“But this is what is going on in this Province” There exist here two Departmental Governments, one calling itself that of Northern Luzon and of which Don Vicente del Prado is the President, and the other which calls itself that of Northern and Central Luzon, presided over by Don Juliano Paraiso.  Besides these two gentlemen, there are two governors in the province(!) one Civil Political Military, living in Lingayen, named Don Felipe J. Bartolome, and another living in Real Guerrero, a town of Tayug, named Don Vicente Estrella.  And in addition there are a large number of Administrators, Inspectors, Military Judges, Generals,... they cannot be counted.  It is a pandemonium of which even Christ, who permits it, cannot make anything.  Indeed, the situation is insupportable.  It reminds me of the schism in the middle ages when there were two Popes, both legitimate, neither true.  Things are as clear as thick chocolate, as the Spaniards say.  In my poor opinion, good administration is the mother-in-law of disorder, since disorder is chaos and chaos produces nothing but confusion, that is to say, death.

“I have had an opportunity, through the kindness of a friend, to read the decree of that Government, dated June 18th, of the present year, and the accompanying ’Instructions for the government of towns and provinces.’  Article 9 of the said decree says that the Superior Government will name a commissioner for each province with the special duty of establishing there the organization set forth in the decree.  Very well so far:  which of the so-called Presidents of Northern or of Northern and Central Luzon is the commissioner appointed by that government to establish the new organization in that province?  Are military commanders named by you for Pangasinan?  I would be very much surprised if either of them could show his credentials.  Aside from these, the fact remains that in those instructions no mention is made of Presidents of Departments, there is a manifest contradiction in their jurisdictions, since while one calls himself president of a Departmental Government, of Northern Luzon, the other governs the Northern and Central portion of the Island, according to the seals which they use.

“And, nevertheless, a person calling himself the General Administrator of the Treasury and the said Governor of the Province, both of whom live in Tayug, came to this town when the Spaniards voluntarily abandoned it and gathered all the people of means, and drew up an act of election, a copy of which is attached.  From it you will see how this organization violates the provisions of the decree of the 18th of June.

“Another item:  They got up a contract with the people of means of this town, and did the same thing in the other towns, in which contract they exact from us $1250 which they call contributions of war (see document No. 2 attached).  Among the doubtful powers of these gentlemen is the one to exact these sums included?