Part 9 (1/2)

Note 63. The testimony given by many of the political prisoners as to the foundation, aims and work of the Compromisarios is somewhat conflicting. For instance: Antonio Salazar, (fols. 1,008-1,013) testified that on account of the mal-administration of the funds, ”the subscription on behalf of La Propaganda ceased, and under the name of Compromisarios was founded an a.s.sociation composed of ... (here follow names of members), and seeing that they could not gather sufficient funds, they agreed to increase the subscription and seek persons to a.s.sociate with them.”

On another occasion the same witness testified (fols. 1,014-1,018) that certain persons whom he named were the ”Compromisarios, who were in communion with Marcelo (del Pilar), and who remitted money to him.” He also stated that ”on account of the bad conduct observed in Madrid by Pilar, ... some of the Compromisarios refused to send him resources.”

In reply to a question as to the relations.h.i.+p between the Compromisarios and the Katipunan, he gave as his opinion, that ”there could be no doubt that both societies aimed at the same end.” At fols. 1118-1129 the same witness affirmed that ”as the partisans of Rizal and Pilar ... saw that neither masonry nor the Liga could hope for funds [47], they formed the society of Compromisarios among wealthy persons of Manila and the Provinces.”

Domingo Franco affirmed that the outbreak of the revolt came as a great surprise to the Compromisarios.

As to the aims of the society, Moises Salvador y Francisco is authority for the statement that: ”in one of the juntas they treated of the provision of arms and other material of war; and it was agreed, moreover, to gather funds for the said expenses, and as the junta replied that it was impossible at that time, a committee was appointed, composed of Jose Ramos, Doroteo Cortes and Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, to draw up a pet.i.tion for the aid of j.a.pan.”

Moises also affirmed (fols. 1,296-1,299) that the Supreme Council of the Compromisarios was formed as follows:

President Domingo Franco.

Secretary Apolinario Mabini.

Treasurer Bonifacio Arevalo.

/ Numeriano Adriano.

Vocales + Ambros...o...b..utista.

Moises Salvador.

Domingo Franco (fol. 1,299-1,303) testified that upon the dissolution of the Liga, and in the month of October 1894, there gathered together in a house of the witness, Numeriano Adriano, Apolinario Mabini, Isidoro Francisco, Deodato Arellano and the witness, and it was decided to const.i.tute the a.s.sociation known as the Compromisarios, endeavouring to gather as many as forty members, each paying a monthly subscription of 5 pesos, for the sustainment of the La Solidaridad.

The same witness also testified (fols. 1,332-1,337) that ”The Liga and the Katipunan were const.i.tuted in three groups, viz.: the Supreme Council or the aristocracy, under the presidency of Francisco L. Roxas; the Compromisarios or middle cla.s.ses, divided into juntas or local councils.... The third aggregation was the Katipunan under the presidency of Andres Bonifacio, and was composed of the lower cla.s.ses.

From all this we gather that the a.s.sociation of Compromisarios was founded with the idea of collecting funds to continue the work commenced by masonry and the Liga. The a.s.sociation was, practically, a committee formed to take up the work of the Liga, but formed in such a manner as to avoid suspicion, and all compromise with the late Liga. In its formation, its duties and its methods, it differed from both the Liga and from the Katipunan, but whilst differing from them it formed a tie between them, carrying on a work which the Katipunan could not carry on of itself. The Liga died; and its mantle fell upon the Compromisarios. This society inspired, watched over and protected the labor of its successor, the Katipunan, the fighting machine of the separatist or filibuster element.

Note 64. The idea which appeared to pervade the minds of the so-called progressive Filipinos was that with a code of laws a la Europea, the adoption of some or other new fangled idea imported from France, Germany or anywhere but the Peninsular, the Filipino would immediately attain the advancement and culture enjoyed among the j.a.panese. To anyone not acquainted with either the Filipino or the j.a.panese, such an idea might be acceptable; but no student of Oriental races, nor even the mere casual observer of these two peoples, would venture to predict than even with all the advantages of modernism the Filipino now enjoys, will he, as a people, attain to such a state of culture as that enjoyed by the sons of the Empire of the Rising Sun even in a hundred years.

Among the European peoples the progress of civilization and regeneration was slow but it was none the less decisive. Among Orientals it is, as a rule, quick but not lasting. Among almost all Oriental peoples the rising generation is bright and gives signs of great possibilities; but these youths after having pa.s.sed with honors through college and university, too often end their lives as they began them--as children. What the Oriental lacks is stability. Nothing is more common in the Philippines than to find that your cook or coachman has completed four-fifths of his studies as lawyer, doctor or something else. The Filipino who has reached the age of thirty and has not, in these days, been bata [48] in a convent or with a private family, been cochero, cook, collector of accounts for some business house, letter-carrier, postman, policeman, musician in a church choir, fireman, and connected with a few other employments of more or less importance, is by no means a rara avis, to say nothing of the many who have also been majors and generals in the insurgent ”army”, and without stopping to consider a pair of very prominent natives who from batas in the University of Sto. Tomas have, after a series of political intrigues, risen to positions of law-tinkers over a people, the vast majority of whom hate and despise them.

As a matter of fact the very best of the filipino politicians and other local men of fame, bright, learned and progressive though they be, would count but little side by side with the foremost sons of the Flowery Kingdom. To find in Yokohama, or even in Nagasaki or Kobe, or any other city of j.a.pan, a hundred Rizals, a hundred Pilars (Marcelos, Pios or Gregorios), a hundred Apacibles, or Mabinis, or Aguinaldos, or Buencaminos or Taveras would be an easy task. But to find in the Philippines a Marquis Ito, a Mutsu, a Yamata or a Matsugata,--that is the question.

And why? Because at the time when Spain discovered these islands, finding the people in a state of social and moral degradation, without formal government or any social organization beyond the tribal system (and that but limited) common to almost all savage peoples, the j.a.panese had already counted with more than 1000 years of more or less stable government, always organized, and with a social organization and a firm national unity. The people of j.a.pan, at that time, cultivated the arts and sciences, enjoyed the fruits of prosperous industries and of external commerce. They had a religion and a language which could be written and understood when written. Three hundred years ago, when the Filipinos were just commencing to learn the difference between man and beast, the j.a.panese was enjoying a relative civilization not yet attained by the Chinese, much less by the partisans of the separatist leaders of Luzon and the Visayas.

No country has ever done for her colonial children what Spain did for the Filipinos during the three centuries she held control over the Archipelago; and yet how far are the people from the state of culture of the j.a.panese! Well might the leaders of the people look to j.a.pan as a model!

Note 65. Domingo Franco (fols. 1,332-1,337) testified that on a certain day ”he went to see Francisco L. Roxas and asked him if it were certain that he had been to the house of Cortes, and had arranged matters in respect to the Commission which should go to j.a.pan; to which Sr. Roxas replied, yes; and that it was agreed that Cortes should go, commissioned to ask of the j.a.panese Government, help and protection for these islands, (the Filipino Government) handing over as a guarantee, one of the islands near Luzon, which the witness believed to be Mindoro on account of its large size and small population.

”Antonio Salazar (fol. 1,118-1,129) stated that ”of the junta of compromisarios there formed part: Cortes, Espanol and Ramos, who were then in j.a.pan pet.i.tioning that Empire to aid them with arms, s.h.i.+ps and money....”

Isabelo de los Reyes, in telling the Governor General, Primo de Rivera, what he affirmed to be the truth of the situation in 1897, stated that ”the Filipino burguesses had nominated a commission composed of Doroteo Cortes, Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, Jose A. Ramos and Marcelo H. del Pilar, the latter of whom died in Barcelona whilst on his way to j.a.pan. This commission had for its object the securing of the protection of that empire; Cortes, as president, gathered funds to sustain Ramos and Isabelo Artacho Vicos, who were his agents in that country.”