The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1910-08-18

The present 10 always prophetic of
the future, and while the Philippine
assembly, which is nearing the end of
its first session, is still too young and
its history too brief to permit definite
conclusion being drawn concerning It's
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
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-
sented some notifications of II. AL
though the campaign for election OF
delegates was conducted in party
names, and the members took theiI
seats as representatives of these par
ties, there was little real political co
hesion among the various groups al
the time the assembly convened. Five
so-called parties secured representa-
ton: The Nacionalista with 80 seats
the Independent. with 90 seats; the
Progresista, with 16 seats; the Imme
diatista, with seven seats, and the In
dependista, with four seats. There is
in addition, member who avowedly
represents the interest of the Roman
Catholic church, and while he may be
classed as Nacionalista, he disclaims
any direct party afiliation.
OF the so-called parties mentioned
only thee represented political views
definite enough to permit clear dis
tinction among them. The Immedia
tista and lndependista parties are
really only subdivisions of the Mac
ionalista party. These groups were
held together by a common expressed
desire for a complete severance from
the United States The Progresista
while regarding independence as {
goal in the distance, does not favol
present agitation to attain It. The
strong Independent group is composed
OF men who before election declined t
commit themselves on this PROPOSE
tion. SO only two parties had eX
pressed prediction convictions suf
ficiently tangible to present positiv,
policy: The Nacionalista and Pro
gresista; and the ideals which these
represented may be cogently ex
pressed by the customary appella
tions of Radical and Conservative
The various Nacionalista groups com
bined had a majority of seats, but by
very narrow margin, which gave tn,
Independent group a virtual balanc,
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 4
contributed its influence to the result
which made it possible for the two
branches of the Legislature to com
mence their joint labors harmoniously
The session was not very old befor,
It became evident that party lines, a,
they had been drawn in the elsctioI
campaign, were resting very light!
upon the shoulders of the delegates
independence had been good cam
paign slogan, but responsibility wa!
bringing the members face to fac,
with practical political matters whicl
required action that must, If possible
stand the test of criticism. Then there
10 In,tht fhat ,,,l,s 4,
felt that it is in sense on trial, ant
that any excess would promptly reac
upon it. Mr.. Taft's words of warnine
were fresh in mind. Speaker Osmeni
was elected as Nacionalsta, but his
course so far reveals him to be as con
nounced Progresista; and the same Ii
true of other Nacionalistas. A sense
of its own dignity is growing upon the
assembly, which opefates to checl
rash actions. Then there is no doub
that it has its political ear to tho
ground. and is acutely sensitive to the
external factors which affect Il.
The direct external influence, asid,
from congress, is the commission
The American commissioners exercise
executive functions apart from theil
legislative duties; in fact, the commits
sion embraces all the executive au
thority of the insular government
which is now concentrated in III,
hands of the five American members
So the commission holds a doubl,
check upon the assembly
Eighty-six bills have so far been in
troduced, and of these only two hav,
passed, and both have become laws by
the assent of the commission. Tn,
first bill passed by the assembly wal
to appropriate 100000 pesos for tn,
aranfinn nj ha r,.iA anh4nl.. A.