The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-12

y
The municipal government provided for
in the Philippines is described in the Ie-
port Of the Taft Commission as follows:
The ''pueblos'' Of the islands some
times include a hundred or more square
miles. They are divided into so-caIIed
"barrios" or wards. which are often very
numerous and widely separated. In order
that the interests of the inhabitants of
each ward may be represented N the
council on the one hand, and that the
body may not become so numerous as 20
be unwieldy, on the other, il is provided
that the councillors shall be few in num-
Der eighteen to eight, according 10 the
number of Inhabitants. and shall be elect
ed al large; that where the wards are
more numerous than are the councillors
the wards shall be grouped into districts.
and that one councillor shall be in charge
OF each ward or district with power o
appoint representative from among the
inhabitants OF every ward thus assigned
to him, so that he may the more readily
keep In touch with conditions in that pOT-
ton OF the township which it is his duty
TO supervise and represent
In dealing with the question of taxation
II has been our purpose, first, to do away
with all taxes which, through Irritating
those from whom they were collected or
through the small amount of resulting
revenue, were manifestly Objectionable
second. to remove the so-called industrial
taxes, except where levied on Industries
requiring police supervision; third, to
abolish special taxes. such as the tax for
lighting and cleaning the municipality
and the tax for the repair of roads and
streets: fourth. to provide abundant funds
for the legitimate needs Of the township
by g system which should adjust the bur
den Of contribution With some reference
to the resources of these called upon to
bear IL To this end provision has been
made for moderate tax on land and
Improvements thereon
The exact rate of taxation on land and
improvements is left to the several NUM-
Cipal councils. within certain limits. They
may reduce II to one-fourth Of ! per
cent of the assessed valuation or raise
L TO One-half OF l per cent: but in any
event they must spend the amount &C
cruing from tax of ar least cne-fourth
of 1 per cent on free public schools. Ed
ueation IS the crying need of the inhab-
ttants Of this country, and ii is hoped
and believed that the funds resulting
from the land tax will be sufficient to
enable the Commission TO establish an
adequate primary school system Care
fuI and. il is believed just provisions
nave been made for the determination
OF values and for the protection OF the
rty owners-
Of collection Of revenues
ovation has been introduced
IeYed. VIII be productive OF
suits. II is intended to Gre
lands centralized system for
and disbursement of reye-
lad officer Of which shall be the
-eaSuTer z Manila n &c
establish subordinate Offices n
=FeraI departments. and Others sub
tie IN turn 10 the several depart
mental Offices. in the various provinces. All
revenues within any given province
whether for the municipal provincial de-
partmeUtal, or insular treasury. viii be
collected by deputies Of the provincial
treasurer. who viii Immediately turn over
TO the several MUNICIPALITIES all funds COL
lected for them. II is believed that bv this
means much higher degree of honesty
and efficiency can be secured than would be
the case were the collectors appointed by
the municipalities or chosen BY suffrage
while Il VIII be Of great convenience TO
che taxpayer TO be able to meet his obi
cations to all DEPARTMENTS OF the govern
n7ent AT one time and thus escape anoy-
ance AT the hands OF a multiplicity OF Off
eIels. each OF whom IS collecting revenue
for q different end Furthermore. the pro-
vincial treasurer will know the exact
u.- III municipal treasury
valuable check on the
in his province.
management Of public
till Is one OF the cry
-= Ctry. and II is beliey-
and efficient man IS
he financial system Of
l- zen large control over
We under him. a much
taught TO the MT
II Ois--a lareI the situation presented
by the fact that q number Of the pueblog
have not as yet been organized since the
American occupation, while some go 9th
ers are organized under a comparatively
simple form OF government and ffIy-fyc
under A much more complicated form on
which the new Law IS based the course CT
zrocedure which must be followed in or
eT 10 bring these various towns under
he provisions CT the new law has been
1rescribed in detail. and every effort has
cen made 10 provide against unnsce ssarg
rieti0n in carrying cut the change.
In view OF the disturbed conditions which
til prevail in some parts OF the archipei-
90 Il has been provided that the military
oyernment should be given control of the
-ppoIntmenJ and arming OF the municipal
3lice. and that IN ali provinces where
VII provincial government has not been
established by the Commission the duties
-- the PROVINCIAL Governor. Provincial
treasurer. and Provincial Fiscal (pros-
uting attorney shall be performed BIZ
Hilary Governor for these purposes II
as been further provided that in these
--oEinces the Military Governor shall
ave power through such subordinates as
10 may designate for the purpose to in
Kpect and investigate at any time all the
ofhciai books and records Of the several
NUM- fiCer for inefac!ency miscon-
,yaIty to the United States. II
zation il shall prove that the
fcer IS guilty the Military
power TO remove him and
successor, should he deem
necessary in the interest OF
that where the necessity
active intervention On the
VENT THE GRIP
.,rouo-Quiniae removes the cause