A PHILLIPINO ROMANCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 119, 16 April 1930, Page 11

A PHILLIPINO ROMANCE

HERO MARTYR’S LIFE. A REMARKABLE DOCTRINE. Hidden in the mists shrouding the early movements for independence in the Philippines is the romance of a hero-martyr, notable in personality but little known generally in figure, who might be termed the protagdnist of the principles of modern freedom. Resent, ful always of Spanish tyranny, he suffered its oppression without active, or even passive resistance, holding to a doctrine which might appear remarkable to the modern world. His name was Rizal, and being of mixed Chinese and Philippino blood he was given the Spanish appellation of “the despised mastito,” but his name has survived from last century. The W.E.A. class in Palmerston North on Monday evening listened to an interesting sketch of his life by Mr J. A. Brailsford, B.A. Life was early scarred with the sword of oppression for Rizal under the crushing Spanish rule, he said. Tragedy darkened his early years, when his mother suffered imprisonment on various pretexts. Resenting the upper airs of his Spanish associates at school, he was soon in open rebellion against them. Culture, intellect and a phenomenal capacity for learning led him to studies in Madrid, where he graduated in medicine in 1885, master of numerous languages, critical writer, and notable sculptor. "When he returned to his native oountry, the words which his pen traced created for him the enmity of Spanish rulers and monkish .orders even 'though, with impartiality,, he held up the mirror to his own people. Tragedy wrecked his first love affair with his cousin, Leonora Devarera. His writings incurred the displeasure of her mother, and as ho would not renounce his activities, she conspired to bribe the postman not to deliver his ardent epistles. Too late, Leonora discovered the reasons for his silence and she accepted and married an English engineer. She died after two years of an unhappy marriage. _ Subduing the intense feelings of injustice which smouldered within his breast, Rizal, who had wandered afar, was prevailed upon to return to Manila to operate on his mother for blindness caused by a cataract. Restoring her sight, he became famous as a surgeon. “Nole Matandere” (“Don’t Touch Me”) was the first novel he produced, holding up to opprobrium the monkish orders, it was banned and deportation, with confiscation of property, was made the penalty for its possession. “Advised” by the Governor to leave the country through the interest of the Spanish friars, llizal- proceeded to Japan, thence to America and Europe. Hearing that his family were being persecuted—his brother and brother-in-law had been deported and his two sisters charged with sedition —he went to practise as an eye specialist in Hong Kong. With his restless spirit at the sufferings of his family, he obtained permission to return to Manila with- a safe conduct in order to take hie family to British North Borneo. “El Filibus Derisma,” literally meaning rebellion, his. second novel, was sufficiently objectionable to those whose tyranny it portraved to send him into lonely exile for sedition. ,

Perishing not of desolation, Rizal found an occupation in educating the children of the district to which lie had been consigned. There an American patient came to him for eye treatment, and he married his patient’s adopted Irish daughter. He prosecuted his sculptures and scientific investigar tions with renewed vigour, and preached the rudiments of farming, even importing agricultural machinery from America. Plotting revolutionaries sent an emissary asking him to lead them, but he declined in adherence to his principles. An outbreak of yellow fever in Cuba induced him to offer his services, but while he was in the Spanish boat the revolution broke out and his enemies demanded that he be handed over to suffer the penalty for the revolt. He was tried for sedition, the result being a foregone conclusion. Just before Ins execution Rizal handed to his sister a lamp containing a beautifully versed poem, which served as a farewell message to his people. He found his cup a bitter one with approaching death, but he did not cherish resentment. AVhen he fell before the firing squad, the Spanish ladies waved their handkerchiefs and the band played the National Anthem —“Rizal was dead.”

Fired with ardour at his martydom, the Philippines were successful with their reYoit and received very favourable terms from the Spaniards, giving almost complete reality to their dream of independence. The Spaniards broke the agreement, but were pressed by America, with whom they were at war, and Manila fell, while the rebels took the inland country. Their struggle for independence faded under American administration, with its professed object of self-government for the people, but Rizal’s name lived and is perpetrated in an annual holiday. A striking extract from his writings was as touows: “Tyranny will tumble like a house of cards, and freedom shall shine out like the first light of the dawn.” Sun-Yat-sen, of China, pursued active resistance by revolution, Gandhi, of India, had adopted a policy of passive resistance, while Rizal, of the Philippines, had taken the attitude of positive assistance. There were three forms of the movement for freedom.