Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-08
CHAT WITH AGUINALDO
FORMER REVOLUTIONIST LEAD
ING A QUIET LIFE.
Makes Manila His Home-Would Like
to Visit the United
States.

John Bancroft Devins in the New York Observer
With the Rev. James B. Rogers the
Presby terian missionary who speaks excel
lent Spanish, 1 went one morning to have
an interview with Emilio Aguinaldo, the
recognized leader of the insurgents, or rev.
olutionists as they prefer to call them
selves. in their fight against Spanish rule
in 1867, and against American rule In
1S9S-1901. l used the word "recognized'
advisedy after many interviews with
Americans. and Spaniards and Filipinos.
The opinion Is almost general here that the
real leader of the Fflipinos during their
years of revolution was Mabini. the
brains of the revolution" who died last
May of the cholera. Mabini was not
general nor even a soldier in the army. but
was a paralytic. and Is affectionately
termed by the FiIipinos 1.-The sublime para
lytic." 1t is admitted also. that two or
three other men who were active on the
field, Gen. Luna among the number, were
Aguinaldo's superiors Intellectually and
that it was the recognition Of this fact
which led to the ASA ssina ton of Luna.
Aguinaldo was school master at Silan
when the revolution of 1896 broke out.
Aguinaldo had recently passed his twenty
seventh birthday, when on August 81, 1896,
he issued his first pronunciamento and be-
came the recognized leader of the rebels.
From this time he continued the issu-
ance of manifestoes.
Not Prisoner
Whether or not "the pope Is a prisoner in
Rome it is certain that Agunaldo is not
a prisoner in Manila. He lives in Gale
Real Ermita; he sees friends without re-
strfction, attends receptions and goes about
the city at pleasure. though it is said that
he usually rides in closed carriage
When Mr.. Rodgers and 1 called at his
home We were shown into the reception
room. and in a few moments the young
agitator appeared and gave us hearty
greeting. Mr.. Rodgers had been interpreter
for another visitor some months before, and
then the interview was so formal that he
was not anxious to repeat the visit. The
change in Aguinaldos attitude at the time
of our interview was marked. Perhaps this
was due somewhat to the fact that the two
men have boys about seven years of age.
who were schoolmates last year In the boys
school of Malate. Mr.. Rodgers explained
that 1 was "periodista" 0ournalisD. and
that put us in our true relation at the out
set. I had expected to find Filipino: but
the man before me was more of a China
man In his looks and in his bearing than
he was a representative of the people for
whose recognition by the powers Of the
world he had vainly pleaded. His high
cheek bones his manner of asking ques-
lions. his air of reserve. as well as his
color marked him at once a mestizo
Zone containing mixed bloods in this case
Chinese and Filipino). 1t is quite sgnifi-
cant that the majority of the leaders of the
revolution were mestizos. A member of the
Philippine commission said a few days ago
that nearly all of the ranking families
in Manila were more or less Chinese in
their origin. 1t Is true that the Chinese
ancestor may have entered the Philippine
family line half dozen generations back;
in every case he left his impress.
After being told that we had visited the
leading provinces of the archipelago. In
Guiding the capital cities of the instruction.
he asked our opinion OF the islands and of
the people. This gave opportunity to
speak of the native governors of the civil
provinces whom we had met-the ablest
men In the provinces. we were told, in near
ly every case, and nearly all of them had
been leaders in the revolution.
"The governors. your friends. spoke very
highly of you said the visitor.
Apparently Not Rich.
"That was kind of them replied the
young leader. now without any apparent
following. and apparently also without
much material resources. After explaining
tho conditions in the yariOus iSla nds he