Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-03
FIRST FILIPINO
CONGRESS OPENS
National Legislature, Wholly
Elective, Inaugurated Be-
fore Immense Crowd.
TARIFF PROBLEM LOOMS UP

Correspondence of The Associated Press.)
Manila, Philippine Islands, Oct. 80,
Before a crowd which filled Plaza
Mckinley, the open space in front of
the Ayuntamiento, seat OF the central
government in the Philippines, the
first Filipino congress was inaugu-
rated on October 10. Nearly 10000
people saw the first session of the
first wholly elective national legisla-
ture the Philippines have we're had
a session made possible by the pas
sage at the last session of congress
of the Philippine bill.
The ceremonies were brief Mem
bers of the senate and house of rep
resentatives occupied seats on raised
platform. Among them were two Mo-
ros, one senator and another a rep
resentative, appointed to represent the
Mohammedan Moros of the south,
who have hitherto been without rep
resentation in the Philippine legisla-
ture. Two Igorot representatives,
named to represent the so-called wild
tribes of the mountain regions, were
not present.
Annual Message.
The only business of the session
was the reading of the annual mes
sage to congress by Governor Gen.
eral Harrison. He reviewed the ac-
complishments of the past admins
tration and spoke of the harmony
which had ruled in the legislature
since the beginning of the present ad-
ministration. He predicted a glow
ing future for the Filipino people in
the new era of self-government which
was dawning and concluded by max
ing the following recommendations
A downward revision of tariff rates
to meet the problem of decreasing
customs revenues. The tariff wall on
foreign products, while American
products have come in free OF duty,
has caused a tremendous increase in
American imports, but has brought
a falling off in other importations,
with corresponding decrease in du-
ties collected.
A loan to the Manila Railroad COM
pany, just purchased by the Philip
pine government, to provide an oper-
ating capital for the governments ad-
ministration of the railroad.
Native Officeholders.
The establishment of a permanent
basis of government salaries, based
on the fact that future appointments
will be Of permanent residents of the
islands instead of Americans who
must be paid higher salaries because
of the distance from home.
A revision of land laws to permit of
the more rapid development of public
lands. Homesteads should become the
property of the applicant in two or
three years instead of the longer pc
Rod now required.
A revision of mining laws so that
in the future the title to these lands
should stay in the government, the
operating company either leasing the
property or making royalty pay
ment.
An ample appropriation for the i'm
mediate development by the govern.
ment of the coal and oil fields OF, the
islands.
Increased school facilities both for
ordinary and farm schools.
Honor Old Flag.
The first bill offered in the new
Philippine congress, presented in the
house of representatives, provides for
the abolition of the so-called flag
law which prohibits the display or
possession of flags or emblems bear
ing the Katipunan insignia. The
Katipuhan society was a secret Or
ganization which played leading role
in the revolt against Spain in 1896 and
a similar part in the instruction
against the United States. In 1907
following a political parade, in which
the Katipunan flag was glorihed and
the American flag shown disrespect,
the commission, then the sole legis-
lative body, passed law prohibiting
the use of the Katipunan emblem.
Half a dozen other bills of SINH
lar character were also presented at
the first session of the house. Most
of them provide for pardons for those
who are now serving prison terms
for displaying or owning Katipunan
emblems One bill authorizes the ap-
pointment of a committee to devise
means for Filipino army to pro-
tect the islands when their independ-
ence is recognized Compulsory mill
tary training in the public schools is
to be part of this system of military