The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-01-30

nov hlhd lIlIOuS1Oul the 0Ccnl
peItgo. allowing each town to govern
Itself, and from that they have gone
on until the Philippines are now prac-
tcally self-gONerned, not only as TO
the municipalities but as to the
provinces and as one great island
Uncle Sam Controls the Machinery.
inns has been don with our ma
tlohaI government at the back as adj
user ana director. Uncle Sam still
controls the machinery, and he will
continue to do so MISUNDERSTANDING
n cry of the Filipino aSitators for
independence. President Taft, General
and our other officials who
Know the Philippines best realize that
20 allow a free hand in the present
condition would result in anarchy and
cnaos. 1t will be long before the is
lands can be absolutely free, and their
Auture seems to be bound I'D with
ours. ~
Nevertheless the whole country has
been politically reorganized. The
1rcn1peiago has been divided into
thlrty-elght provinces. Seven Of these
are inhabited by the Moros and tho
non-Christian tribes, and in these
there are governors appointed by the
encouragement at Manila. who is
at the head Of the Philippine COM
mission. The other t%hirty-one prov
noes practically govern themselves
each province chooses it's own Off
clals. 1t has a governor, secretary, q
prosecuting attorney and other OFF,
GERS elected by, the people, and con-
seouently natives. Each has also a
treasurer appointed by the governor
general, n this last an American
Of known honesty and skilled in ac-
counts
Every municipality has It's presi-
dente. vice-presidente and city coun-
Gil. There are 700 towns which have
mat KIND of government. The coun-
Gil Is an honorary position, and it's
members serve for the prominence
which 1t gives them and for the love
OF the town. The taxes collected in
the towns are spent by the towns and
the 1nsular government gets its sup
port from indirect taxes. Every town
mas Its body of police, which keeps
order In 1t, and this in addition to
the Filipino constabulary. which
maintains order in the rural districts
throughout the ISLANDS.
The Philippine Legislature.
n philippines, in short, are rapid
'ly coming to have a government like
ours. They have this town govern
ment. where the officers and police
are elected by the people. They have
the provincial government, which is
IKE that Of u States, and they have
what might be called a semi-national
government, the president Of which
Is h governor-general, appointed
Dy the President Of the United States.
tie must be an American, and in ad-
oltlon there are seven commission
ers to advise him. OF these three are
americans and four are Filipinos.
This Is the executive branch Of the
government.
The laws are now made by a con-
gress consisting OF this commission
and the Filipino assembly. The as
sembly is elected by the people. It
first met In 1907, and it has held a
m OF sessions since then. 1t
contains eighty members. all Filipinos,
and all elected from the various
parts of he islands The Moham-
medan Moros and the Wild men have
no part in it..
This assembly makes the laws and
passes upon the appropriations. There
Is only one reservation. and that is If
1t should not make appropriations,
tho appropriations OF the preceding
session r re-enacted until another
assembly should meet. Were it not
for this the assembly could hold up
the government and stop all the
salaries.
There are two political parties, and
each stumps the country in behalf
Of it's candidate. The assembly meets
at Manila, and its members, who are
dressed in spotless white, form a fine
looking body. The speaker stands be-
hind the desk, on Il r%ostcunl. with
gavcl in hand, and over him on the
wall hangs the American flag and
Uncle Sans coat Of rms
The Civil Service.
4 great majority Of the government
employees are natives. This is so not
only at Manila, but throughout the
islands. All r appointed by civil
service rules, and most Of them have
TO take examinations in English OF
Spanish or both. Promotions go by
merit, and a record Is kept in every
Office showing h relative efficiency
Of the employees, so tina a mans rec
, ord determines his advancement.