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January 22, 1936

Only a short time at office. Played bridge in p.m. with Pedro Guevara, Tuason, Nicasio and Reyes. I have laryngitis, and can hardly speak. Home and to bed, where I stayed until January 26 with a severe attack of “tonsilitis” or perhaps “dengue” –had no doctor.

The papers are attacking Quezon freely for receiving the bandit Asedillo and allowing him to be taken back to his province by the Governor of Tayabas in Nº 1 car –thus making a hero of him. However, Quezon is extremely wise in showing such energetic determination to put own banditry in the provinces and graft in the government. Both have increased in recent times out of all measure, and much more so than is publicly understood. Whether this is due to (a) the prospective change to a Commonwealth Government or (b) the dreamy mentality of Murphy plus his absorption in his own career as a promoter of Christian ethics, or (c) to the “get rich quick” mood of the times in the Philippines ( hard times following a great sugar boom) is hard to say –possibly all three. But Quezon is placing emphasis upon public order, and he knows how to secure it –his method of “getting” the bandit leaders out here is, in the end, always the successful one in the Philippines.