arranged with a
view to civic self-sufficiency. The plan was uniform. Each place had its
central park or plaza, upon which fronted the town hall, the parish
church and the residence of the governor or the alcalde. The plan of
government was also uniform. In each place Velasquez appointed an
Alcalde, who was not a mayor but a judge of first instance; a Deputy
Alcalde, and three regidores or councillors; the Alcalde and the
regidores sitting together forming the Town Council. There were also a
procurador, or public prosecutor; an alguacil, or sheriff; and one or
more escribanos, or notaries public.

There was also at this time established throughout the island a social
and economic system borrowed from Hispaniola, where it had not been in
operation long enough for its evil effects to be demonstrated. Its
intention was unquestionably benevolent, and, given a sufficiently
altruistic quality of human nature, its results might have been good.
With human nature what it was, it became almost unrelievedly evil. This
was known as the system of Repartimiento, or Encomienda. First of all,
the whole territory of the island was partitioned among the seven
cities. Then in each there were appointed persons whom we might describe
as land-holders and slave-holders. The former, known as vecinos, were
the representatives of the king in ownership of the land, all of which
was regarded as the property of the crown, to be apportioned for working
to suitable loyal subjects. The latter were called encomenderos, and to
them were apportioned the native population, in tutelage and servitude.

Now the fundamental evil of the system lay in the appropriation of the
land. It was all taken for the crown, and the natives who had been
occupying it were _ipso facto_ transformed into squatters, or
trespassers. But as the king claimed the whole area of the island, there
was no other land for them to occupy; wherefore they must remain on the
king's land. But if they did that, they must become his serfs. They were
therefore apportioned among the land-holders; to remain in their homes
and to be educated, fed and clothed and generally cared for by the
latter; and in return to do a certain amount of useful work. Thus they
would become civilized and Christianized, and perhaps themselves fitted
to become land-holders.

It was an excellent plan, in theory; and it seemed the more likely to
succeed because the Spanish colonists manifested no such caste prejudice