The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home
The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home
The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home
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CHAPTER XLIX 226<br />
"I agree with you that there are evils," replied Ibarra, "but let us bear with those evils on account of the<br />
benefits that accompany them. This institution may be imperfect, but, believe me, <strong>by</strong> the fear that it inspires it<br />
keeps the number of criminals from increasing."<br />
"Say rather that <strong>by</strong> this fear the number is increased," corrected Elias. "Before the creation of this corps almost<br />
all the evil-doers, with the exception of a very few, were criminals from hunger. <strong>The</strong>y plundered and robbed<br />
in order to live, but when their time of want was passed, they again left the highways clear. Sufficient to put<br />
them to flight were the poor, but brave cuadrilleros, they who have been so calumniated <strong>by</strong> the writers about<br />
our country, who have for a right, death, for duty, fighting, and for reward, jests. Now there are tulisanes who<br />
are such for life. A single fault, a crime inhumanly punished, resistance against the outrages of this power,<br />
fear of atrocious tortures, east them out forever from society and condemn them to slay or be slain. <strong>The</strong><br />
terrorism of the Civil Guard closes against them the doors of repentance, and as outlaws they fight to defend<br />
themselves in the mountains better than the soldiers at whom they laugh. <strong>The</strong> result is that we are unable to<br />
put an end to the evil that we have created. Remember what the prudence of the Captain-General de la Torre<br />
[131] accomplished. <strong>The</strong> amnesty granted <strong>by</strong> him to those unhappy people has proved that in those mountains<br />
there still beat the hearts of men and that they only wait for pardon. Terrorism is useful when the people are<br />
slaves, when the mountains afford no hiding-places, when power places a sentinel behind every tree, and<br />
when the body of the slave contains nothing more than a stomach and intestines. But when in desperation he<br />
fights for his life, feeling his arm strong, his heart throb, his whole being fill with hate, how can terrorism<br />
hope to extinguish the flame to which it is only adding fuel?"<br />
"I am perplexed, Elias, to hear you talk thus, and I should almost believe that you were right had I not my own<br />
convictions. But note this fact--and don't be offended, for I consider you an exception--look who the men are<br />
that ask for these reforms" nearly all criminals or on the way to be such!"<br />
"Criminals now, or future criminals; but why are they such? Because their peace has been disturbed, their<br />
happiness destroyed, their dearest affections wounded, and when they have asked justice for protection, they<br />
have become convinced that they can expect it only from themselves. But you are mistaken, sir, if you think<br />
that only the criminals ask for justice. Go from town to town, from house to house, listen to the secret sighings<br />
in the bosoms of the families, and you will be convinced that the evils which the Civil Guard corrects are the<br />
same as, if not less than, those it causes all the time. Should we decide from this that all the people are<br />
criminals? If so, then why defend some from the others, why not destroy them all?"<br />
"Some error exists here which I do not see just now some fallacy in the theory to invalidate the practise, for in<br />
Spain, the mother country, this corps is displaying, and has ever displayed, great usefulness."<br />
"I don't doubt it. Perhaps there, it is better organized, the men of better grade, perhaps also Spain needs it<br />
while the Philippines does not. Our customs, our mode of life, which are always invoked when there is a<br />
desire to deny us some right, are entirely overlooked when the desire is to impose something upon us. And tell<br />
me, sir, why have not the other nations, which from their nearness to Spain must be more like her than the<br />
Philippines is, adopted this institution? Is it because of this that they still have fewer robberies on their railway<br />
trains, fewer riots, fewer murders, and fewer assassinations in their great capitals?"<br />
Ibarra bowed his head in deep thought, raising it after a few moments to reply: "This question, my friend, calls<br />
for serious study. If my inquiries convince me that these complaints are well founded I will write to my<br />
friends in Madrid, since we have no representatives. Meanwhile, believe me that the government needs a<br />
corps with strength enough to make itself respected and to enforce its authority."<br />
"Yes, sir, when the government is at war with the country. But for the welfare of the government itself we<br />
must not have the people think that they are in opposition to authority. Rather, if such were true, if we prefer<br />
force to prestige, we ought to take care to whom we grant this unlimited power, this authority. So much power<br />
in the hands of men, ignorant men filled with passions, without moral training, of untried principles, is a