Before this, any man who wished to do so might raise as much tobacco as he could, and might sell it when and as he pleased. All this was now changed. The farmers on Luzon who had good tobacco land were compelled to raise this crop, or else forfeit the use of their land and its products for a term of years. If a man refused to plant tobacco, his land was taken from him for three years, and another man might cultivate it. A law was also passed compelling the tobacco planters and laborers to work on the crop whenever labor was needed.
The way in which the plan worked was very simple. The government made a contract with a planter for his crop. The price to be paid was based upon an estimate of what the land was likely to yield. If at harvest time the crop was less than this estimate, the planter had to pay a heavy fine. If, on the other hand, it was larger than had been estimated, he could not keep a single leaf for his own use; it must all be turned over to the officials, and what the government did not use was destroyed.
This was very hard, and the power given to tobacco inspectors made it harder still. These officers had authority to look wherever they saw fit for hidden tobacco. They might search the house of a tobacco grower, or even the persons of himself and his family, if they suspected him of hiding a few leaves for his own use. This worked much evil, and more than one inspector, in the early days of the system, was killed by an angry planter whose home and family he thus molested.
The new system of tobacco-growing worked well for the authorities. Never before had the treasury been so well filled. The royal dues were promptly paid, and for the first time in the history of Spain’s rule here, the colony seemed likely to become profitable to the Crown. The home government was delighted, and Vargas was much praised. The tobacco monopoly, however, laid a heavy hand upon the most useful class of Spain’s Filipino subjects. It oppressed the farmers and the land-owners. These are the people, in every country, who are most deeply interested in good government. They are the mainstay of national order and prosperity. When this class in any land suffers, no other can long remain prosperous.
It was late in the day, moreover, for such a system to be inaugurated. It belonged to a less enlightened age in the history of mankind, and in the end it cost Spain more than it ever profited her. The Filipino people were coming out of the darkness in which they had so long been kept. They were learning that mere blind revolt would help them none, and this knowledge was in itself of great worth. It is not in human nature to bear patiently such wrongs as they now suffered, and the wrath of the people smoldered, ready to break out at any moment. Whenever it did blaze up, there was trouble for Spaniards and Filipinos alike.
Summary.—The presence of the British in the islands was a signal for further revolts of the people. There were uprisings all over the island of Luzon after the British left, and the Spanish forces were kept busy marching after rebels. It is estimated that some 10,000 natives lost their lives in these uprisings. A bitter quarrel between the Augustine friars and the Jesuits resulted in the Jesuits leaving the country in 1768. Governor-General Raon fell into disgrace at about the same time, and was removed from office. He was succeeded by Simon de Anda, whose rule was not successful. In 1778 Don José Basco y Vargas became governor-general. He made the growing of tobacco in Luzon a government monopoly. This system brought money into the royal treasury, but worked great hardship for the farmers.
Questions.—Give an account of Silan’s revolt. What was the cause of the trouble between the Augustine friars and the Jesuits? When did the Jesuits leave the country? Who succeeded José Raon as governor-general? What system of tobacco culture did he introduce? How did this system affect the country?
Chapter XIII.
THE CONSTITUTION OF 1812.
