El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-13
Filipino Rule Is PuzzIing
Democratic Administration Tackles
Far Eastern Administration; May
Make Radical Changes.
-BE Frederic J. Huszin-

--B E Frederic J. HnsEzin-
YASHINGTON. D. c.. June 10
NJ Now that it is evident that the
Democratic administration in
tends to tackle the problem Of our ma
tfonaI relations with the Philippine
islands, and may possibly make radical
change, it cannot but prove profitable
for intelligent and disinterested read
ers to know exactly how the Thilip-
pines are governed, and how mucn Of
the administration is in the hands Of
the Filipinos themselves.
Civil government in The Philippines
began July 4, 1901, with the lnauSura-
ton of William h taIt as, governor
general Prior to this two bivli com
missions were sent Out by president
Mckinley This first. in $1,000, was
headed by Jacob Gould oChurmaun,
president Of Cornell university, HOw
minister to Greece one OF his assOci-
ates was Col. Charles DENLY, VINO had
Just finished 13 years service as inner
lcan minister to China The Schurmann
commission reported against holding
the islands, Dr. Schurmanu saying;
The worst government by the Filipin5s
would be better than the best govern
ment by the Americans
Taft Advises Civil Government.
The second commission. under the
leadership of William H. TAFT, reached
the islands in September, 1900 The
revolt against the United States had
not been stamped out and Cen Mac
Arthur was military governor Martial
law still prevailed in the city of Ma
Mia and chaos held sway throughout
the provinces. The early sessions or
the second commission were held in
the midst OF these turbulent conditions.
Nevertheless, after a rev months the
civil COmmiSSl toner's ADVISED president
Mckinley that the situation warranted
the establishment of a civil govern
ment. This was bitterly denounced by
the army, which regarded its work OF
pacifiCatiOn as unfinished Indeed,
trouble was not all over As late as
1905 the writ of habeas corpus had 10
be withdrawn in the provinces of Ba-
tangas and Cavite, which are right at
subdUe the bandit bands led by Fellz-
ardo and Sakay- Similar fends, who
robbed and torture their own people
defied the American and Filipino troops
in Sanar and Leyte several years later
than that. In fact the last rObber band
in SamOr, led by OtOy. a guerrilla chief
and fake pope, was not broken up LOT
good until 1911. But ii Is said on the
other hand that American mIsgoverE-
ment was largely responsible for lhe
outbreak of 1908
First Philippine Government.
When civil government was installed
on July /, 1901. governor Tart and ms
colleagues Of the Philippine commits
sion constituted the sole governing
body of the archipelago The vice gov
crnOr was Luke +. Wright, OF IenncS-
see. a Democrat and a Confederate vet
Gran OF the AlhlL n ne DL-AS-n " "a
Henry Clay Ide, secretary Of finance
and justice. now minister to SPAIN
Dean 9. Worcester, professor from
the University Of Michigan, secretary OF
tho interior Bernard Moses. who left
the faculty of the University OF cali
fOrnia TO which he later returned, sec
rotary OF pubic instruction. me poII55
folio of commerce and police was nelu
by vice governor Wright In dddlJlon.
there were three mlsslOnerSnlpS
without portfolios which were held by
Z~-n r-gr-- nv
BenitO LeEaTda and Jose LuzurrlEa-
The only ones still on the commission
are Worcester and Jose lsuzurrlaE5--
Salaries Of this body were IlNed as loI-
lows. Governor general S2O,5OOi com
miSsiOners with portfolios. Sl5.2ygi
commissioners without portfolios. S50VV-
The last were later raised TO $1,000
The governor general IS given the
use of Malacanang palace, a DeauJIuL
old mansion on the banks OF the Paslg
river. where the Spanish governors gen
eral once ruled These salaries are
considered eXcsSiv in this country, but
rs a matter of fact they are generally
held to be only adequate Similar pO-
sitions in the British colonial service
pay twice as much, besides providing
life work and adequate retirement priv
ueges.
Bv act Of congress. the Philippine
commission was the all governing body.
] he members passed the laws as COM
missiOners and then executed them as
secretaries Of tn SVeral upar JLlellls.
The president of the United states
with the consent Of the senate, ap-
points the governor general and the
members of the Philippine commission,
and the justices Of the supreme court
The iusular auditor and lnSular treas
urer are appointed by the secretary OF
war. who rules the Islands from w ASH
ingtOn through the medium OF the Du-
reaU of inSUlar affairs. Aside from
these few officials the governor gem
eral and the commission appoint all
other insular officials, including judges,
directors OF bureaus, railroad and lrrl-
cation experts. etc
Each commissioner who also holds
a portfolio has so many bureaus in his
department Tney report TO MIN ana ne
/ nturn LAYS all important matters be-
fore the commission, OF governor gen
erals ca binet as 1t is sometimes called
The Filipino commissioners without
portfolios have q full vote. but no eN-
ecutive authority. They keep busy by
attending the sessions and performing
heavy committee duties. Thus, II may
be seen that the commission, having
both legislative and executive power
was in absolute control OF the lnsuiar
government until 1907, when the first
Philippine assembly was organized The
commission is now the upper mouse OF
the Philippine legislature. II still re
tains its executive powers over the
FilipinOs proper, and continues 10 rule
the MOros Of MindanaO. the lgorots and
other wild tribes Of northern LuzOn, all
non christians in fact. without inter
ference from the assembly.
Philippine Supreme Court.
Inc supreme court OIL the mn pines
was organized with a Filipino chief
justice CayatanO ArallanO, who still
presides over the court There are sew
en- justices. of which four are Ameri-
cans. The positions are supposed TO be
for life and pay $4,000 per annum- No
justice has been removed for any cause
whatever, political or otherwise. and
Democrats frequently nave served No
table among these are James F. Smith,
Of California. who later became gov
ernOr general. and now is an associate
justice Of the court OF customs appeals
in Washington. and Adama &. Carson,
Of Nirginia, still a member OF the court,
and who served as captain Of vOlun-
teers during the Philippine insurrec-