The San Francisco call., 1898-06-05
The Marvellously Rich Philippine Islands and the Diversity of h. terests and Peoples There.

The supremacy of the ecclesiastical branch of the Government and uncer- tainty of political tenure, it is said led the office holders to loot the treasury and rob the people remorselessly while temporarily in power; hence the cor ruption and oppression, ending in rev. Olution.
 Under the political system in the Philippines the heads of departments consider themselves fortunate if able to keep their positions one-quarter of the time allowed ecclesiastical officials of a corresponding grade. There, as in Spain, a Niagara of bombast and social display is noticeable. It helps hide the rOttenness of the administration. The titles alone of the Captain General fill page, embracing all the attributes of government except authority over the fleet, which is subject to the Ministry of Marine in Spain. The Captain Gen eral also hasa limited Jurisdiction in church matters. If he dies the Lieu tenant-Governor takes his place under the title of second head"
 The Philippines are divided into prov inces subject either to politico- military governors or alcaldes mayores, who usually are civilians. When the Gov ernment is military an assistant Lieu tenant-Governor, who must have grad uated as lawyer, exercises the pre- liminary Jurisdiction. but the alcaldes hold that jurisdiction in their own own persons. Both dispose in their provinces of the military authority, and have the controlling direction of collecting revenues, being responsible to the general Administrator of Trib- utes.
 The provinces are divided into pueb- los Gowns or villages). over each of which a native Indian or mestizo (half- breed) is placed. He is called Gov ornor'-the little Governor-and as- sisted by native lieutenants and al- guacils, whose number is regulated by the extent of the population. This body 'settles all matters of police and civil questions between natives as to rights of person and property.
 In districts where the Chinese or their descendants are sufficiently num- erous they are allowed by a special au- thority of the Government to select delegates to this local body independ- ently of Indian jurisdiction. To cer- tain extent this body (called Principalia of the Pueblo) is representative and more or less democratic. The members are especially charged to assist the clergy in all matters of public worship and ecclesiastical authority. They de- termine questions involving amounts less than forty-four silver dollars; they collect evidence in. criminal cases, which is submitted to the provincial chief, and assist in the collection of the royal revenues; circulate the ordi- nances of the Government among the people. and last, but not least, are au- thorized to levy an alleged small but specified contribution in support of their office and their dignity.
 Besides these, there are in every pu- eblo certain functionaries called Ca bezas (heads)-the barangay. A baran- gay is 6 collection of the chief of families or persons paying tribute usu- . ally amounting to forty or fifty in number. They are under the charge of the Cabeza, who must dwell among them, and under bond collect the trib- ute due the state. He must settle dis putes, maintain peace and order, and collect taxes for payment to the little governor" of the pueblos. This Cabeza also acts as the local lawyer of the community. He has privileges. one of which is to affix Don" to his name. and in some provinces he can hold of flee for three years. The little gov ernors'' of the pueblo are elected an- nually, and next to cock fighting it is the supreme event of the year. There are thirteen electors for each pueblo
 A province is ruled by a civil ecclesi- astical functionary. There are special provisions and concessions allowed the Chinese who enter largely into the population in some districts. As there are thirty thousand or forty thousand of the Chinese. they are no small fea- ture in the mixed population.
 The chief end of all this machinery. these local indulgences to the rural magnates, is to keep the tax mills grinding out revenue for Spain. Taxes, oppressive assessments, fines, for spite or revenge, and confiscation for tn ..o in rebelliouS protest are among the many ways of swelling the vast fu,id which has kept the Spanish crown aloft for centuries. Spanish rulers are supposed to know good thing at sight Historian Mallat has declared that of all the colonies founded by Europeans these regions are the least known and the most worthy of bel ag known