30 July 1885

Calamba

Rizal complains of the irregularity of the remittance of his allowance — He will go to Germany or England to study ophthalmology — Something on the management of the Kalamba Estate — There are crises and hunger but the splendor of the religious processions is unabated – Justices of the peace courts are to be established in provincial capitals.

* * *

Calamba, 16 July 1885

Dear Brother,

Today, we received at the same time your two letters dater 10 and 30 of March last. I don’t understand why these letters have taken so long to arrive when ordinarily it does not take more than 45 days. If this happens to your letters, the same thing perhaps words, will happen to ours, hence the recession and apparent cooling off of our relations, aside from the aversion that pen and paper inspire me, convinced as I am that they hardly change family feelings, and in proof of this let our parents speak. With this explanation we should henceforth restrain our desires, as they should be.

You are very correct in saying that you are not being sent your allowance, not due to lack of will but indeed the economic crisis, or lack of work, if the contrary were supposed. This responsibility rests on me solely from the moment I approved it. It was a pardonable approval as it was in consonance then with the course to our expectations, hence the irregularity of your allowance and the misery we are going through, remaining ever at the bottom, despite our great and good will.

Notwithstanding and benefit assimilation of the Philippine sugar to that Cuba and Puerto Rico due to the magnanimity of the King and of Mr. T. de Valdosera, Calamba sugar loaves remain in an imperturbable measure. This does not mean to say that we don’t appreciate the value of this improvement, though until the present, it has not produced the desired effect. Perhaps it is no longer in their hands but in those of the owners of the sugar beet. It is enough to render to justice what it deserves and everybody is very much contented. It is said that by August this commodity with be active. Whether or not it shall be, we are going to sell our sugar in that month and then I shall send you by telegraph all that is due you and even something more. In the meantime you dispose of you jewelry.

In one of your former letters you said that you would go to Germany after your graduation to study ophthalmology, and now in your latest letter you say that you are going to England and on this matter you ask my opinion. It is perfectly the same to me whether you study in one country or another, because few or nobody practices this branch of medicine.

Choleng [is] again with Mrs. Basilia.[1] They took her when I was not at home. If Mrs. Basilia dies, then we shall have Choleng definitively at home.

Nothing important has occurred in the town except the inspection of the Estate of the year. Come the month of June and contrary to custom, all the tenants had not paid their obligations, which was enough to scandalize all the friars, especially the administrator who, without stopping to investigate what could be the cause of this insolvency, whether it is lack of will, physical impossibility, bad harvest, low price, or the progressive increase in the land rent, he declares vacant all the lands of the Estate,[2] at the same time inviting all the citizens of other towns to take over all the vacant lands as punishment for this lack of punctuality. Frightened, some paid their obligations with the proceeds of the distress sale of their sugar. Others, now encouraged because they saw nobody or few pavements, and all giving excuse to the lay brother manager who, seeing the lack of unity, managed it in such a way that the relations between administrator and tenants return to their normal condition. All were satisfied with this solution, except four or five who were really victimized by this comedy, having been deprived of their holdings in favor of the good servants and of a fellow who received from the Father Visitor a fisticuffs on his head, given amicably, for having justified the penury of the town during his visit. Affection or insult, the fact was that it was returned with a completely frigid laughter. This momentary confusion in the business of the Estate brought about by the administrator and his tenants was looked upon unfavorably by the Corporation [Dominican] itself and it caused his transfer to another place, his position being filled by the lay brother in Biñan, who, they say, does not like any one to dance attendance on him.

The monetary crisis here is not acute as might be believed, as there is still money to spend on processions and Masses of Grace and enough money for the purchase of a silver frontal and a pair of bells. It is true that the majority eat only twice a day, if they do not fast by force, and are always stragglers with respect to their small tax, but do not think that because of this, we are all unhappy, for though there is scarcity for some on one hand, on the other, noise and luster are more than necessary, which are enough compensation.

The new gobernadorcillos are now exercising their functions. Appointed were many of those who figure in the first place in the ternary, few in the second and third places, three or four without being included in the ternary were appointed like May rain,[3] and I say May rain, because even those from Calamba (and not a few) who formerly avoided this position, now sigh and sweat for it. The key to this enigma is perhaps the falla,[4] and as reforms are about to be introduced, we hope that this will disappear.

It is said that very soon justices of the peace courts will be established at provincial capitals and towns which are heads of districts. The citizens of those towns are to be congratulated because with these reforms they will have less dealing with desk officials, while we shall continue the same as before until the reform is extended to towns of some importance.

Thank God our parents are robust and strong. As they are now, they may live many more years. If you want to stay there for four or five years more and return later, probably you will find them still in good health as when you left them.

Your brother,

PACIANO

01-123 [Family]