AGUINALDO, EMILIO, • a leader of the insurgents in the Philippines insur rection of 1896, and their chief in the Spanish-American War of 1898. A Chinese mestizo (of Chinese and Tagalog parentage), he was born in Imus, in the province of Cavite, in Luzon, in 1870. His father was a planter and he received his early education at Catholic colleges, and studied medicine. In 1888 he had some trouble with the authorities and went to Hong Kong. On the outbreak of the rebellion against Spanish au thority, in 1896, Aguinaldo became a corn mantling figure with the insurgents. He was at the head of the diplomatic party, which succeeded in making terms with the Spanish Government, the latter pay ing a large sum to the Philippine leaders to lay down their arms. Aguinaldo quar reled with his associates in Hong Kong over the division of this money, and went to Singapore, where he came in contact with the United States consul, shortly before the' breaking out of the war be tween the United States and Spain. On the representations of the consul Com modore Dewey telegraphed to have Aguinaldo sent to him. Aguinaldo was given opportunity to organize the Fili pinos against the Spanish authority; but no promises were made to him and the insurgents were never officially recog nized by the Americans. Friction early arose and the Americans protested against the cruel treatment of Spanish prisoners by the Filipinos. The strain
became serious at the capture of Manila, the insurgents claiming the right to sack the city, which the Americans denied. On June 12, 1898, Aguinaldo organized a so-called Filipino Republic, with himself as president, but very soon proclaimed himself dictator. He protested against the Spanish-American treaty of peace, which ceded the Philippine Islands to the United States, and claimed the inde pendence of the islands. He organized an extensive conspiracy among the native population of Manila, and ordered the complete massacre of the Americans, to gether with the entire European popula tion. The plot was discovered in time and failed. On Feb. 4, 1899, his forces attacked the American lines in the sub urbs of Manila. The news of this overt action caused the prompt ratification of the Spanish-American treaty by the United States Senate. Aguinaldo made a determined resistance to the Ameri cans, but early in 1900 the organized in surrection was broken up, Aguinaldo driven into hiding by General Funston, who also captured the rebel himself in March, 1901. Aguinaldo then declared his allegiance to the American flag.