Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-04
HOME RULE IN PHILIPPINES
PROVISIONS FOR PROVINCIAL GOV.
ERNMENTS.
Classification of Municipalities-
Qualifications of Electors-ChOice
of Provincial Governors.

Copies of two important acts of the Phil
ippine commission, providing for the
ganization Of the municipal and provincial
governments in the archipelago, which have
already been published in a general order
from Gen. Macarthur February 13 last.
have been received at the War Depart
ment.
The act for the organization Of municipal
governments does not apply to the city of
Manila nor to the settlements Of non-Chris-
tan tribes, for which special legislation is
to be enacted. But all pueblos shall be
recognized as municipal corporations, ad-
here to their former names and continue to
hold all property rights vested under their
former organization. The government
proper Of each pueblo Is vested in a presi
dent, vice president and a municipal coun-
ell, to be chosen at large by qualified elect
ors for a term of two years from and after
the first Monday in January next after
their election. Councillors elected in 1901
will divide themselves into two classes, the
first set vacatng their seats on the first
Monday in January, 1862, and those OF the
second set one year after their successors
have been chosen and qualified, SO that
one-half Of the council will be chosen an
nually.
Municipalities will be divided into four
classes-those containing not less than 25,-
UbU 1nhaDll2ntS TO nave eighteen cOunclI-
lors, those containing $4,000 and less than
25.0O0 inhabitants to have fourteen coun-
cilors. those containing 10000 and less
than 1900 inhabitants to have ten council
lors, and those containing less than 10000
inhabitants to have eight councillors.
Qualifications of Electors.
The qualification of electors authorized
to choose the officers of the municipal gov
ernments are that they shall be male per-
sons over twenty-three years of age, and
must have had legal residence in the mu-
nicipality in which they exercise the right
of suffrage for period of six months pre-
ceding the election, and must not be citi-
zens or subjects of any foreign power.
They, too, must be a member of one Of the
following three classes: Those who, prior
to the 18th of August, 1S96, held the Office
of municipal captain, gobernadorcillo, al
cade, lieutenant, cabeZa de barangay or
| member of any ayuntamiento; those who
own real property to the value of 800 pesos
| or who pay annually thirty pesos or more
of the established taxes, and those who
speak, read and write English or Spanish
disqualified From Voting.
Those disqualified from voting include de.
| linquent taxpayers, of taxes levied since
August 13, 1898; insane or feeble minded
| persons, those who have violated the oatf
| of allegiance to the United States, who or
or after the LIST of April were in arms
! against the sovereignty of the United
| States, and those who in any way aid ol
promote the insurrection.
The municipal officers shall in no case b,
eccleSiastics or soldiers in active service.
The officers of provincial governments are
/ to be in each provincial governor, secre
| tary, treasurer, supervisor and fiscal The
provincial governors shall be selected by 6
| convention composed of the councillors ol
Jnip fias-i dadi
| ince. The four other Officers of the pro
| vincial government shall be appointed by
! the commission to hold office during its
/ pleasure, with the exception of the pro-
| vinoial fiscal, who shall, after March 1
| 1902, be selected under the provisions OF
| the civil service act.