6 April 1891

Manila

Proposal to the Propaganda to place La Solidaridad under the direction of the Filipino colony – Juan Zulueta as arbiter – Conciliatory solution without hurting anyone – Save unity at any cost – A solution that will not slight Dimas Alang[1] nor offend Brother Carmelo[2] – Avoid a schism.

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Manila, 6 April 1891

H. S. P.

MR. DIMAS ALANG

OUR DEAR BROTHER,

The Propaganda in a plenary meeting held on the 16th of last month was informed of your letter addressed to Brother Conrado, announcing the organization of the Filipino Colony in Madrid and your election as its responsible chief, and as such, proposing, as one of the provisions of its bylaws, the placing of La Solidaridad with regard to political matters, under the direction of the Colony.

In view of this, the Propaganda decided to appoint an arbiter, and the present writer was chosen, to study the matter in all its phases and propose and draft a tentative reply which will resolve the question in a conciliatory way without hurting any one and in order to preserve unity at any cost.

The task of an arbiter seems simple, but it is really difficult, in my opinion, because he has to conciliate the dignity of two dear persons, both indispensable to the cause we are pursuing. Should he adopt a concrete solution, he has to solve a problem or create a conflict, the more difficult as the very dignity of the Propaganda will be at stake, which is against his own feelings.

According to what is deduced from the proposal, if I am not mistaken, the principle is laid down that once the Solidaridad is placed under the Colony its director likewise becomes subject to it. And in this sense, has the Propaganda powers to compel the said director to accept that subordination, however much patriotism was the principal motive of the creation of that newspaper? Besides, has not the director, by reason of his position, his own exclusive responsibilities before the law which in no way can be transferred to any specific office? This is the problem that we are trying to resolve and in truth we have not yet found a conciliatory solution to it. It is true that the Propaganda has the right to relieve the director of the newspaper when he does not fulfill either the object or the ideal of its creation, but this arbiter does not consider it has the right to assign the dignity and responsibilities of the director to any office of whatever kind. For this reason, in his opinion, the solution becomes more problematic the deeper one goes into it, and in order to resolve it without hurting anyone, as the Propaganda requires him to do it, its greatest desire being to please you.

Because of this situation and the alternative that in resolving the question you might consider yourself slighted or Brother Carmelo offended, this arbiter is obliged to appeal to your undoubted patriotism that, as author of the proposal, you please advise him as to what is the conciliatory solution, as the Propaganda desires.

Save unity at any cost is the Propaganda’s motto in this affair, and the arbiter, in his desire to second with all sincerity this noble purpose, in order to avoid schism, has availed himself of this step to arrive at a conciliatory solution, certain that with your superior intelligence you will know how to tackle it without hurting anyone, making a sacrifice for the sake of our aspirations and the realization of our ideals.

With a kiss of peace.

Your brother greets you,

TEULUZ[3]

Secretario

03-615 [Reformists]