After finishing his sales report, Bayei concluded, "However, California has recently seen cases of privately sold Gold Panning Tools, causing us considerable losses—likely exceeding 70,000 francs."
Joseph lowered his head and leafed through the information on California mentioned in Bayei's report.
Because gold mines were spread across the North American West Coast and required enormous manpower to be effectively worked, the government of Spain had adopted a Permit System.
Anyone who paid the Permit Fee regularly could pan for gold within designated areas.
Of course, white Spaniards paid lower Permit Fees and enjoyed greater privileges. For example, they could establish camps, purchase Farmland, and go hunting. Mestizos—that was, Mixed-Blood people—and Mexican Indigenous not only had to pay more, but were permitted only to pan for gold. Their lodging and food had to depend on white camps.
This allowed white Spaniards to exploit their control over the camps and secretly peddle tools to prospectors—prospectors' pockets were stuffed with gold nuggets, sending California's prices soaring. It took five or six gold nuggets to trade for a single shovel—so naturally, they were unwilling to miss such a tremendous business opportunity. Since last month, people had continually been smuggling tools in to sell.
Joseph could not help shaking his head.
Spaniards always loved this kind of foolish Racial Hierarchy—they had ruled Mexico through the "Casta System," with white Spaniards at the top, Mestizos below them, Mexican Indigenous below that, and Blacks at the very bottom.
This Racial System had directly led the majority Mestizo population to launch uprising after uprising against the exploitation of the government of Spain. Joseph knew that, at most ten-odd years from now, Mexico would erupt in an Independence Movement of unprecedented scale. In the end, the Mestizos would lead the Indigenous people, overthrow the rule of Spain, and establish