The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1908-03-28

The present is always prophetic OF
the future, and while the Philippine
assembly, which is nearing the end or
its first session. is still too young and
its history too brief to permit definite
conclusion being drawn concerning its
future, still the personalities and i'm
pulses which has directed the present
session and the exposition Of men and
measures, as expressed in actual leg
tslative work, make interesting study
and point more or less accurately to
the possibilities of the future.
The actions Of most Legislative
bodies are circumscribed and directed
through parties; and while the Philip
pine assembly is not an exception to
this general rule, it has so far pre-.
scented some notifications of 1t. Al
though the campaign for election of
delegates was conducted in party
names, and the members took their
seats as representatives of these par
ties, there was little real political CO.
hesion among the various groups at
the time the assembly convened. Five
so-called parties secured representa-
ton: The Nacionalista, with 80 seats;
the Independent, with 20 seats; the
Progresista, with Is seats; the Imme-
diatsta, with seven seats, and the In
dependista, with four seats. There is,
I'm addition, a member who avowedly
represents the interest of the Roman
Catholic church, and while he may be
classed as Nacionalista, he dsclaims
any direct party utilization.
OF the so-called parties mentioned,
only three represented political views
definite enough to permit clear dis
tinction among them The Immedia-
tista and Independista parties are
really only subdivisions of the Mac
ionalista party. These groups were
held together by common expressed
desire for a complete severance from
the United States. The Progresista,
while regarding Independence as a
goal in the distance, does not favor
present agitation to attain It, The
strong Independent group is composed
commit themselves on this PROPOSE
ton. So only two parties had ex-
pressed prediction convictions suf-
ficiently tangible to present a positive
policy: The Nacionalista and Pro
gresista: and the ideals which these
represented may be cogently ex-
pressed by the customary appella
tons of Radical and Conservative
The various Nacionalista groups com
bined had a majority Of seats, but by
very narrow margin, which gave the
Independent group a virtual balance
of power.
While the hand of the commission
wherein a majority are Americans,
was not openly visible in the election
of Osmena, there is no doubt that it
contributed its influence to the result
which made 1t possible for the two
branches Of the legislature to COM
meuce their Joint labors tremendously
The session was not very old before
1t became evident that party lines, as
they had been drawn in the election
campaign, were resting very lightly
upon the shoulders OF the delegates.
Independence had been a good cam.
paign slogan, but responsibility was
bringing the members face to face
with practical political matters which
required action that must, If possible,
stand the test of criticism. Then there
is no doubt that the body as a whole
felt that Il is in sense on trial, and
that any excess would promptly react
upon 1t. Mr.. Taft's words of warning
were fresh in mind. Speaker Osmena
was elected as a Nacionalista, but his
course so far reveals him to be as con.
servative in practice as the most pro.
nounced PrOsresista; and the same 10
true OF othe. Naconalistas A sense
of its own dignity is growing upon the
assembly, which opetates to check
rash actions Then there is no doubt
that It has its political ear to the
ground, and is acutely sensitive to the
external factors which affect It.
The direct external influence, aside
from congress, is the commission
The American commissioners exercise
executive functions apart from their
legislative duties; In fact, the commits
sion embraces all the executive aG.
thority of the insular government
which is now concentrated in the
hands OF the five American members
So the commission holds a double
check upon the assembly
Elghty-six bills have so far been in.
reduced. and Of these only two have
passed. and both have become laws by
the assent Of the commission. The
FIST bin passed by the assembly was
to appropriate 100000 pesos for ths
erection Of barrie schools, the SECOND