Our Picture Gallery.
Annotations and Illustrations--Portraits of Heroes of the War in the
Army and Navy, and of the Highest Public Responsibilities--Admirals
and Generals, the President and Cabinet--Photographs of Scenes
and Incidents--The Characteristics of the Filipinos--Their Homes,
Dresses and Peculiarities in Sun Pictures--The Picturesque People of
Our New Possessions.
The portrait of President McKinley is from the photograph that seems to
his friends upon the whole the most striking of his likenesses. That of
the Secretary of State, the Honorable John Hay, is certainly from the
latest and best of his photos. The Postmaster General, the Honorable
Charles Emory Smith, and Secretary Bliss, are presented in excellent
form and the whole Cabinet with unusual faithfulness. Our naval and
military heroes in the war that has introduced the American nation
to the nations of the earth as a belligerent of the first class,
cannot become too familiar to the people, for they are of the stuff
that brightens with friction, and the more it is worn gives higher
proof that it is of both the precious metals in war, gold and steel.
Admiral Dewey, as we have set forth in this volume, is not thus
far fairly dealt with in the pictures that have been taken. He is a
surprise to those who meet him face to face--so far has photography
failed to adequately present him, but the portrait we give is the
best that has been made of him.
Major-General Merritt retains the keen, clear cut face, and the
figure and bearing of an ideal soldier that has characterized him
since, as a youth just from West Point, he entered the army and
won his way by his courage and courtesy, his brilliant conduct and
excellent intelligence, his dashing charges and superb leadership,
to a distinguished position and the affectionate regard of the army
and the people. In the Indian wars, after the bloody struggle of the
States was over, he outrode the Indians on the prairies and was at once
their conqueror and pacificator. He ranks in chivalry with the knights,
and his work at Manila was the perfection of campaigning that produced
conclusive results with a comparatively small shedding of blood.
The likeness of the Archbishop of Manila was presented me by His Grace
at the close of a personal interview, and represents him as he is. The
chapter devoted to him is meant to do him simple justice as a man and
priest. The fact that he bestowed upon me in the inscription with which
he greatly increased the value of his portrait a military dignity to
which I have no title is an expression only of his friendliness. He
frankly stated his pleasure in meeting an American who would convey
to the President of the United States the message he gave me about the
American army, to which he was indebted for security and peace of mind.
General Aguinaldo gave me his photograph, and the flag of the Filipinos
with him in the effort to establish an independent government,
republican in form. One is not always sure of that which happens
in the Philippines, even when one reads about it. I am prepared to
believe that there is much truth in the dispatch saying a majority
of the Congress of the insurgents at Molores favor annexation to the
United States. The whole truth probably is that they would gladly
have this country their Protector at large, supreme in the affairs
international, they to legislate in respect to local affairs. They
need to know, however, that their Congress must become a territorial
legislature, and that the higher law for them is to be the laws of
Congress. The Philippine flag is oriental in cut and color, having
red and blue bars--a white obtuse angle--the base to the staff, and a
yellow moon with fantastic decorations occupying the field. This flag
is one that Admiral Dewey salutes with respect. General Aguinaldo
is giving much of his strength to the production of proclamations,
and his literary labors should be encouraged.
On a September morning two years ago, Dr. Jose Rizal was shot by
a file of soldiers on the Manila Luneta, the favorite outing park,
bordering on the bay. The scene was photographed at the moment the
Doctor stood erect before the firing squad, and the signal from
the officer in command awaited for the discharge of the volley
killing the most intellectual man of his race. Dr. Rizal is known
as the Tagalo Martytr. The Tagalos are of the dominant tribe of
Malays. General Aguinaldo is of this blood, as are the great majority
of the insurgents. The Doctor is more than the martyr of a tribe. He
is the most talented and accomplished man his people and country
has produced. A history of Luzon from his pen is a hulky volume
full of facts. I was not able to procure all of his books. Anyone
in Manila found in possession of one of them during Spanish rule,
would have been taken to the ground selected for human butchery in
the appointed place of festivity, and shot as he was, making a holiday
for the rulers of the islands. He wrote two novels, "Touch Us Not" and
"The Filibusters," the latter a sequel of the former. These are books
using the weapons put into the hand of genius to smite oppressors in
command of the force of arms. The novels are said to be interesting
as novels,--rather sensational in their disregard of the personal
reputation of his foes, the friars, but all along between the lines
there was argument, appeals for the freedom of the Filipinos, for
freedom of speech, conscience and country. There are pamphlets printed
the size of an average playing card, from thirty to forty pages each,
one "Don Rodriguez," and another "The Telephone." These I obtained
in Hongkong from the hands of the niece--daughter of the sister of
the Doctor,--and she presented me also his poem written when in the
shadow of death, of which this volume gives a prose translation. The
poem is the farewell of the author to his friends, his country and the
world. It is given in prose because in that style the spirit of the
poet, indeed the poetry itself, can be rendered with better results,
than by striving to sustain the poetic form. The poem would be regarded
as happy and affecting in the thought that is in it, the images in
which the ideas gleam, the pathos of resignation, the ascendency of
hope, if there were nothing in the attendant circumstances that marked
it with the blood of historic tragedy. This poetry that it would have
been high treason to own in Manila, for it would not have been safe
in any drawer however secret, was treasured by the relatives of the
martyr at Hongkong. The niece spoke excellent English, and there was
at once surprise and gratification in the family that an American
should be interested in the Doctor who sacrificed himself to the
freedom of his pen, so much as to ascend the steep places of the city
to seek his writings for the sake of the people for whose redemption
he died. On the page showing the face of the Doctor and the scene of
his execution, there are two men in black, the victim standing firm
as a rock to be shot down, and the priest retiring after holding the
crucifix to the lips of the dying; and the portrait of the beautiful
woman to whom the poet was married a few hours before he was killed. It
is said that Rizal wanted to go to Cuba, but Captain-General Weyler
answered a request from him that he might live there, that he would
be shot on sight if he set foot on Cuban soil. Rizal, hunted hard,
attempted to escape in disguise on a Spanish troop ship carrying
discharged soldiers to Spain, but was detected while on the Red Sea,
returned to Manila and shot to death. I stood on the curbstone that
borders the Luneta along the principal pleasure drive, between the
whispering trees and the murmuring surf of the bay, just where the
martyred poet and patriot waited and looked over the waters his eyes
beheld, the last moment before the crash of the rifles that destroyed
him, and in the distance there was streaming in the sunshine the flag
of our country--the star spangled banner, and long, long may it wave,
over a land of the free and home of the brave!
The picture of the cathedral shows a tower that was shattered from
the foundation to the cross by the earthquake of 1863. Ambitious
architecture must conform to the conditions imposed by such disasters,
and the great edifice is greatly changed.
In our gallery we treat Admirals Sampson and Schley as the President
set the example. As there was glory for all at Santiago, there
was advancement for both. We present them together. The wholesome,
manly face of General Lee is in the gallery. His country knows him
and thinks of him well.
The bombarded church of Cavite shows that shells spare nothing sacred
in their flights and concussions. The Bridge of Spain is the one
most crossed in passing between the old walled city and the newer
town that was not walled, but was formidably intrenched where rice
swamps were close to the bay. The public buildings are commodious
and would be higher, but the earth is uncertain, and sky-scrapers
are forbidden by common prudence. Our picture of the principal gate
of the walled city is taken truly, but does not give the appearance
of extreme antiquity, of the reality. The wall looks old as one that
has stood in Europe a thousand years.
Naturally the gallery has many works of art representative of
Manila. The shipping in the harbor is an advertisement of a commerce
once extensive. Each picture that shows a woman, a man, or tree;
a wood-cutter, a fisherman, or a house, opens for the spectator a
vista that may be interpreted by the intelligent. A veritable picture
is a window that reveals a landscape. That which is most valuable in
a gallery like this is the perfect truth not everywhere found, for
the eyes that see a picture that is really representative, setting
forth the colors, the light, and the substance of things find that
which does not fade when the story is told.
There is one most hideous thing in our gallery--that of the head of
a Spaniard, bleeding, just severed from the body--the weapon used,
a naked dagger in a clenched hand--around the ghastly symbol a deep
black border. This is one of the ways of the Katapuna society--the
League of Blood--have of saying what they would have us understand
are their awful purposes. There are terrible stories about this Blood
League--that they bleed themselves in the course of their proceedings,
and each member signs his name with his own blood--that they establish
brotherhood by mingling their blood and tasting it. They are the
sworn enemies of the Spaniards, and particularly of the priests. I
inquired of Senor Agoncillo, the Philippine commissioner to Paris,
whether those bloody stories were true. He scoffed at the notion
that they might be so, and laughed and shouted "No, no!" as if he was
having much fun. But Agoncillo is a lawyer and a diplomat, and I had
heard so much, of this horrid society I did not feel positive it was
certain that its alleged blood rites were fictitious. Of one thing
I am sure--that the dreadful picture is no joke, and was not meant
for a burlesque, though it might possibly be expected to perform the
office of a scarecrow. It cannot be doubted that there are oath-bound
secret societies that are regarded by the Spaniards as fanatical,
superstitious, murderous and deserving death.
There is a good deal of feeble-minded credulity among the Filipinos,
that is exhibited in the stories told by Aguinaldo. He has many
followers who believe that he has a mighty magic, a charm, that
deflects bullets and is an antidote for poison. Intelligent people
believe this imbecility is one of the great elements of his power--that
his leadership would be lost if the supernaturalism attached to him
should go the way of all phantoms. Aguinaldo is said not to have
faith in the charm, for he takes very good care of himself.
We give several views of executions at Manila. As a rule, these
pictures are not fine productions of art. They are taken under
such conditions of light and background that they are somewhat
shadowy. This sinister addition to our gallery seems to be the first
time the photographs of executions have been reproduced. The photos
were not furtively taken. There is no secrecy about the process, no
attempts to hide it from the Spaniards. Executions in the Philippines
were in the nature of dramatic entertainments. There were often many
persons present, and ladies as conspicuous as at bull fights. There
is no more objections offered to photographing an execution than a
cock fight, which is the sport about which the Filipinos are crazily
absorbed. It is the festal character to the Spaniard of the rebel
shooting that permits the actualities to be reproduced, and hence
these strange contributions to our gallery.
Many of our pictures are self-explanatory. They were selected
to show things characteristic, and hence instructive, peasants'
customs--women riding buffaloes through palm groves--native houses,
quaint costumes. "The insurgent outlook" reveals a native house--a
structure of grasses. This is a perfect picture. The southern
islanders, and the group of Moors, the dressing of the girls, work
in the fields, the wealth of vegetation, the dining room of the
Governor-General prepared for company, General Merritt's palatial
headquarters before he had taken the public property into his care
and suited it to his convenience; the Spanish dude officer, showing
a young man contented in his uniform, and a pony pretty in his harness.
We reproduce the war department map of the Philippine islands. It will
be closely studied for each island has become a subject of American
interest. The imprint of the war department is an assurance of the
closest attainable accuracy. The map of the Hawaiian islands clearly
gives them in their relative positions and proportions as they are
scattered broadcast in the Pacific. The Philippine and Hawaiian groups
as they thus appear will be found more extensive than the general
fancy has painted them. The Philippine Archipelago has been held to
resemble a fan, with Luzon for the handle. The shape is something
fantastic. It is worth while to note that the distance between the
north coast of Luzon and the Sulu Archipelago is equal to that from
England to Southern Italy.
There are pictures in our gallery that could only be found at the end
of a journey of ten thousand miles, and they go far to show the life
of the people of a country that is in such relations with ourselves
the whole world is interested. There is truthtelling that should be
prized in photography, and our picture gallery is one of the most
remarkable that has been assembled.