The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-12-03
VISIT Of WEALTHY
FILIPINO REEVES
NSuAR POLITICS
First Time In History Of American
! Occupation Natives Control
Philippine Commission
MAJORITY AT PRESENT
STANDS FIVE TO TWO
This Status Gives National As
sembly N Session 0pportun-
u tty 70 Prove Stability w..

Theodore Yangco, the wealthy Eli.
PHO who inspected sugar plantation in
the enyirons Of Honolulu, during his
short stay here while the Chiyo Maru,
en- route to the mainland, was In port,
. for the passage Of the much discussed
and now famous Jones Bill. senior
Yahgco is an ardent advocate OF IN;
dependence for the Philippines and
while he was in Manila he took par
'ticuIar pains TO Interview some Of the
leaders of his people here to learn OF
their prosperity and social status m
these Islands. Before his departure
Senior Yangco found the sentiment
strong here for Philippine independ-
enee, but he also learned that as o
colony the Filipinos in Hawaii we're
prosperous and thoroughly. eontented
with their lot. The men, he interviewed
spoke highly Of the treatment accorded
to Filipinos on the plantations; how;
ever, most Of them looked forward to
the day when the Philippines would be
an independent nation and they could
return home and live under the new
order Of things which they expect the
Jones Bill to inaugurate. ~
Change or Government Policy &
II is now little more than two
years since Governor General Francis
Burton Harrison announced to q de-
lighted crowd of more than $4,000
Filipinos gathered on the Luneta, in
Manila, the policy of the new adminis-
tration in the handling of the insuiar
affairs, which was to give to the
natives of the islands a majority In
the appointive (PhiliPpine) commission
of the islands and thus in the upper
as well as in the lower house Of the
assembly secure them majority repre-.
sentatioh. '... >
The step taken by the President Of
tho United States was of deep signif.
canoe to the Filipino people, and Mr.
YangcO said while here that during
the two years that the natives have
held control in both branches of the
Philippine. Assembly "experienee has
shown that his action was justified and
IL his confidence in the ability of the
leaders OF the Filipino people not mis-
Placed" But il is exceedingly doubt
full whether either President Wilson or
his advisers foresaw that the time
would come when the assembly's upper
house philippine commission) would
convene for regular session with two
American and five Filipino commits
sioners.
When the realignment was made in
the Philippine commission almost i'm
mediately following the delivery Of the
President s message, Filipinos were
chosen for FIVE of the seats in that
house, while only four were filled by
int
ed, that body has done its work through
two sessions of the legislature In a
manner that would compare favorably
with the records of former commits
sions, Mr.. Yangeo thinks.
Tilfpinos Control Commission
On the sixteenth of last October the
present session Of the third assembly
OF the Philippines convened, The as.
sembly, as in the past, is composed en-.
tirely of Filipinos. In the commission,
which acts as the upper house, Gov.
ernor General Harrison and yice-Gov'
ernor Martin are the only American
members, tile fun power for the
achievement Of d record Of either con.
strdction or obstruction lying in the
hands of the FIVE Filipino members OF
the comrnission. Two Of the latter
must always vote with the American
commissioners il the voice of the
Americana is to prevail in framing the
laws OF the country. .s'
This situation, while It has caused
no particular ,uneasihess, is being
watched with intense interest by all
those, both Americans and Flipinos
who are really DESTROYS of forming an
unbiased estimate Of the Filipino 4
capacity for self.government. "a
Although the Jones bin, should II
pass congress at that body's coming
session, would provide for the election
OF both houses OF the Philippine as
sembly, thus assuring complete control
by native citizens of practically al
legislative machinery, with the excep
ton of that connected with the annual
appropriations for government admin
ristratiOn,i the power accorded the as
sembly by that measure, due TO the
veto power vested in the American
chief executive in the islands, subject
to appeal on two-thirds vote of botl
houses, to the President of the United
states, is less than that which will; b,
exercised by the -Filipinos during Thu
=, present session. .s,t'. gust ..r...
one Absent And One Resigns
The cause OF the overwhelming ma
tive majority in the Philippine com
mission Is the absence from the islandl
of Winfred 7. Denison, secretary ,oi
the department of the interior, wh'
was one of the passehgers In the Mon
Rolia on her last trans Pacific voyag'
and the resignation of Riggs, secretar,
of the department. Of commerce anC
police, Secretary Dennisoh, since hi
arrival in the islands on March Q, 1914
has controlled the work among tn
wild tribes of the archipelago in nd
dition to directing the activities of tn
Philippine health service and the i'm
portant bureaus of lands, forestry ant
natural science His position IN tn
world of Philippine political activlt,
has been unique,
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