Evening star., 1913-06-15
THE PHILIPPINES,
III.-The Assembly.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

An important part of the Philippine
government, which does great credit TO
Americans and Filipinos alike. is the
Philippine assembly. When the Philip
pine Islands become an independent re-
public the grant and organization or TINS
legislative body by the American people
will be referred to as an act OF great ma
tional faith in the untried and often
| doubted ability of the Fflipinos to legis-
late. 1t also will be pointed out as the
turning point in the political aspirations
| of the Filipino people.
The organization of the Philippine as
Sembly rises above local interest IL Is
| of general historical Importance because
| 1t has the signal honor of being the hrst
and only legally constituted legislative
| body among the many millions OF Malay
| people IT was the second institution OIL
| the kind In the history of the entire
orient: being preceded only by the open
| ing Of the Japanese diet in $780, 1t is
much more of a peoples instrument than
| its fellow in Japan, for orders OF nobii-
| ity do not control its acts and no admin
| istrative officer, not even the President or
! the United States, can dissolve II. It's
| laws when concurred in by the Philip
| pine commission or upper house. can De
| annulled only by an act passed by ma
jority of both houses Of the Congress of
the United States.
| By authority of Congress the Philip
| pine assembly was formally opened In
Manila October Is, 1907. following SIX
| years Of civil government during which
| the Philippine commission, with an Amer
!, lean majority, was the sole legislative
I and executive body. The act of Congress
which provided for the assembly stipu-
lated that the Philippine government
could create it only after period or Two
| years of domestic peace. Consequently
| brigandage and other disorders. including
| budding Instructions, delayed the boon.
Affairs in the island settled down to
reasonable extent after the reconcentra-
ton camps ordered by Gov. Gen. Luxe +,
Wright for the provinces of Batangas
and Cavite, near Manila, in 1905. These
camps were maintained for a few
months, and during that period the writ
of habeaS corpus was suspended.
l. By 1907 the kOvernment saw its way
lclear to officially ignore the outlaw bands
of Samar and Leyte. and great rejoicing
followed the proclamation of Gov Gen.
James p. Smith, which called for the
popular election Of members of the new
body. Later the insular government,
aided at times by the United states
Army, went into Leyte and Samar and
wiped the ladrones off the map.
The law provided for an elective body
no smaller than fifty and no larger than
100 m e m b ers
Great Enthusiasm the personnel tc
At First Elections. ,, be chosen Sc s'e ae'
lation, each province being entitled to at
!, least one. to serve for two years. A
: ratio of one delegate to every $1,000 OF
the population exclusive Of the wild
, tribe who have no representation,
vase decided upon. and according
ly. eightyone members were elect.
ed. The elections were tranquil and
were accompanied by great enthusiasm.
Many ludicrOus mistakes We're made by
electors and election judges. There was
a little corruption, followed by contests
for seats, but in the main. the elections
, came up to expectations.
The nationalist party Won a sweeping
victory, thus demonstrating that the Fill
pino people wanted independence. The
federal party, whose name by that time
had been changed to progressista. which
. supporting the American rule. and which
had been religiously rewarded with all
, the juicy offices held by the Fflipinos
from the supreme court down, only
elected third of the assemblymen
Their platform called for the gradua
taking over Of the government by the
people, with ultimate independence ir
. view.
Inc naicolalistas. on the other hand
demanded immediate independence. Tn.
candidates of the party discoursed elo
quently on the priceleSsness of sovereign
power unalloyed by alien dominion. The,
questioned Americas intentions and cas-
dark reflections on the integrity of the
American officials to a degree that neve,
has seemed justified by all impartial OBJ
servers. Fflipinos and Americans alike
The overwhelming victory of the imme.
diate independence agitators uncorked a
great deal of enthusiasm which led to
quite strained relations for the lime beina
between the governors and the governed
SO 1t was not only an eventful moment
1T was very dramatic one as well-wher
William H. Taft who had been the first
governor of the islands. then Secre. .ary
of War, convened the first Philippine as.
sembly October Is. 1907. Mr. Taft hal
made the long journey from Washington
for the express purpose of performins
this public act. act which the major
ity of Americans and foreigners in the is.
lands and some few Filipnos considered
many, many years too soon. That they
were mistaken has been proved by the
sequel. The ceremony was held in the
, historic Grand Opera House. Mr.. Taft
read a warm greeting from President
Roosevelt. conveying to the Filipino peo.
pie the hearty good will of the American
people and wishing them all possible sue.
cess in the great undertaking they were
. about to assume.
Mr.. Taf5s own speech. was one of the
most statesmanlfke in his entire career
i