Women Making Cigars in Manila

Government and Administration.

When Spain colonized the Philippines the natives were living under loose but fairly well crystallized forms of government, the primary unit of which was called "barangay." Society was composed of three classes, viz., serfs, freemen and nobles, and distinct rules governed each class. The Spaniards with great acumen organized their government partly on the native structure, with a governor general as supreme political chief, an audiencia or supreme court, provincial or district governments and municipal governments. Immediately upon conquest, tributes were levied on the natives, who were also given in encomienda to the conquistadores, officials and favoured Spaniards. In the i9th century there were rather radical changes in the government. The Philippines were represented in the Spanish Cortes or parliament in 181o, 1812, 182o-23 and 1836-37.

The Spanish colonial government ceased in 1898, and was suc ceeded by a military government under the United States. In Jan. 1899, President McKinley appointed the Schurman Commis sion, which advised the reorgani zation of municipalities. In April 1900, President McKinley ap pointed the first Philippine Com mission, which submitted all proposed laws to the military governor. Among the first 47 proposed by it and passed within the first few months, the fifth provided for a civil service, which was considerably in advance of that in the United States at that time. Military government ceased on July 4, 1901 (except in certain specified regions where it was maintained until July 4, 1902), at which time Judge Taft became the first and only civil governor of the Philippines; after his term the title was changed to governor general.

The government was made directly dependent on the secretary of War, who organized the Bureau of Insular Affairs as his immediate agent. This bureau is still in existence and all Philip pine matters that need attention in the United States pass through it. In 1901 the membership of the Philippine Commission was increased to seven by the appointment of three additional mem bers, all Filipinos. Shortly afterward, four departments of gov ernment were created, viz., interior, commerce and police, finance and justice, and public instruction, each with a member of the Philippine Commission as its secretary. In 1901 and 1902, the organization of provincial and municipal governments con tinued, and by Nov. 1o, 1902, 37 provinces had been organized.

On July 1, 1902, Congress enacted a provisional enabling or organic act under which the islands were governed until Aug. 29,

1916, when the Jones Bill was passed. The organic act of 1902 provided for a general election and the creation of a popular legislative chamber, the Philippine assembly, which was to be come the lower house of a Philippine legislature, the Philippine Commission to be the upper house. An election of members of the Philippine assembly was held on July 30, 1907. All exclusive legislative power was taken from the Philippine Commission and lodged in the legislature, except for territory inhabited by Moros or other Philippine non-Christians. Two resident commissioners were appointed to the Congress of the United States, with power to speak on legislation affecting the Philippines but with no vote. In 1908, the Philippine Commission was increased by one more Filipino member. In Oct. 1913, President Wilson appointed a new commission, composed of five Filipinos and four Americans. On Aug. 29, 1916, the Jones Bill created a legislature with a Senate of 24 members and a House of Representatives of 91 members (now 92) all elected by popular suffrage except two senators and nine representatives, appointed by the governor general to represent the non-Christian provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Mountain Province, Agusan, Bukidnon, Cotobato, Davao, Lanao, Sulu and Zamboanga. By virtue of the Jones Bill there are now six executive departments, each under a secretary, who is assisted by an under secretary. All these officials except the secretary of public instruction are Philippine citizens. With the exception of the governor general, vice governor (who is also secretary of public instruction), auditor, deputy auditor, the directors of the Philippine constabulary and of the bureaux of education, agriculture, forestry, science, public works, and the coast and geodetic survey, all the departmental secretaries and directors of bureaux are (1929) Filipinos.

With the consent of Governor General Harrison. a Council of State, consisting of the president of the Senate, the speaker of the House, and the six departmental secretaries, was formed to pass on proposed legislation and policies of the Government. During the rest of Harrison's term, this organization was accepted as a legitimate part of the Government, but under Harrison's successor, Maj.-Gen. Wood, it ceased to function, through the resignation of its Filipino members. It was re-established by Governor General Stimson in 1928 and enlarged to include the majority floor leaders of the Senate and of the House, thus making it even more representative than the former Council.