Madrid
Madrid, 12 January 1890
MR. JOSE RIZAL
MY DEAR FRIEND AND COMPATRIOT,
As Mr. Modesto Reyes is indisposed suffering from a severe cold which has compelled him to stay in bed for many days, he has asked me, as a friend and comrade, for together we attend to the subscriptions to El Dia, to write you regarding the money we received from you through Mr. Marcelo H. del Pilar for two subscriptions for one quarter to El Dia. As the subscription costs only 10 pesetas, your remittance of six duros is therefore two duros in excess. However, surmising that you might have known that our small group here gives the publication 25 pesos for subscriptions for the Philippines in gratitude for publishing articles in favor of the Philippines to counteract those published in the clerical periodicals that oppose every liberal reform for the Philippines, we consider the extra money as your contribution to our efforts. We have appealed to our countrymen to help us carry this burden that we have imposed on ourselves, but no one has responded. You may count on the profound gratitude of all the members of our group as you are helping us carry this burden for two or three months after which we expect our compatriots in the Philippines to help us also by taking over some of the subscriptions. Temporarily we have agreed that until the arrival of money from the Philippines, the subscription is from two duros to 5 monthly for Madrid and abroad 6 reales more for postage. Any subscriber may publish his articles in the periodical provided he gives its editor the right to revise or correct them if necessary in order to make them conform to the periodical’s style. The periodical has agreed to publish articles about the Philippines whenever there are not many articles of greater interest.
After the arrival of extra money from the Philippines, each subscriber will carry only one subscription which costs one duro here in Madrid and 6 reales more abroad. Whatever money is left will be invested in reviving the old Circulo Hispano-Filipino or in subsidizing El Globo or another periodical with identical purpose or any other thing of general usefulness to our compatriots.
We hope you would like to associate with us in supporting the said patriotic enterprise. We await your reply.
Affectionately yours,
GUILLERMO PUATU
P. S.
Please send your letters to me under care of Mr. Modesto Reyes, 24 and 28 3rd left, Montera Street.
02-490 [Blumentritt V.2]