The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-08-15
America in the Philippines
xIV.-THE FIRST FILIPINO ASSEMBLY.
BY Frederic J. Haskin.

governor to call an extra session. When
It was found that the governor was firm
IN his declinadon to prolong the life Of
the legislature, the bills were passed
There was a disagreement between the as
sembly and the cOmmi ss.oI concerning
the bankrupt act, some -lIng long de-
manded by the business interests Of the
Islands. A joint committee met to dis
cUss it. The FilipinOs from the assembly
declared that they were not opposed to
the act, but that they would insist upon
some amendments. The commission com
HnLIee was soon convinced that the
amendments would improve the act and
accepted thems and the next day the bill
was passed.
According to Acting Governor Forbes
the assembly at all times showed a dispO-
sition to aid the government in every
possible way in the administration of af-
fairs. Yet throughout all the session il
insisted upon reiterating the shibbOletn
Of independence. As q matter of fact
the immediate independence talk is not
taken seriously by the assemblymen who
engage in il. A resolution demanding i'm
mediate release from the rule of the
United States probably will be an annual
feature of the assembly proceedings. It
is the safety valve through which the
extra steam will escape The passage of
the resolution will be deemed, each year,
d blow for freedom and. therefore, it
will be unnecessary to strike other blows
The assembly itself is intensely inter
esung. 1t is made up Of eighty members,
representing those parts of the islands in
hdbited by civilized Christian people. The
Mohammedan MOrOs and the wild non
Christian tribes are not within the prov
ince Of the assembly in any fashion. The
assembly is divided into two important
political groups, NaciOu2lstag and Pro
gresistas. There are only Is PrOgresistas.
members of the conservative party which
is favorable 10 the continued American
occupation and hopes for independence
only as an ultimate and farawGy goal
The NaciOnalistas, having so large a ma
JOrlty, are divided into smaller groups,
and some members acting with the party
prefer to style themselves Independents
Party organizations are very fluid. and
the next election may see everything en-
Urely changed, even the names Of the
parties. But the Independence cry will
again be potent at the polls, and the party
eSpOusing the 'immediatfsta'' cause urOb-
ably will have the majority Of the next
assembly. The speaker of the present as
sembly is the Hon. Sergio Osmen8, q man
only 80 years old, but a born leader. He
ordained rules based on those of the house
Of Representatives at Washington, but the
actual working Of the assembly is con
Quoted quite differently from that Of the
American model.
The assembly, as a committee Of the
whole, goes into q secret session at the
beginning OF each days sitting. In that
secret session 1t is decided what will be
done that day, what measures will be
considered and what votes taken who will
=
how long he shall be IN saying it. Every
thing is cut and dried in a style which
would excite the admiration of the most
capable Of old-time party convention
bosses
Then the doors are thrown open. and
the curious FilipinOs peep in from the
gallery doors to see their legislators at
work. The caucus program is observed
to the letter and, when the perfunctOry
performance IS finished the assembly ad-
Journs. The curious thing about it ali is
that members Of both parties and the
independents daily reach agreements on
procedure. The Philippine assembly Is
a model Of dignity. There is never q lack
Of order, never any trough housing"
never any frivolity. The supreme court
Of the United States is not more proper
in department.
Despite little political buncOnbe and
despite disposition to prOCrastinate, the
first Filipino assembly has made a re-
markably good record for itself. And
whatever tts critics may say, it probably
is the strongest link between the Anerf-
can and the FIlininO peoples. The assem-
bly, as an experiment, is thus far a sue
cess,
omorroU-Ameriea IN the Philippines.