However, although the tribute and _fallas_ system worked as well as any other would under the circumstances, for some reason, best known to the authorities, it was abolished. In lieu thereof a scheme was proposed, obliging _every civilized inhabitant_ of the Philippines, excepting only public servants, the clergy, and a few others, _to work for fifteen days per annum without the right of redeeming this obligation by payment_. Indeed, the decree to that effect was actually received in Manila from the Home Government, but it was so palpably ludicrous that the Gov.-General did not give it effect. He had sufficient common sense to foresee in its application the extinction of all European prestige and moral influence over the natives if Spanish and foreign gentlemen of good family were seen sweeping the streets, lighting the lamps, road-mending, guiding buffalo-carts loaded with stones, and so on. This measure, therefore, regarded by some as a practical joke, by others as the conception of a lunatic theorist--was withdrawn, or at least allowed to lapse. Nevertheless, those in power were bent on reform, and the Peninsular system of a document of identity (_Cedula personal_), which works well amongst Europeans, was then adopted for all civilized classes and nationalities above the age of 18 years without exception, its possession being compulsory. The amount paid for this document, which was of nine classes, [107] from P25 value downwards, varied according to the income of the holder or the cost of his trading-licences. Any person holding this document of a value under P3 1/2 was subject to fifteen days' forced labour per annum, or to pay 50 cents for each day he failed to work. The holder of a document of P3 1/2 or over paid also P1 1/2 "Municipal Tax" in lieu of labour. The "_Cedula_" thenceforth served as a passport for travelling within the Archipelago, to be exhibited at any time on demand by the proper authority. No legal document was valid unless the interested parties had produced their _Cedulas_, the details of which were inscribed in the legal instrument. No petitions would be noticed, and very few transactions could be made in the Government offices without the presentation of this identification document. The decree relating to this reform, like most ambiguous Spanish edicts, set forth that any person was at liberty to take a higher-valued _Cedula_ than that corresponding to his position, without the right of any official to ask the reason why. This clause was prejudicial to the public welfare, because it enabled thousands of able-bodied natives to evade labour for public improvements of imperative necessity in the provinces. The public labour question was indeed altogether a farce, and simply afforded a pretext for levying a tax. It would appear that whilst the total amount of taxation in Spanish times was not burdensome, the fiscal system was obviously defective.