JOSE RIZAL.
Dr. Jose Rizal, of whose "Noli Me Tangere," the following story, isan abridgement, is the most striking character to be found in thehistory of the Philippine Islands. He was not only a great martyrto the cause of liberty, and to the advancement of his fellow men,but he was without doubt the greatest Filipino ever born, and hismemory is cherished to-day by his people as we ourselves cherish thememory of Washington.
Rizal was born on June 19th, 1861, in the pueblo of Calamba, in theprovince of Laguna, on the Island of Luzon. He came of a Tagalogfamily, which, it is said, acknowledged a slight mixture of Chineseblood, and possessed considerable property. As a child he gave evidenceof extraordinary precocity. He is said to have written poetry in hisnative tongue at eight years of age, produced a successful melodramaat fourteen, and later to have won prizes in literary contests withwriters of recognized ability.
After passing through the University of Manila, and receiving muchinstruction at the hands of the Jesuit fathers, he was sent to Europeto complete his education. He pursued courses of study in Spanishand German universities, and won the degrees of Doctor of Medicineand Doctor of Philosophy. Besides acquiring a knowledge of sevenlanguages he gained a brilliant reputation for proficiency in thebranch of optical surgery. For a time he was the leading assistantin the office of a world-renowned specialist at Vienna.
While in Europe Rizal wrote several books and also gave considerabletime to sculpture and painting. His artistic ability was great,and some of his productions are now treasured by friends into whosepossession they came. Rizal's best known work is his "Noli Me Tangere,"written in Belgium about 1886 or 1887. This novel, with its vividpicture of life in the Philippines, and its exposure of Spanishmisrule and oppression, won for him the bitter hatred of the friars,and inspired the relentless persecution which only ended with thetaking of his life.
In 1889 Dr. Rizal returned to the Philippines, but was soon compelledto leave his native land in order to escape forcible banishment. Aftera short residence in Japan, he went to London, where he publisheda work on the History of the Philippine Islands. About the sametime a sequel to "Noli Me Tangere," entitled "El Filibusterismo,"was published. The hatred of the priests against him was furtherinflamed by this production, and the government in Manila was forcedby the friars to forbid the circulation of any of his writings. Copiesof his novels were burned in the public squares, and it was worthone's life to be found possessing a copy. Until very recently it hasbeen almost impossible to obtain a copy of Rizal's works, and it wasnecessary to go to Europe to secure the one from which the followingabridged translation was made.
In 1892 Dr. Rizal was so overcome with a desire to see again hisbeautiful fatherland that he ventured, in the face of all the dangersthat threatened him, to return to Manila. He had scarcely set footon shore, however, before he was arrested and thrown in prison. Thefriars demanded his execution on the ground that he carried incendiaryleaflets for the purpose of stirring up a rebellion, but subsequentinquiries showed that such leaflets had been introduced into hisbaggage at the custom house through the intrigues of the Augustinefriars. Despite his indignant protestations of innocence; Rizal wassummarily condemned by the Spanish General, Despujols, to banishmentat Dapitan in the island of Mindanao. Although the trickery of thefriars became known to him, Despujols lacked courage to revoke hisorder of banishment, for fear that he, too, would incur the hatredof the powerful religious corporations.
After four years of exile Rizal saw plainly that the hostility ofthe friars would make it impossible for him to live in his nativeland. In 1896 a plague of yellow fever broke out in the islandof Cuba and Rizal volunteered to lend his medical services to theSpanish government. Ramon Blanco, then general-in-chief of the Spanishforces in the Philippines, accepted the generous offer and recalledthe young man to Manila that he might sail at once for Cuba. Alarmedby demonstrations of popular affection for Rizal, who represented theaspirations of the Filipino people, the Spanish authorities broke faithwith him and imprisoned him in the Fuerza de Santiago. He was arraignedon false charges, given a military trial, and at the dictation ofthe religious orders was sentenced to be shot as a traitor.
At dawn on December 30th, 1896, he was led to the place of executionon the beautiful Luneta, overlooking the tranquil surface of ManilaBay. Notices of the event had been published throughout the islandsand the day on which it was to occur was proclaimed a fiesta. Thousandsgathered around the place selected, and so evident was the sympathy ofthe helpless Filipinos for the man who was to die for their sake thatSpain marshalled ten regiments of her soldiers about the spot. Thepopulace must be intimidated. A nation's hero was about to become anation's martyr. With face uplifted he glanced at the multitude abouthim and smiled. They tied his arms behind him and made him face thewaters of the bay. In vain he protested and begged that he might diefacing his executioners. A squad of his fellow countrymen, who wereserving in Spain's army, were selected for the bloody work. They drewin position to shoot him in the back. The order was given to fire,but only one had the courage to obey. The bullet went straight and thehero fell, but another shot was necessary to despatch his life. Hisnewly wedded wife remained with him to the end. The best hope of theFilipino people was crushed; a light in a dark place was snuffed out.
Rizal was no extremist, no believer in harsh and bloody methods, norevolutionist. He aimed to secure moderate and reasonable reforms, tolessen the oppressive exactions of the friars, to examine into titlesof their land, and to make possible the education and uplifting ofhis people. He loved Spain as he did his own country, and repeatedlyused his influence against the rebellious measures proposed by otherFilipino leaders. His execution was only one of the numerous outrageswhich characterized Spain's reign in the Philippines.
In closing this short sketch of Rizal's life we can do no betterthan to quote the estimate of him made by Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt,professor in the University of Leitmeritz, Austria, who prepared abiographical sketch of Rizal. Dr. Blumentritt said:
"Not only is Rizal the most prominent man of his own people, but thegreatest man the Malayan race has produced. His memory will neverperish in his fatherland, and future generations of Spaniards willyet learn to utter his name with respect and reverence."