TRAVELS:SECONDPART

RizalreturnedtoEuropebywayofJapan,whereforamonthhewasaguestintheSpanishconsulateinYokohama,
andthroughAmericathathecrossedfromSanFranciscotoNewYork.Asalways,hecomparedthenewsightswith
thefamiliarscenesofhisownland.ThebanksoftheHudsondidnotseemsoanimatedasthoseofthePasigandfor
himNiagara,thoughaweinspiring,didnothavethedelicatecharmofthewaterfallsofLaLaguna.Onceonthe
othersideoftheAtlantichewenttoLondonandintheBritishMuseumcopiedMorga'saccountofthePhilippines
fromararevolumeandannotateditwithamassofinformationgainedfromthewealthofreferencesavailablethere.
InParishefinishedtheworkanditwaspublished,onlytobeputinthePhilippinelistofprohibitedbooks.Thenin
Belgium"ElFilibusterismo"waswritten,asequelto"NoliMeTangere."TheMorgatellswhatthePhilippineswere
atthebeginningofSpanishruleandmakesanefforttoprovethatinthreecenturiestheyhavegonebackward.Of
coursethatcouldnotbeprovenbutitwasaforciblewayofshowinghowlittleSpainhadreallydone.TheNoligave
apictureofmodernconditionsinthePhilippinesunderSpanishrule,and"ElFilibusterismo"showedwhatmustbe
thefutureunlesspolicieswerechanged.
Morga'shistorywithRizal'snotesinEnglishispublishedintheBlairRobertsonhistoricalcollection,andalarge
partof"ElFilibusterismo"appearsinLeroy's"PhilippineLifeinTownandCountry."His"ViewsonRace
Differences",originallyinGerman,werepublishedwithatranslationofBlumentritt'sbiographyinSingaporein
1898andabettertranslationbyR.L.Packardhasbeenreprintedfromthe"PopularScienceMonthly."
InallhiswritingswerekeencriticismofFilipinoshortcomingsbutthesewereunheededandtodaythebooksare
supposedtohaveservedtheirusefulness.ThereareadmirersofRizalwhochewbetelnut,fightroosters,follow
caciquesandneglectworkwithneverathoughtthathescoredtheirtypeasunmercifullyaseverhedidunworthy
friarofdishonestofficial.Thefriarisnolongeralandlordandthe"GuardiaCivil"isoutofthelandbutitismore
popularapparentlytorememberRizal'sviewsofthesethanhisopinionsonmenandconditionswhoslikearestill
withus.
ForsometimeRizalhadcontributedtoanewspaperinMadridwhichwastheorganoftheFilipinosinasking
reformofabusesandseekingmoreliberalgovernmentfortheArchipelago.The"LaSolodaridad"wassupportedby
subscriptionfromtheIslandsbutDr.Rizalfeltthatitwasfollowingratherapolicytogetmoneytokeepitgoing
affordmaintenanceforitspromotersthantryingtodowhatwouldbemostbeneficialtothePhilippines,sohe
severedhisrelationshipandleftthepaperentirelyinthehandsofMarceloH.delPilarandhisfollowers.Heno
longercaredforrepresentationoftheIslandsintheSpanishCortesforhefearedthemenwhowouldbesentmight
notbedisinterestedpatriots.Herealizededucationofthepeoplewasnecessarysothatthemassesshouldnotbeat
themercyofafewleaders.
TounderstandRizal'srelationswiththeseleaderswhoseidealsculminatedintheKatipunanitmustbebornein
mindthatdelPilarandhisassociateswereprotgsofProf.Morayta,thegrandmasterofthe"GranOriente
Espaol".Thisorganizationwasarivalof,andradicallydifferentfrom,thebodytowhichDr.Rizaladheredinthat
itwasessentiallypolitical.InthedisturbancesMasonicconditionsinSpainitfinallytriumphedoveritsmore
conservativecompetitorandcametohavethefielditself.ItstartedlodgesinthePhilippinesofFilipinosandtothese
itsleaderskeptsendingappealsformoneytobeusedingiftsandbanquetstocurryfavorwithinfluentialpersonsin
Madrid.ItsearlyPhilippineexperienceswereunfortunateinfrequentchargesthatmoneyraisedwasmisappliedand
thatconsiderablesumsneverpassedfromthehandsofthecollectors.

Source:
Craig,A.(1909).TheStoryofJoseRizal.
Manila,PhilippineEducationPublishingCo