have tried to engage in business in the Philippines, know how many
documents, what comings, how many stamped papers, how much patience is
needed to secure from the government a permit for an enterprise. One
must count upon the good will of this one, on the influence of that
one, on a good bribe to another in order that the application be not
pigeonholed, a present to the one further on so that he may pass it on
to his chief; one must pray to God to give him good humor and time to
see and examine it; to another, talent to recognize its expediency; to
one further on sufficient stupidity not to scent behind the enterprise
an insurrectionary purpose; and that they may not all spend the time
taking baths, hunting or playing cards with the reverend friars in
their convents or country houses. And above all, great patience,
great knowledge of how to get along, plenty of money, a great deal of
politics, many salutations, great influence, plenty of presents and
complete resignation! How is it strange that, the Philippines remain
poor in spite of their very fertile soil, when history tells us that
the countries now the most flourishing date their development from
the day of their liberty and civil rights? The most commercial and
most industrious countries have been the freest countries: France,
England and the United States prove this. Hongkong, which is not worth
the most insignificant of the Philippines, has more commercial movement
than all the islands together, because it is free and is well governed.

The trade with China, which was the whole occupation of the colonizers
of the Philippines, was not only prejudicial to Spain but also to
the life of her colonies; in fact, when the officials and private
persons at Manila found an easy method of getting rich they neglected
everything. They paid no attention either to cultivating the soil
or to fostering industry; and wherefore? China furnished the trade,
and they had only to take advantage of it and pick up the gold that