complains of the burden imposed on the colony by the support of an
archbishop and three bishops. Much is wasted in salaries, for useless
or nominal services. Salazar y Salzedo advises that the offices and
their salaries be both reduced. Especial loss and injury to the royal
income arises from the frauds and violations of law which are practiced
in the Mexican trade. The payment of tributes by the Indians in money
is demoralizing them; they no longer pursue their former usual labors,
and their products are now scarce and high-priced. They ought to be
compelled to work, at agriculture, stock-raising, and mining. The
treasury needs more money, and more Indians should be assigned to the
crown. Encomiendas are fraudulently assigned by the governors. The
erection of wooden churches in the encomiendas is another source
of useless expense; these should be built of stone or brick. Certain
offices should be taken from their present incumbents, and conferred on
men of character and standing. The fiscal complains of lax management
of the treasury by its officials, and calls for an investigation;
and the same with the cabildo of Manila. Other charges where public
moneys are involved should be inspected by the crown, and the waste
of those funds should be checked. Even all these reforms will not
provide all the funds for necessary expenses; the fiscal therefore
proposes that the crown monopolize the trade in spices and raw silk,
which would bring immense profits to the royal treasury. Another letter
from the fiscal to the king, of the same date, makes recommendations
as to certain affairs of government. He urges that the auditors
should make regular official inspection of the administration of
justice throughout the islands. He complains that the profits of
trade are absorbed by the officials and their dependents, leaving
the citizens poor. Offices and other sources of profit must not be
bestowed on those dependents, but on the citizens; and the officers
of the ships that carry goods to Nueva España should not be appointed