Philippine Commission

“ The conditions Congress made precedent to the grant of an assembly have not been met, and we each and all of us know it. We owe more to our own country and to truth than we do to the Filipinos. The Act of Congress of 1902 did not vest in the Philippine Commission authority to pardon disturbances of public order. It imposed upon the Commission an implied duty to report such disturbances, fully and frankly. It is not true that there has been a continuing state of general and complete peace in these Islands for the last two years, and I for one will not certify that there has been. ”

“ The provision requiring the higher positions to be filled by promotion so far as practicable has always been regarded by the Philippine Commission, by this Bureau, and by others interested in obtaining the best possible government service in the Philippines as one of the most important provisions of the Civil Service Act. ”

“ Taft is the most democratic element of the Commission—he expresses his opinion, generous, calm and noble, which assuredly, in view of his personal prestige, must carry great weight in the framing of the bills, whose execution is entrusted to the Military governor.
To dissipate the gloomy smoke of the conflagration, to still the groans of those who fall in this immense expoliarium into which fatality has converted the Philippine fields, is the mission which the men composing the American Commission desire to bring to a successful issue. ”

“ The stability of the Government of the Islands during a time of growing Filipino participation is a proof to the world that when the time comes for the government to be entirely in the hands of the Island’s inhabitants, both as to internal and external affairs, foreign commerce need not fear for loss of credit or trade, due to any of the great political upheavals which have been so common in other countries which were once colonies but are now independent. ”

“ Congress reserves the power to annul all laws passed by the Philippine Legislature, and the Philippine Commission is directed to make annual reports of all receipts and expenditures to the Secretary of War. ”

“ The law of public officers as observed in the United States is in effect in the Philippine Islands. The principle of division of powers is recognized, and the functions of government are distributed among three departments, the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. The principle of checks and balances is likewise observed, and the legislature and the courts are prohibited from delegating their powers. The passage of irrepealable laws is forbidden. The government is immune from suit at the instance of private individuals except with its consent. ”

“ That in all cases the municipal officers who administer the local affairs of the people are to be selected by the people, and that wherever officers of more extended jurisdiction are to be selected in any way natives of the islands are to be preferred, and if they can be found competent and willing to perform the duties they are to receive the offices in preference to any others. It will be necessary to fill some offices for the present with Americans, which, after a time, may well be filled by natives of the islands. ”

“ Should our power by any fatality be withdrawn, the commission believe that the government of the Philippines would speedily lapse into anarchy, which would excuse, if it did not necessitate, the intervention of other powers and the eventual division of the islands among them. Only through American occupation, therefore, is the idea of a free, self-governing, and united Philippine commonwealth at all conceivable. ”

“ And General Allen said in an indorsement to the Philippine Commission:—
“... in my opinion the judgment of Colonel Bandholtz in matters connected with the pacification of Albay should receive favourable consideration. Halfway measures are always misinterpreted and used to the detriment of the Government among the ignorant followers of the outlaws.” ”

“ Any member who shall commit any act or acts unworthy of a good Filipino, or antagonistic to the aims and purposes of the Association, or who in any way shall not follow strictly the principles prescribed in this Order or any rules that may hereafter be promulgated by the duly constituted authorities of the Association, may be expelled therefrom and shall forfeit all rights and privileges inherent to membership therein. ”

“ By Philippine Commission Acts Nos. 127 and 128 the limits of the Surigao and Misámis provinces were defined and afterwards upset by Act No. 787. The policy of the Americans anent the Philippines was continually shifting during the first five years of their occupation, and only since ex-Governor Taft became Secretary of War does it seem to have assumed a somewhat more stable character. ”

“ The officials and employees of departments, bureaus, offices and instrumentalities of government whose services may no longer be required for the performance of the duties and functions herein prescribed for the different Administrative Organs and Judicial Courts, shall be retired from the service under such terms and conditions as the Executive Commission, with the advice of the Philippine Council of State, may prescribe, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Forces in the Philippines, may approve. ”

“ Composition of the Commission. The Commission shall be composed of eleven (11) commissioners, one of whom shall serve as Chairman. The commissioners shall represent the major Philippine languages, as defined in Section 3 of this Act: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon and the major language of Muslim Mindanao; the Northern Cultural Communities; the Southern Cultural Communities; and such other Philippine languages or ethnolinguistic regions as the Commission may decide upon: provided, that at least four (4) of these commissioners shall also represent various disciplines. ”

“ T. H. Pardo de Tavera and Señor Benito Legardo, of Manila, and Señor José Luzuriaga, of Negros. The American members, besides President (now Governor) Taft, were Hon. Luke E. Wright, Hon. Henry C. Ide, Hon. Bernard Moses, and Hon. Dean Worcester. Besides carrying on the present government, the commissioners were charged with the task of planning a permanent government for the islands. To do this it was necessary to have the aid of Filipino members, and the gentlemen thus added to the commission were a great help to the Americans in drawing up a form of government suitable to the country. ”

“ You will instruct the commission to proceed to the city of Manila, where they will make their principal office, and to communicate with the military governor of the Philippine Islands, whom you will at the same time direct to render to them every assistance within his power in the performance of their duties. ”

“ After days of stirring debate, it was decided to ask Congress for permission to call a Constitutional Convention to draft a Constitution for a Philippine Republic, and the following resolution was passed:
“Whereas, the people and government of the United States have solemnly promised to grant independence as soon as a stable government can be established in the Philippines ”

“ It is the expectation of the commission to visit the Philippine peoples in their respective provinces, both for the purpose of cultivating a more intimate mutual acquaintance and also with a view to ascertaining from enlightened native opinion what form or forms of government seem best adapted to the Philippine [979] peoples, most apt to conduce to their highest welfare, and most conformable to their customs, traditions, sentiments and cherished ideals. ”

“ This body is to consist of two chambers, the Philippine Commission constituting the upper one, while the Lower House is to consist of from fifty to one hundred popularly elected delegates apportioned among the provinces on the basis of population, except that each province shall be entitled to at least one member. Persons qualified to vote for delegates include those who have held office under the Spanish régime or who own property of the value of $250 or pay taxes amounting to $15 or over, or who speak, read, and write Spanish or English. ”

“ If any such objection is made, let it remain with the commission, and dispose of it by appealing from the governor to the royal Audiencia, where the question will be decided on examination and review. In the meantime the said title shall not be assumed, for there are many people in these islands whom we are bound to remunerate merely for their own services and those of their fathers, because they are poor and needy, and what we have to give is so little that, even if it were divided among the citizens, many of them would have to remain unprovided for. ”

“ The Spanish Commission At this juncture the Admiral suddenly changed the topic of conversation and asked—“Why don't the people in Manila rise against the Spaniards as their countrymen in the provinces have done? Is it true that they accept the autonomy offered by General Augustin with a representative Page 33Assembly? Is the report which has reached me true, that a Filipino Commission has been sent from Manila to propose to you the acceptance of that autonomy coupled with a recognition of your rank of General, as well as recognition of the rank held by your companions?” ”

“ In the words of General Aguinaldo, the Constitution was “the most glorious note in the noble aspirations of the Philippine revolution and is an irrefutable proof before the civilized world of the culture and capacity of the Filipino people to govern themselves.”
Comments of Foreigners.—The comments of unbiased foreigners on this ill-fated attempt of the Filipino people to live an independent existence all point to the fact that the Republic together with the constitution the independent government had established was a great work of an unquestionably able people. ”

“ An investigation into the expenses incurred by the United States for the Philippine Islands, exclusive of the maintenance of her army and navy, elicits the following facts:
1. That the Philippines has always been a self-supporting country; all expenditures have been drawn from ordinary revenues.
2. That the sum of $267,663.26 pertaining to the former government of Spain and seized by the United States, and therefore legally pertaining to the latter country, was subsequently turned over into the general fund of the insular government. ”

“ The Philippine Council of State is organized as an advisory body for the administration of the territory of the Philippines occupied by the Imperial Japanese Forces with the end in view that said administration may redound to the benefit of the Filipino people. ”

“ The Commission may deputize Filipino organizations/associations overseas for the same purpose: Provided, That any such deputized organization/association shall be prohibited from participating in the elections by campaigning for or fielding candidates; Provided, further, That if any such deputized organization/association is discovered to have a member who is not a qualified overseas absentee voter as herein defined, such deputized organization/association shall be banned from participating in any manner, and at any stage, in the Philippine political process abroad. ”

“ They appointed as judge-executor Master Jerónimo Fernández Caravallo, cura of the village of Quiapo, a priest of little ability and easily influenced. This man accepted the commission with much pleasure, believing that it would bring him honor and profit; and he therefore set up his tribunal, and appointed as his secretary Bachelor Martín Díaz, cura of the natives and Morenos in Manila. At once he sent this man to notify the provincial, Fray Juan de Jeréz, of the said bull of Gregory XV ”

“ The Mixed Commission Conferences of the Mixed Commission, Americans and Filipinos, were held in Manila from the 11th to the 31st of the said month of January, the Filipino Commissioners clearly expressing the wish of our people for recognition as an independent nation. ”