LUKBAN
mire of treachery and villainy could have inspired such thoughts !
“ And none could be found to preach them save men as preaching them now whose god is their stomach and whose motto is the requirements of their pocketbooks ; whose patriotism consists in invoking the name of the Philippine islands when they wish to cry the loudest and deceive the better . who yesterday , and louder than anyone else , cried out : ‘ Viva Independencia !’ when they saw the banner of the revolution triumphant ; who , after egging on thousands of our comrades to the struggle , were the first , like the sycophants and cowards that they are , to shout ‘ Viva the protection of America !’ and who tomorrow would cry out with equal ardour ‘ Viva the sovereignty of African cannibals ’ were those same cannibals to invade country with sufficient force .
“ Skilful traitors these , who long to return to their former yoke and chains ; creatures devoid of dignity and initiative , carried away by the chimeras and visions which send them grovelling at the feet of whomsoever happens to be their master , sweating in the repugnant filth of servility and abjection . Retrace your footsteps on my countrymen who have been unwittingly caught in this trap ! Think what you are doing . Can you not see that what these Philippine disciples of Judas offer you is not peace , but rather the surrender of our liberties and our shameful subjugation ? And even if they do make all these promises in their proclamations , back of which stands the invader , do you think for a moment that in practice they will be complied with ?
“ Yes , they shall be fulfilled when their originators want it so , and when they do not interfere with their malignant schemes and interests . A foreign government looks only to the interests of its own , and your strongest arguments are met , and be met by the powers in Washington . Only a national government , made up of the citizens on the country , can faithfully protect the interests of the inhabitants of that country ; and this end cannot be gained by subjecting ourselves to any foreign power .” 15
When the Federalistas arrived in Samar in April 1901 , it was likely that people outside the six American garrisons had read Lukban ’ s pronouncements .
Federalistas campaign in Samar
The Americans got their ablest recruits in their policy of attraction from members of the Filipino illustrados who had everything to gain with their affiliation . Two of these , Benito Legarda and Trinidad Pardo de Tavera , actually used to be with Aguinaldo in the leadership of the
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