Philippine History: US afraid of a cripple

There was this article I came across, its about the time when the American Government was troubled by one crippled man. I apologize for the selective amnesia that I have been experiencing right now, since I could not in any way remember when and where I have seen the article, which has been probably lost in archives. But some of the parts of the letter that I had saved, I am posting in behalf of you so that at one time during our colorful history, there was a time when the Americans have felt fear for a certain Filipino.

In January 1903 W. H. Taft wrote the US secretary of war about Apolinario Mabini coming back to the Philippines from his exile in Guam:


"The question of the power of the Government to detain Mabini at Guam is not one on which I am called upon to express an opinion. I do think, however, that for self-protection it is within the power of this Government to deny to any person seeking to land within the Archipelago the opportunity to do so unless he will take an oath to be loyal to the Government while in the Islands and to acknowledge the sovereignty of the United States. Such a law is now in force. Certainly the Government of the United States might very well say to Mabini that it would not carry him from Guam to the Philippine Islands unless it could be assured that he would take such an oath and thus be admitted to the Archipelago."


Mabini has been a consistent opponent of American sovereignty and a persistent inspirer of rebellion and insurrection. He was for a long time the chief adviser of Aguinaldo. He has manifested such skill and cunning in his appeals to the people of the Philippine Islands against the American Government, and may be said to be 'the most prominent irreconcilable among the Filipinos.' His physical infirmity, of course, has appealed to the imagination of the Filipinos and to the pity of all who have seen him.


His consistent course of opposition to the Government, in prison, and out of prison, his physical condition as a hopeless paralytic, and his gentle and courteous manner, have all served to place him in the attitude of a martyr and to give him that kind of influence and popularity which it may be supposed would come from such qualities and circumstances.


As a matter of fact, while in custody in Manila he was much more comfortable than when he was at his home, and I presume the same is true of his life at Guam, and that so far as personal comfort is concerned he is better off where he is. If he were allowed to come to Manila he would form a nucleus for all the discontented elements which he would be certain to encourage in every form of plot and conspiracy against the existing government.


Nothing he writes, nothing he says, but contains unjust insinuations against the American Government and its good faith. The claim that he is just as well able now to decide in Guam whether he will take the oath as when he comes to Manila, is a palpable pretence. What he desires is to be brought to Manila, because he thinks that even if imprisoned here he will form a point of concentration for the rapidly diminishing number of irreconcilables in these Islands.


I think it would be unwise to allow him to come unless he is willing in advance, by his oath of allegiance, to agree not to plot against this Government. This Government we are sworn to maintain, and a policy of allowing openly avowed enemies of our Government in our sight to take steps to inaugurate conspiracies and plots against it, is not one that I favor.


All that Mabini has to do to secure his liberty and his return to these Islands is to take the oath by which he agrees that he will not plot and conspire against the existence of this Government. If he is not willing to make this agreement then he ought not to come into the country. One can have an admiration for his consistency and his utterly wild dreams of benefit to his country from independence without being in favor of exposing the Government, which is doing more for the Filipino people than any government did, to the danger of disturbance and conspiracy which his presence would promote and of a possible new insurrection, which could work nothing but misfortune and hardship to the people whom he thinks he loves and would aid."


They say we are often honored by our enemies. This letter reflects the fear and respect the United States had for a quiet cripple who was born in Talaga, Tanauan, Batangas from a poor family, who dreamt of defending the poor, studied law and achieved the title Professor of Latin, and is being immortalized as the “Sublime Paralytic”. Apolinario Mabini, true blooded Batangueño, crippled, intelligent, had not only written the constitution of the first Philippine republic, but had also earn the admiration and respect of even those who are opposed of his vision and goals for the country. He is the only person recorded in history that has been the constant headache of the American government from 1898 to 1903. Not Marcos, not Erap, and certainly not GMA. If the Americans have made fool of the Filipino people for the past century, there was one man who had stood against them and have caused a little bit of fear.



Even Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who was called to give his testimony during the investigation and trial that would later be known as the Lodge Committee of 1902, when asked to describe Mabini could only say:


"Mabini is a highly educated young man who, unfortunately, is paralyzed. He has a classical education, a very flexible, imaginative mind, and Mabini's views were more comprehensive than any of the Filipinos that I have met. His idea was a dream of a Malay confederacy. Not the Luzon or the Philippine Archipelago, but I mean of that blood. He is a dreamy man, but a very firm character and of very high accomplishments. As I said, unfortunately, he is paralyzed. He is a young man, and would undoubtedly be of great use in the future of those islands if it were not for his affliction."