Quezon has finally won victory for his party. All our efforts and those of the Speaker proved useless to stop the secession. This split has been worked for years, and planned behind the back of Osmeña. Technically, it is a bloodless coup d’etat. Quezon took advantage of the Speaker’s position to undermine him and pull him down. When the Jones Law was implemented by Governor-General Harrison, it was agreed to have a Filipino leader in the administration who would unobtrusively win away political powers from the Governor-General for the benefit of the Filipinos.
Osmeña fulfilled this assignment. For all practical purposes, he was the Governor-General. The most important matters of state weighed on his shoulders. The Governor-General could take no step without consulting him. Thus, Osmeña became so burdened with the study of important matters of government that he was forced to abandon the details of political party administration, a field which was immediately taken over and cultivated by Quezon.
The circumstance, besides, of Quezon’s being in the Senate and of his speaking English well, gave him the opportunity to deal the final blow with the aid mainly of the English speaking younger generation. Quezon took advantage of this advantage. The Speaker tried to heal the breach, even going so far as to give up all political power in favor of unity. As usual, Quezon remained indecisive until the last minute. We could all notice that he was under tension. But he had made serious commitments with the separatists. Thus, unity was sacrificed for them.
Quezon retained a greater part of the Nacionalistas who were formerly loyal to Osmeña.