In the same year Bishop Salazar writes a memorial regarding affairs in the islands, for the information of the king and his royal Council of the Indias. He begins by describing the present scarcity of food supplies in Luzon. This is the result of sending to work in the mines the Indians of Pampanga, which province has hitherto been the granary of the island. The Spaniards also compel the natives to work in the galleys, and at many other tasks, so that they have no opportunity to cultivate their fields, and are even deprived of suitable religious instruction. Greedy Spanish officials have monopolized all local traffic, and have set their own price on all provisions, from which some have made great profits. Salazar--who has with good reason been styled "the Las Casas of the Philippines"--enumerates a melancholy list of injuries and opressions inflicted upon the hapless natives by their conquerors, and urges in most forcible and eloquent language that they be protected from injustice and treated as human beings. He cites from the royal decrees the clauses which make such provisions in behalf of the Indians, and claims that most of these are continually disobeyed. The Indians held by the royal crown suffer even greater oppression than do those in private encomiendas. As a result of all these evil deeds on the part of the Spaniards, the Indians have come to abhor the Christian faith, and many remain pagans; while those who are nominally Christians are so through fear rather than choice. The preachers who are sent to them ought to go without military escort, and the encomenderos should be compelled to fulfil their duties toward the Indians in their charge. The bishop then describes the status of the Chinese traders who come to the Philippine Islands. Vexatious dues have been levied upon the Chinese in Manila; they have been herded together in one dwelling, apart from the other residents of the city; and a special warden, with arbitrary power, has been placed over them. Besides, they have been compelled to sell their goods at much below their value, and have frequently been plundered; and reparation for their wrongs has been denied. As a consequence, Chinese goods have almost disappeared from the market, and the few articles seen are sold at exorbitant prices. Other traders who come to Manila are also burdened with numerous unjust and arbitrary exactions.