The agrarian revolt
Media
Part of The Guard
- Title
- The agrarian revolt
- Creator
- Dick, R.
- Language
- English
- Year
- 1937
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- December, 1937 G U A HD 9 The Agrarian Revolt By H. DICK A Comment on the City Election Results Unless all signs fail, there is going to be something like a revolution soon in the Phili ppines-revolution in the sense of change and that is on the land. On all lands it is admitted that an intolerable situation exists. Doubtless partly responsible for that situation are the tenants themselves, but far more responsible are the greedy and avaricious landlords. Learning nothing and still clinging to the antiquated and oppresive practices of by gone days, they are, like the Baurbons, precipitating the deluge, digging their own graves. In the past the government, ignoring the grievances of the tenants or resorting to only spasmodic and ineffectual ef forts at reform, usually ac companied by beautiful» rain bow promises, has fatously followed the policy of protecting the landlords and confirming them in their abuses The gun, of the constabuhry which with more justice could have been trained on the real offenders, the rapacious landlords, were turned on their victims who dared protest against the iniquitous conditions imposed upo i them and under which they labored. Given th se co ¡ditions, such conditions as exist 01 many fardas and hacie das today, such conditions as are depicted some articles of The Philippines Free Press, and no men worthy the name of freemen, worthy of independence, but would reoel against them. Instead of being deplored, the discontent, the spirit of agrarian revolt now showing itself everywhere, should be welcomed and commended. The mean social evolution, progress. The signs of the times are there for all who read Unfortunately, many of these archaic and benighted landlords don’t read. Did they read, they would learn what has taken place with the land in Russia, in Great Britain and Australia, in parts of Germany and Italy, and what is now being done in Mexico and in several other countries. They would, also learn of the present revolt in Spain, impelled largely by agrarian abuses. The world is moving, and, in this matter of serfdom and land ownership, is moving fast Nor is the Philippines an exception The tenant mass is beginning to awaken to a realization of its exploitation and its bondage, and has already shown a disposition to effect its own reforms It is*time, as Pre sident Quezon has intimated, for the government to act. Whether ultimately, as our poor river ferryman dreams, the land will be “divided equally among all people,” is a far nnd doubtful question But even granting that and granting also that some day there may be no m.ire rich no more poor we are still left with his impossible humanity’s age-old dream, that then everyone will be happy. For happiness for everyone will be happy For happiness for everyone is of Utopia and the Mellinium. and they are not yet. When there is no more discontent in this world there wiU. be no more world. By Atty. ANDRES C. MOMONGAN The election has come and gone. The war is over. And now that the smoke of battle is cleared, the thundering guns of the different parties in the City have ceased firing and the victors are emerging with thriumphant smiles, leaving behind them less fortunate opponents hurried in the debris, it may not be amiss to comment on the result of the encounter. On the whole the result of the election is fair, basing our conclusion on the kind of men that have been elected to the Mun. Board. Many will agree with us, that these men can not be the best to compose the said BoaFd, neither, can they be the worst to compose, the sain*. Hence we are of the opinion that when the greatest number of people in a community decides, its decision can rarely, if ever, be erroneous Its desicion is just about right. In this connection, the writer is bold enough to state that, as a defeated candidate of the Labor Party, he has found out that the forgotten mass or the “little man” can not as yet be depended upon, even how hard you fight for their rights and interests, for they are apt to sell their right to vote for a mess of fottage It takes an earthquake to wake them up. Nay, it Dr. Gabino G. Palacio Dentist Clinic Hour: 8:00 A. M.—7:00 P. M. 172 D. Jakosalem, St. Cebu City, Philippines takes many more instances that they are only feasted and wined on election time and, rarely, are their rights and interests defended after that, in order that may unify and stand on their ground to the last. This is not said with malice and bitterness, because of the pang of defeat. It is said because it is the simple truth, yea, the naked truth. How many poor laborers of the City Public Works voted straight for the Anti ticket, laying aside the personal merits of each and every candidate, just for the privilege of working of the roads for one peso a day! How many of the labor leaders suffered defeat at the pells, ignominiously just because the laborers deserted their advocates for the mere glitter of gold! How many of the small merchants de sorted those who espoused their cause against Act No 215 and Sunday tuba prohibition! Yes, “the people gets the kind of government it deserves”. On the whole, the result of the election in the City is fair. And since those elected are our councilors, let us all support and cooperate with them and get the best result during the next 3 years. Emiliano Son Pansiteria IS THE RESTAURANT OF THE ELI1E PERSONS IN CEBU CITY For Order Call Tel. 457 282 Juan Luna, Cebu City