cultivate their fields, and are even deprived of suitable religious
instruction. Greedy Spanish officials have monopolized all local
traffic, and have set their own price on all provisions, from which
some have made great profits. Salazar--who has with good reason been
styled "the Las Casas of the Philippines"--enumerates a melancholy
list of injuries and opressions inflicted upon the hapless natives
by their conquerors, and urges in most forcible and eloquent language
that they be protected from injustice and treated as human beings. He
cites from the royal decrees the clauses which make such provisions in
behalf of the Indians, and claims that most of these are continually
disobeyed. The Indians held by the royal crown suffer even greater
oppression than do those in private encomiendas. As a result of all
these evil deeds on the part of the Spaniards, the Indians have come
to abhor the Christian faith, and many remain pagans; while those who
are nominally Christians are so through fear rather than choice. The
preachers who are sent to them ought to go without military escort,
and the ençomenderos should be compelled to fulfil their duties toward
the Indians in their charge.

The bishop then describes the status of the Chinese traders who come
to the Philippine Islands. Vexatious dues have been levied upon the
Chinese in Manila; they have been herded together in one dwelling,
apart from the other residents of the city; and a special warden,
with arbitrary power, has been placed over them. Besides, they have
been compelled to sell their goods at much below their value, and
have frequently been plundered; and reparation for their wrongs has
been denied. As a consequence, Chinese goods have almost disappeared
from the market, and the few articles seen are sold at exorbitant
prices. Other traders who come to Manila are also burdened with
numerous unjust and arbitrary exactions.