Leon 30-2°, Madrid
19 October 1888
Antonio Luna
Dear Rizal,
I have thought of writing you for a long time but… sometimes for not knowing your address, at other times for not knowing your whereabouts, the fact is that I have not done it until now that I have your address.
Four days ago I came from Barcelona (please keep it a secret) and there I saw our compatriot Mariano Ponce and we had long conversations ending with the periodical and its management. Desirous of knowing my opinion on who should wield the baton, I suggested Mr. José Rizal and if he could not come for numerous reasons, Julio Llorente, for, in my judgment, no one else can undertake such a difficult task. So I am writing you to beg you to come to manage it, because here there is such a confusion and there exist so many factions that I believe you are needed in order to accomplish something serious, something that is not childish, or children’s work, as we have been doing thus far. The foolish pride of some and the false patriotism of these same ones are creating, or have already created, certain divisions that are prejudicial to all. Well now, it is the desire of the majority, of almost all the Filipinos (with the exception of Aguirre and Lete, whose opinions I do not know) that you come to assume the management of this new echo of the country. And as it promises to be a fact for counting on means and funds, serious management is urgent, not by some children whose competence in the absence of any valid evidences, can be doubted. I reiterate then the desire of all, without distinction, to see you at the front of this building that threatens to fall apart.
In case we could not succeed to bring you over, my feeling is that the only one who can substitute you is Llorente and no one else. Llorente is a chap who is formal, serious, studious, a good writer and good Filipino, who counts on the sympathy of all. In addition and above all he has an academic title as proof of his capability. This will banish the prejudice of our adversaries who are convinced that we entrust the management of our periodical to the students and that such a periodical is their voice. It is imperative that we do not entrust the management to students or to one without a profession. The degree serves as a shield and evidence of competence against the claim of those who try to prove our ineptitude.
In the second alternative I have special interest that Llorente triumph, for my discovery of the patriotism of false patriots has made me appreciate the just merit of persons, and it is known that many Filipinos here, especially the genuine ones or manobos think so too.
If Lete believes that he is already manager of the periodical for the mere fact of having worked (more for Pine than for himself) issuing circulars, etc., I believe I am not mistaken in saying that the periodical has again fallen into little skilled hands and in persons whose patriotism could be doubted. Many of us, if not all, would be very greatly disgusted if he would assume the new management for which he has given so little evidence of aptitude in the past period of España en Filipinas.
Let us review the past: A manager who does not assumes responsibility for an editorial (Graciano’s article). A manager who allowed to be published in [a] newspaper, a defender of the Philippines, an insulting article to a Filipino (by R. against Figueroa). How can Lete explain why he did not write a review of Noli me tángere? I am informed of the matter: Lete, Aguirre, and another one whom you do not know personally, were the first ones to criticize your book. Lete assigned Llorente to write a review of it after two months and after having promised that he would do it. He had the weakness to confess that Llorente would take care of it, thus the encomium would become more complete, giving to understand with this gesture that he wished to favor you by not making the review himself. You yourself have said: “My enemies are not only the castilas but some who are not.” In the same manner: What can Lete do for the Asociacion Hispano-Filipina? At the beginning, he did not want to join it on account of the presence of certain elements (or indios). Why does he belong to it now holding the office of secretary? Has the office lured him like sweetmeat? Could we not say also that he works in order to win the position of manager? Selfish patriotism! And moreover, who is Lete but a second-year law student and who for years has not passed it?
Lete does not have the sympathy of the Filipinos, except of some four who sit and eat naturally at his table. If he gets to be manager, almost all of us would quit, for here the antipathy that he inspires is general, not because of his personality, but his pride, his false patriotism, and his conviction that he is superior to the rest. Speaking with Llorente, he told me that it should be you and if not you, anyone else except Lete. It is the general opinion. Lete has created those division in the periodical España en Filipinas which led to its death. And if unfortunately the new one should fall into his hands, we would witness the rise of cacique who would suppress the Filipinos.
For this reason I shall work with others here in order that he who has genuine patriotic sentiments may triumph and I shall oppose with all my strength that selfish patriotism [from] winning.
I have succeeded after hard struggle to make Llorente show himself inclined to accept the management of the periodical. I need your mandate, your valuable cooperation, so that on the day that the election for the post is held, the one who in your judgment is deserving may come out victorious. Llorente does not know how to intrigue; he has too noble a character to beg for this position and for this same reason the man whom we do not need, the one we detest, might come out.
Rizal or Llorente – this is what we want. If Rizal cannot, Llorente and no one else. The dilemma is not so hard if we……that the rest are going against us and there is much to distrust.
You would never have heard from me all that I have written here about Lete except now that it concerns a highly important matter when it is not possible, it would be criminal, to remain silent. Out with the masks and let us see what people we can depend on.
If you believe our request is just, see that Ponce and others support the candidacy of Llorente. If it is not so, not counting with you in the management, what will come will further disunite us, now that disunion already exists.
Nothing more for today and awaiting your opinion on the affair, command as you please,
Your true compatriot,
Antonio
P.S.
Regards from Llorente, and my house companions who, without knowing him, salute the author of Noli me tángere.
03-338 [Reformists]