o common to other
alcaldes, and does not make use of the permission to trade, but also
recognizes the defects of the present administration, and declaims
in the bosom of his friends against them, since he is imbued with the
sane principles of justice and political economy. But in such matters
one must not reckon on virtue but always with human nature. One day
happening to question one of the most judicious and kind persons whom
I have known in the islands, how Alcalde Penaranda had happened to
lose his money, he answered me: "He gave it to an agent to use, he to
share in the profits, and then paid no attention to it for three years
after. He gave up his time very greatly to the building of bridges
and roads, and while he was busy in such bits of foolishness, the
other made the most of his time and consumed it all." Another person,
of whose philanthropy and gentlemanliness I have positive proofs, told
me that if he obtained the government of a province, he would assemble
all the influential men and make them an offer to renounce all trade
provided that they gave him a certain annual sum. I replied to him
that that was an impracticable project and stated my reasons. "Then,"
replied he, "I would harass everyone who engaged in trade until he
ceased it, or left the province, and it would be all the worse for
him." Such are the evils of a bad system. One becomes accustomed
to the idea that a government post offers the opportunity of making
money and nothing else. The moment that one has obtained office, he
believes that he has a right to make money, without considering the
means to any extent; while he who is careless of his own interests and
busies himself in the progress of the province, like Senor Penaranda,
is ridiculed and called a fool.

Many believe that to prohibit the alcaldes from trading would be
useless, because they would do it by all means through a second
person. There might be some fraud, but there is no doubt but that the
evil would be remedied, if not wholly, in great measure, especially if
any contract in regard to business interests signed by the alcaldes
in Filipinas be declared null and void; for it is very difficult to
find in the country persons to whom to hand over a capital and be sure
of their good faith, and it is not easy to take them with him from
Espana. And even leaving aside these disadvantages, it will always
result from the prohibition that the agent of the alcalde will have
to manage his m