The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-01
BLOW TO FILIPINO PROGRESS
ELECTION or GOMEZ REGARDED
AS A SERIOUS SETBACK.

Special Cable Despatch 10 THE SUN.

Labor Agftstsr and Convicted En,-
bexzIer was Up for Treason Once.
Special Cable Despatch N TEE SUN.
MANILA, July 81. The election Of DR..
Dominsdor Gomez. the agitator snd Ma
cionalists. astounds conser vative Flipinos
and the Government. IL 10 considered a
strong indication Of the indiscretion OF the
people and Of their inability TO undertake
the duties Of self government.
Vincente LUX ban. whom Gomez de-
fested, has filed n protest. which he will
present 10 the Assembly when IT. meets.
Lukbsn's appeal Ia on the ground that
inspectors u~njustly rejected ballots cast
for him. He charges that Gomez and his
henchmen we're electioneering inside pro-
hibited areas during the voting, and also
that Gomez has not acquired Philip pine
citizenship and 10 not entitled to hold Office.
He requests a recount.
The law does not permit the existing
authorities TO consider such a protest.
Hence il will be presented to the Assembly.
Pictures of Gomez and of Guerrero. the
editor Of the Rendcimiento. who was also
elected to the Assembly yesterday. are
displayed in many Of the streets. draped
with insurgent flags. Many Of the peasantry
chpcC' HiNltpcnue0tN now Ht any moment.
WAsHINGToN. July 3i.-The Insnlar
Bureau OF the War Department this morn
ing received the following cablegram from
Gen. Smith Of the Philippines concerning
the result of the elections there on Tuesday:
The result of elections in fourteen
provinces, some districts yet to hear from:
Progrcsistas. (; independents. 3; Naciona-
listas. ~. With partial returns from
other districts il appears probable that
there Gill he elected five more Progresistas,
FIVE independents and seventeen more
N~acionalistas.
Il do not expect that the Progresistas
will have at the very outside more than
twenty votes in the Assembly. Gomez
was elected in the city Of Manila by thirty
one votes. defeating DR.. Lukban, who
bolted the Nacionalista ticket. Both Pro-
gresista candidates were badly defeated"
Outside Of the Philippines little or nothing
was about DR.. Dominador Gomez head
Of the Nacionalista party in the islands and
president of the Workingmen's Union. until
March, 1903, when Gen. Allen. in command
Of the Constabulary, placed in the hands
Of the Government evidence going to show
that Gomez was assisting the rebellious la
drones in their operations and was furnish
ing them with information of the movement
of troops and with money.
At this time Gomez had been busy for
six months preaching the doctrine Of
political independence to the Filipinos.
During this time he had been in constant
communication with Guillermo. the leader
Of the ladrones in the field. assisting him
in every way. He had also founded a labor
paper and in his capacity Of president Of the
Workingrnen's Union had set scales Of wages
and organized strikes.
In the early part of 1909 the Government
seized the records of the union for nom
compliance with the law requiring that such
bodies shall make annual statements TO the
insular treasurer. Investigation Of the
unions affairs showed that il was a gigantic
fraud on the poor FIlipinos. Twelve thou
sand laborers had contributed $40, 600, OF
which Gomez never accounted for more
than $4,000.
On May % Gomez was arrested on the
charge Of misappropriati ng funds and
aiding the insurgents. In this crisis Of his
affairs he made an offer TO Gov. Taft to
surrender Chief GuillerIno on certain terms.
an offer that the Governor promptly re-
jected.
Upon these charges Gomez was sentenced
on September 20 to serve a term of twenty
six months imprisonment and to pay a fine
of $500. In the meantime he had been sen-
fenced 10 a term Of six months for CONTEMPT
Of court for violation of an order in con-
nection with the property Of the Working
mems Union,~ bankrupt and in the hands of n
receiver. He appealed against this sentence
and only the other day the Supreme Court
decided against him. n stay of execution
being granted.
On May " 1904. Gomez was tried on a
charge OF treason. consisting Of conspiracy
TO overthrow the American Government Of
the islands. Judge Amber decided that the
evidence was insufficient for conviction and
Gomez was acquitted. But the Government
appealed.
Gomez's latest conspicuous appearance
before the public. previous TO the election
campaign, was in June Of last year. when,
much TO the surprise Of everybody.
Sakay. q notorious murderer and brig
and. was paroled out OF prison
n sent TO The hills with Gomez To
induce several ladrone chiefs still at large
and active to surrender. The mission
was successful. The chiefs came in. They
say they did SO on Gomez's promise. on
behalf OF the Government that their lives
would be spared. The Government denies
having given Gomez any such authority.
The Philippine Supreme Court last week
confirmed the sentence OF death IN the case
- Ill 49, CI