The Katipunan Part 18

[7] The words Supreme Society express the idea of supreme social situation, of a society formed of noteworthy people. A well-read writer on the subject of "El Katipunan o el filibusterismo en Filipinas,"

says, speaking of this union of such notable folk: "A reunion of people who meet to concoct a.s.sa.s.sinations, cannot be a reunion of noteworthy people but should rather be called a reunion of noteworthy criminals." There is not the shadow of a doubt that this is the best and, in fact, the only t.i.tle to which such a society as the katipunan can justly lay claim.

Opinion is divided as to the origin of the word katipunan, and as to the manner in which it should be written. Some spell it with C whilst the majority use K. As to the derivation: the root word is undoubtedly Tipon which, prefixed with the particle ca and terminated with an gives us a word, which signifies very select a.s.sociation. The word is however generally written with K so as to be in keeping with the Tagalog way of spelling, as they (that is to say the "redimidos" have taken to the use of K for C whenever C has a hard sound as in cat. In like manner, to the insurgent and his sympathisers, Cavite should be Kawite. The K and W are Blumentrittisms, i. e. of German descent.

[8] See note 49.

[9] The pseudonym of Rizal. By this name he is mentioned in almost all the masonic doc.u.ments relating to him and over this same name he wrote in the La Solidaridad and the Kalayaan.

[10] The place of Rizal's banishment.

[11] Pio Valenzuela y Alejandro, a near companion of Bonifacio in matters relative to the Katipunan, testified in his evidence in the courts of Justice, (fols 1,663 to 1,673), that Andres Bonifacio had read much, and possessed a library which was destroyed when his house caught fire. (See note 16) That he would pa.s.s the night in reading instead of sleeping, and that from such an excess of reading there had happened to him the same as happened to Don Quixote--his brain had become turned. Thus it was that Andres was ever dreaming of the presidency and speaking of the French Revolution.

[12] It was in the warehouse of this German firm that the Spanish authorities discovered the doc.u.mentary evidence which Valenzuela testified had been hidden there by Bonifacio. It had been determined by the Katipunan to destroy all doc.u.ments, but evidently Bonifacio overtaken suddenly by the unexpected discovery of the plot he was developing, had not sufficient presence of mind, or what is more probable still, enough time to put them out of existence, and he therefore hid them as has been said, hoping no doubt, to be thus enabled to put the authorities off the track in case they should happen to get possession of them.

[13] That is to say the Spanish population.

[14] As the events here spoken of do not fall within the scope of this sketch, no note has here been made of them. As was pointed out in the introduction, this review is not intended as a history of the revolution, but as a brief sketch of the society which gave rise to it.

[15] Avisos y profecias, Madrid 1892. pp. 286-308.

[16] Concerning the doctrines of Universal Freemasonry D. Gabriel Jogand-Pages says writing on the subject of freemasonry in Spain: "The teaching which according to the ritual of the 33rd degree is the synthesis of freemasonry, is well worthy of being borne in mind."

"In the reception to the 33rd degree, the Grand Master turning to the person to be received, ends his discourse with the following significant exhortation:

"I owe you, Ill.u.s.trious brother, an explanation which it is necessary to give to our rituals."

"Masonry being nothing else than active revolution, permanent conspiracy against political and religious despotism,...."

"The Grand Master innocent, you have already seen, is man ... man who was born innocent because he was born unconsciously."

"Our Grand Master Innocent was born to be happy and to enjoy in all their fullness all his rights without exception: But he fell, struck with the blows of three a.s.sa.s.sins: of three infamous beings who placed formidable obstacles in the way of his happiness, and against his rights...."

"These three infamous a.s.sa.s.sins are: the Law, Property and Religion".

"The Law because it is not in harmony with the rights of the individual man and the duties of the man who lives in society: rights which all acquire in all their integrity...."

"Property: because the earth is the property of no one and its products pertain to all in the measure for each one of the true necessities for his welfare."

"Religion: because religions are no more than the philosophies of men of talent, which the people have adopted...."

"Neither the Law, Property nor Religion can impose themselves upon man, and as they deprive him of his most precious rights they are a.s.sa.s.sins against whom we have sworn to exercise the utmost vengeance.

"Of these three infamous enemies, Religion ought to be the object of our constant mortal attacks, because a people never have survived their religion, and destroying religion we have at our disposition the law and property and we can then regenerate society, establis.h.i.+ng over the ruins, masonic Religion, masonic Law and masonic property."

[17] "Insurreccion en Filipinas"; vol. I. p. 109.

[18] One not acquainted with the seducing nature of the masonic operation and the peculiarity of the native character, would wonder to find the name of a Catholic priest so intimately connected with freemasonry and its offspring, especially in a country in which the Church wages close and continual warfare with the evil. There is little need for surprise however, when we consider the seductive influence of the one hand and the simplicity and childishness of the native character on the other. Many of the native clergy were body and soul wrapt up in the workings of freemasonry and were Spain's worst and most crafty enemies.

In Nueva Caceres, Inocencio Herrera, Severo Estrada and Severino Diaz, three native priests of the Cathedral of that diocese, headed the conspiracy against the Government. They formed a deposit of arms and ammunition in the organ of the Cathedral and, according to the plan they had prepared, one of their first steps was to murder the Bishop of the diocese. On this point it will be interesting to quote the testimony of Tomas Prieto, of Nueva Caceres, who, whilst on board the S. S. Isarog, on the 20th of September 1896, testified in the presence of the captain of the s.h.i.+p and other witnesses that he had received 50 rifles, 10 of which he had given into the care of Manuel Abella, a millionaire of that province who was eventually executed for treason; the remainder he had distributed among other persons, 3 being placed in the care of Severino Diaz, parish priest of the Cathedral of Nueva Caceres.... As to their plans of action, he testified that the intention was to kill all the Spaniards, the mentioned parish priest of the Cathedral, the coadjutor Inocencio and Severo Estrada, all natives, having promised to aid personally to secure the success of the affair.

He also declared that "on the 9th of July of the same year, a reunion was celebrated in the house of Manuel Abella, and among those present were Gabriel Prieto, a native priest and brother of the witness, Severino Diaz and others; it was in this reunion that it was decided to carry out the programme above mentioned."

In both provinces of the Camarines many were mixed up in some of the dirtiest work of the revolt.

Innumerable cases might be mentioned also in which the native clergy have exerted considerable influence against the American Government, inciting the rebels to resist its lawful authority, much to the detriment of the interests of the Church and bringing down upon the clergy in general accusations of sedition and treachery. Juan Castaneda testified that he had been initiated into the mysteries of freemasonry by Severo Buenaventura, a native priest, coadjutor of Imus. Buenaventura received his initiation from Ambrosio Flores, now the Governor of the province of Rizal; he possessed three grades and enjoyed the use of the symbolic name of "cuitib" (the name of a small ant which bites furiously). Nine native priests were sent to Manila from Vigan and La Union; all of these were convicted of treason.

[19] The word in the original Spanish is madrasta which, apart from that of step-mother, has the meaning of "anything disagreeable."

[20] See note 26.

[21] For the complete doc.u.ment see appendix A.

[22] A contract was made between the administrator of the estate in question, situated at Calamba, and Francisco Mercado Rizal, father of the subject of this note, for the land the Rizal family occupied and cultivated. This land measured some 500 hectares and was clear and clean, the tenant having merely to give it three or four turns with the plow in order to prepare it for use. To show the treatment meted out to the tenant, it will be sufficient to say that the contract agreed that the tenant should have the entire use of the land and its product for four harvests or five years RENT FREE. As great as this advantage was to the Rizal family it is but a little of what was done by the Dominicans for that ungrateful family of filibusters.

[23] Lawyer.

[24] "La Independencia" was a revolutionary daily of four pages, published in the Orphan Asylum of Malabon, property of the Augustinian Corporation and stolen and eventually totally destroyed by the "ever destructive" Tagalog rebels during the revolution. The first number was published on Sat.u.r.day, 3rd Sept. 1898. Its leading article is an exposition of the purpose of the publication of the paper, which was the defense of the independence of the Philippines. "We defend, says the writer of the article, the independence of the Philippines because it is the aspiration of the country which has come of age; and when a people rise as a man to protest, arm in hand, against a policy of oppression and injustice, it manifests sufficient vitality to live free." This is a fair sample of the style of the conduct of the paper. It is worthy of note that the history of the revolt has clearly shown that, in the first place, independence was not the aspiration of the people, but a fanciful hope of a handful of exploiters; secondly that the country has not come of age, not having even reached the age of p.u.b.erty; thirdly that the people did not rise as a man but that the Tagal "discontents" were the body and soul of the whole insurrection both against Spain and against the U. S.; and finally, that the "policy of oppression and injustice" was imaginary, the same complaint having since been made against the Government of Was.h.i.+ngton as was then made against the Government of Madrid. The quotation concerning Luna is taken from No. 2 of the paper published on the 5th of Sept. 1898.

[25] The princ.i.p.al works of Juan Luna are: The death of Cleopatra for which he received a silver medal; this was painted under the tutors.h.i.+p of Sr. Vera. Under the same master he painted the Spoliarium for which he was rewarded a gold medal, but this not really for the merit of the picture but in order to put an end to a rivalry between two Spanish painters. On his own account he painted and gave forth The Battle of Lepanto; this was received almost with hisses and was heartily criticized. Also the Profanation of the Tombs; if anything this was worse. As the savage nature which lay dormant in his breast became more and more awakened his paintings became more and more decadescent: his Pacto-de-Sangre, in the which he inspired the return to one of the most barbarous customs of pre-Spanish times in the archipelago, rubs off the last touches of the veneer of civilization which formed the dividing line between the indian of the city and the indian of the mountain and forest.

[26] "Andres Bonifacio told the witness that he communicated with the president of the Superior Supreme Council, who was Francisco L. Roxas latterly, and Doroteo Cortes formerly; ... "Testimony of Pio Valenzuela (fols. 591 to 597).

[27] "... Doroteo Cortes and a certain Artacho were those who were in understanding with the j.a.panese Government, which would find a way to send people of the laboring cla.s.ses to the Philippines, to the end of seeking motives which might give excuse for a war between Spain and that Power". Testimony of Pio Valenzuela (fols. 1,663 to 1,673).

[28] "... The Supreme Council (of the Liga) decided to purchase arms and ammunition in j.a.pan, sending to that country at the proper time, a commission to ask of that Government its aid and protection for the Philippines, under the condition that some islands of the Archipelago should be ceded to that nation as a recompense; ... Cortes, Ambros...o...b..utista and others being chosen to form the commission." Testimony of Numeriano Adriano (fols. 1,309 to 1,312).

[29] "It the having been known for some time that Pedro Serrano had malverted the money gathered for Rizal, and for the funds of the Propaganda, the a.s.sociates of Masonry stopped the individual payment of the 50 cents per month for La Propaganda...." Extract from the testimony of Antonio Salazar y San Agustin (fols. 1,118 to 1,129 Sept. 22, 1896).

[30] For a description of anting-anting see appendix D.

[31] Pedro Gonzales, a native who was captured whilst carrying dispatches and letters to and fro between Manila and the insurgent camp, was a man well posted in the doings of the rebels and was able to give much interesting and valuable information to the Authorities. The most interesting portions of his evidence will be found in appendix F. In this matter of the flight of Bonifacio he stated that "it was not exact as had been said, that Andres Bonifacio was in Cavite (at that particular time), for after the defeat at San Juan del Monte he disappeared with the funds of the Katipunan, which amounted to some 20,000 pesos, as he had been a.s.sured."

[32] Having been asked during his trial whether he was aware of the hiding place of Bonifacio, Valenzuela (fol. 600 to 605) stated that "he was not aware of the place in which Bonifacio and others were to be met with; that he merely supposed that Bonifacio could be found in the mountains of San Mateo, in Tapusi, in other words in the most inaccessible part of the said mountain range; because the witness heard him say that he would retire to that point to dedicate himself to highway robbery if the movement should not be successful.

[33] "The generalisimo, captain Emilio, is very indignant with the conduct of Andres Bonifacio, upon whose head he has set a price, offering a good recompense to the one who will present him dead or alive, for he says that he cannot consent to such a desertion after he had been the princ.i.p.al promoter of the popular rebellion". From the statement of Pedro Gonzalez previously quoted.

[34] See foot-note page 114.

[35] The head offices of the La Democracia in Manila are situated on Calle Villalobos, a name which put into English signifies wolf village. For the headquarters of such a scurrilous sheet and for such a political party no better place could be found, for taking the two at their very best they are veritable "wolves in sheep's clothing".

[36] See page 60.

[37] Nilad is the name of a plant, from which is derived the name of Manila.

[38] In an interesting pamphlet ent.i.tled "Vexata Questio", giving a brief sketch of three centuries of history in the Philippines, published in Manila in 1901, the author, in a foot note to page 28, says of Foreman:

"It should be remarked that this writer, in the first edition of his work, claims to be an earnest Catholic. Dean Worcester, who copies from Foreman's book some of the most drivelling paragraphs, lays particular stress upon this fact. I leave it to the common sense of any one who has read Foreman's history, or what Worcester stoops so low to copy therefrom, whether a man whose Alpha and Omega is truly anti-Catholic and often anti-christian, and the ink of whose pen savors of Catholic blood shed upon the altars of Freemasonry can be a Catholic, at least an honorable one."