e peculations by Government officials from the highest
circles downwards, the inhabitants of the Colony would doubtless
have been a million or so richer per annum. One frequently heard
of officials leaving for Spain with sums far exceeding the total
emoluments they had received during their term of office. Some
provincial employees acquired a pernicious habit of annexing what
was not theirs by all manner of pretexts. To cite some instances:
I knew a Governor of Negros Island who seldom saw a native pass the
Government House with a good horse without begging it of him; thus,
under fear of his avenging a refusal, his subjects furnished him
little by little with a large stud, which he sold before he left,
much to their disgust.

In another provincial capital there happened to be a native headman
imprudently vain enough to carry a walking-stick with a chased
gold-knob handle studded with brilliants. It took the fancy of the
Spanish Governor, who repeatedly expressed his admiration of it, hoping
that the headman would make him a present of it. At length, when the
Governor was relieved of his post, he called together the headmen to
take formal leave of them, and at the close of a flattering speech, he
said he would willingly hand over his official-stick as a remembrance
of his command. In the hubbub of applause which followed, he added,
"and I will retain a souvenir of my loyal subordinates." Suiting the
action to the word, he snatched the coveted stick out of the hand
of the owner and kept it. A Gov.-General in my time enriched himself
by peculation to such an extent that he was at his wits' end to know
how to remit his ill-gotten gains clandestinely. Finally, he resolved
to send an army Captain over to Hong-Kong with P35,000 to purchase a
draft on Europe for him. The Captain went there, but he never returned.

There were about 725 towns and 23 missions in the Colony. Each town
was locally governed by a native--in some cases a Spanish or Chinese
half-caste--who was styled the petty-governor or _Gobernadorcillo_,
whilst his popular title was that of _Capitan_. This service was
compulsory. The elections of _Gobernadorcillos_ and their subordinates
took place every two years, the term of office counting from the July 1
following such elections. In the few towns where the _Gobernadorcillos_
were able to make considerable sums, the appointment was eagerly
sought for, but as a rule it was considered an onerous task, and I
kn