was convicted of sedition. appealed to
the supreme court, and then jumped his
bail and fed to the mountains For several
years Tolentino has been writing melo-
dramas and skits for the Filipino stage
and several have been produced at low
grade theaters patronized by the work
ing classes. For, from the beginning or the
American occupation, there has been much
complaint from the police concerning the
evil influence of these performances, put
they were tolerated with good nature until
finally he produced melodrama In Whleh
the government was overthrown. the Amer
lean flag torn and trampled upon before the
audience the Filipino revolutionary nag
hoisted and cheered and an ideal t1liplno
republic established in two acts that lasted
about hour.
This play was greeted by crowded houses
and provoked enthusiastic applause until
# was suppressed by the police, and Tolen-
tino was arrested for sedition. He was tried
and convicted, as l have already told YOU
and while awaiting the argument on his
appeal before the supreme court, he became
involved in an attempt to blackma1l prom
inent native out of 5000 Tolentino threat
ened to denounce him to the government as
an "insurrecto' unless the money was paid
The merchant brought the letter promptly
to headquarters, a trap was set, the go
between was arrested and in his possession
was found a quantity of documents involv-
ing the playwright with Ricarte. Tolen-
tino Immediately disappeared. He has not
been seen since. but has been heard from
several times, and the hamboyant procla-
nations and pamphlets issued over Ri
carte's signature as Supreme Dictator and
Captain General of the Filipino Republic"
can readily be identified as his productions
by any one familiar with his literary style.
They have sent several communications
to Governor Wright. signed officially as
dictator and captain general, offering to
surrender and assist in carrying on the gov
eminent provided they and their followers
mt nd all nOliticaI nria-
oners now in the penitentiary are uncondi-
tfonally released. No attention has been
paid to these communications. They all
are based upon the same premises and con-
tain the same arguments that freedom and
independence have been promised to the
Fllipinos. that TIE people of the islands
have confidence in the honesty and the mo-
tives OF the United States. and desire and
insist that the promises be carried out.
Ricarte demands that independence be
granted Immediately, that the government
bs turned over to him and his associates,
that the civil and military forces be with
drawn and sent back to the United States.
and that the F1lipinos be allowed to real
ize their highest and purest aspirations of
liberty and self-government."
Ricarte Is practically harmless. He is
a fugitive In the mountains and Is COM
PEELED to skip around at a very lively pace
in order to escape capture by the energetic
and vigilant constabulary. Some of his
escapes have been almost miraculous. Ac-
the city frequently; has kept engagements
with dentist or occulst. as some have 1t;
has been actually in the hands of the
cOnstabulary on two occasions. and Ii Is
claimed that on one expedition he acted
as guide for the very men who were out to
capture him. Although these yarns may
not be true. he has at least shown extraor-
binary cunning in escaping arrest, and will
continue to be thorn in the side of the
government until he Is safely lodged In
prison sent to his reward like San Mig
uel. his immediate predecessor.
San Miguel was equally active and trou-
biesome. He was an adventurer and cattle
thief, but like Ricarte, carried the title of
dictator and captain general OF the Fill
pino republic and claimed to receive his
authority from patriotic assembly. He
too. adopted a constitution and proclaimed
liberty and Independence throughout the
land. His active supporters were escaped
convicts. fugitives from justice. thieves and
professional criminals who did very active
and profitable business In the way of black
mail and plumber, and committed many
serious deDredations in various parts Of
the islands. SO active did he and his BAN
dts become that the constabulary were not
sufficient to protect the towns and villages
of two provinces against their attacks, and
scouts attached to the regular military
forces were called upon to assist them
There were several engagements. The cam.
paign was conducted with great skill and