For Aguinaldo, his supporters, and followers I am free to say have much sympathy and some respect. Having known him and most of his officers well and watched him during the long period that has elapsed since Isaw him put aboard the United States dispatch boat in Hongkong harbour last May by permission of Admiral Dewey and Consul-General Wildman, for the direct purpose of going to Cavite to organise an army and temporary government and make war on the Spaniards in ce-operation with the American forces, it is impossible to condemn him without reserve, as so many have done. Iecould and would have no sympathy for him if he should conspire against the United States but it is only fair that he should be given credit for what he has done and not be judged too hastily. He organised an army out of nothing which -he has now gradually developed into a force of 30,000 men armed with modern rifles. He captured all Spanish garrisons.on the island of Luzon outside of Manila so that when the Americans were ready to proceed agai ity they were not delayed and troubled with a country ised a government which has practically been administering the offales of that great island since the American occupation of Manila and which is or tainly better than the former administration; he has a properly formed Cabinet and Qongress the members of which i appearance and manners would compare favourably with Japanese statesmen. He has among his advisers men of acknowledged ability a8 international lawyers while his supporters include most of the prominent educated, and wealthy natives—all of which prove possibilities of self-government that We must consider. He conducts himself personally with great decorum and no more ostentation than would be expected. Despite his fults and weaknesses which of course he has, he can hardly be called the savage, undeserving, as well as unprincipled and ambitious "native that he ix alton por trayed to be, unless all native leaders rising to his sudden prominence can be so
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.