[The office of alcalde-mayor and provincial governor involves the
civil government and defense of the province, the administration of
justice, and the collection of the taxes; but those who are appointed
to it are usually only traders, in reality, and care more for the
profits yielded by the trade that is permitted to them than for the
obligations of their office. They are paid twenty-five hard dollars
a month for salary, "and they pay to the treasury the same sum for
the indulto [i.e., privilege], as it is called there, of trading," to
which pursuit they devote all their time and energies during the term
of their office.] A system of alcaldeships so anomalous and irregular
nevertheless produced at the outset some benefits to the islands,
because, by reason of the great lack of capitalists there, many
products of the agriculture and industries of the provinces would have
received no encouragement if the alcalde had not speculated in them
for the sake of his own trade. It is also necessary to note that there
are provinces with which, on account of their remoteness and the little
advantage which they have for the coasting trade, there was hardly any
other means of communication than the barks of the alcalde. But now,
when the coasting trade has become so general, it is a necessity to
abolish, in most of the provinces of the islands, that absurd system of
trading alcaldes; and to appoint in their places corregidors, lawyers
educated in España, with only a salary, and the charge of making
collections for the royal revenue, with the right to the offices in
the Audiencia there. This increase in expenditure should be covered
by the duties which ought to be imposed on the coasting trade, which
by this means remains free from all impediment. [Bernaldez urges that
the provincial magistrates be carefully selected, for their knowledge,
experience, discretion, and executive ability; and that they be men
who will devote themselves to the proper administration of justice,
the study of those regions hitherto unknown, plans of reform, and the
encouragement of industry and commerce among the people--not forgetting
to preserve friendly relations with the parish priests. He recommends
that seventeen of the provinces in the islands of Luzon, Panay, and
Cebú be divided into corregidorships, eight into those of the first
class, and nine into those of the second, with specified salaries
to each; that appointments to these posts be made for six years;
and that corregidors of the first class be proposed by the Audiencia.]