“All the members of the Supreme Council were to constitute in the capital of Manila a popular council formed of their converts within the zone of their residences; and all the members had to recruit among the natives of some culture, till the society should be thoroughly developed.
“Each treasurer collected a peso as entrance fee from the initiated and a medio (half) peso, as a monthly subscription for each member. With the said funds there was created a central deposit in the treasury of the Supreme Council, for the covering of the expenses of the delegations, and the sustainment of the Solidaridad; and it was agreed that once there should be sufficient capital, great enterprises, of a nature undetermined, should be undertaken.
“The eternal question of money in this class of organizations ([52]) gave rise to a serious falling out between Rizal and the Liga ([53]), on which account their official relations were severed. The subscriptions were badly collected, and those encharged with the custody and turning in of what few funds did exist misapplied them ([54]); this was what brought about the decadence of the league and the cause of its falling into discredit and disrepute and for its not prospering, in spite of the fact that among those who aided it with their moral and metalic aid, but without formal or written compromise ([55]), were a number of shameless filibusters, so much the more repugnant as the brilliant social position they held under the protection of Spain was elevated. Among many others may be cited the wealthy proprietors Pedro and Francisco Roxas ([56]), Mariano Linjap, Telesforo Chuidian, Luis R. Yangco, Antonio and Juan Luna, Felipe Zamora, Eduardo Litonjua, Marcelino de los Santos, Máximo Paterno ([57]) and Nazario Constantino ([58]).
“Of the members of the Supreme Council, only the following succeeded in forming popular councils: Estanislao Legaspi who organized one in Tondo, known as Talang Bakero; Andrés Bonifacio, one in Trozo, known as Mayon; and Francisco Nacpil, one in Santa Cruz, known as Mactan ([59]). The rest of the members of the Supreme Council only succeeded in forming the following fruitless sections: Flores, one in Ermita and Malate; Zulueta in Binondo; Rianzares in San Nicolás; Francisco in Quiapo; Adriano and Mabini in Sampaloc and Nagtajan, and Salvador in Pandacan.
“In the provinces also the Liga enjoyed such slow progress, that it was not possible to organize to popular councils, but sections only, and these were organized in the Laguna, by Vicente Reyes; in Batangas by Felipe Agoncillo ([60]); in Nueva Ecija, Bentus and Natividad; in Tarlac the notary del Rosario, and in Bulacán, Pampanga and other provinces wealthy persons of the same. In time, there was not a Filipino of wealth or career or of medium social position, who did not pertain to, or aid and abet the Liga, apart from a few most honorable exceptions ([61]) which it pleases me to recognize.
“At the commencement of the year 1894 and when the league had reached the age of one year, the members agreed to the dissolution of the society, both on account of the discords which continually sprung up in its bosom, and for the fear of discovery by the authorities which had already perceived something of the goings on ([62]). A grand assembly of the leaders was called together and it was determined to gather in as many documents as had been drawn up or circulated, and make a bonfire of them, so that all compromising indications should be made to disappear. The society became dissolved but it took a form more hypocritical. The popular councils re-entered the masonic lodges, and these took up the work of the Liga, a thing very easy to accomplish, when we remember that there was not a single member of the society who was not a freemason.
“There remained however, as a living remembrance of the Liga, a committee formed of the lawyer Numeriano Adriano and Deodato Arellano (a brother-in-law of Pilar) president and secretary, who had at their orders some 20 or 30 members from among the most important of the defunct Liga and who were known under the name of the compromisarios ([63]). These enjoyed no special organization and worked with almost entire independence. Their mission was the propagation of the La Solidaridad and the gathering of funds for the sustainment of the paper, and of the delegations in the Peninsula and elsewhere, with which they sustained active political correspondence. The work was continued with greater cunning by the lodges and by the compromisarios; and they succeeded in keeping alive the spirit of protest in a good part (the most influential) of the native element till the end of the year 1895.
«About this time the populous empire of China was defeated by the Japanese, and the Japanese Empire, having won the laurels of victory so easily, began to consider the weaving of a net of preponderance in the Occident. The Filipinos who followed with interest and satisfaction our contrarieties in Cuba, considered the occasion propitious for the Empire of the Rising Sun to copy in these islands the conduct of the Americans in the Antilles. Japan became the fashion in the Archipelago and its inhabitants were chosen as models of culture ([64]), wealth, of liberty and strength. They sighed for their protection and assistance, and to the attaining of it they uselessly directed their efforts. Doroteo Cortés emigrated to Yokohama ([65]), and with him Ramos, Baza, Español and others, where they established a separatist committee in correspondence with that of Manila. Marcelo del Pilar prepared to leave Madrid to join them, but died suddenly in Barcelona and finally the foolish political schemers dreamed of the liberation of Rizal ([66]) who had been deported to Dapitan, in order that he also should follow Cortés and the others. From Manila there departed frequently parties of wealthy Filipinos who went to Japan under the pretext of making recreative, instructive or artistic voyages, but in reality to conspire, and it is assured that they were listened to by some of the official element of that nation ([67]). The Japanese corvette Kongo ([68]) arrived in Manila in the month of May and no one could explain its sudden appearance in the bay; but on the other hand the officers were mysteriously banqueted by a commission of Filipinos in the Bazar Japones ([69]) where they lodged. Causalities perhaps, but....
[1] The numbers which will be found throughout this document signify notes to be found in the appendix. The letters in brackets signify footnotes of minor importance.