The United States is often spoken of as a free country. Its people are free because they have a voice in the making and upholding of their government. There are strong laws in the land to protect their freedom. No man and no state can be really free without such laws. If a man would enjoy liberty, and freedom from the power of evil, he must obey the laws of goodness. So a people must honor and uphold the laws of the state, if the state is to be strong enough to protect their liberties. We can easily see that if there were no laws, and each man were free to do as he pleased, no man’s life or property would be safe. Every man would have to take care of himself, and the land where such a condition existed would cease to be a civilized country. Laws are made for the protection of a people, and without them there would be an end to liberty and progress.

For a great many years the government in the Philippine Islands was by force of arms. It was not a government in which the people had any voice. They were ruled by laws made by a power outside of themselves, and often these laws were against their interests and welfare. It is hard to make a people uphold such laws. The government that tries to do this will always, in the end, have to call in force to its aid. A government cannot long rule, however, by force alone. Even a military government, to be successful, must be based upon just laws. It must recognize and uphold what is just and right.

At the beginning of American rule in these islands, a good many reforms had to be made at once. It was necessary to set the country in order, so that business might go on, justice might be done, and safety insured to the people. Life and property were in danger, and even among themselves the people hardly knew who were their friends and who were their foes. The country needed wise, just laws, strongly upheld, to bring about peace, order, and safety. At that time a military rule was the best form of government to meet this need, and military rule was therefore set up in the islands.

This government made many changes in the country. Courts were established, and every effort was made to carry out the laws with justice to all. Many prisoners who had been for years wrongfully imprisoned were released from jail. Steps were taken at once to open schools where the children might be taught; and many other reforms were made that, in time, will show good results in the country. They are of a sort that will make this a much richer and happier land. This is what the United States wishes to do. It is a great and powerful nation, and other nations expect it to build up a good government in these islands. The government at Washington has declared that the aim of American rule in the Philippines is to prepare the people for self-government and to teach them what true liberty really is.

In January, 1899, the President of the United States appointed a body of men wise in government to come to the Philippine Islands from America. These men were to learn all that they could about the country and its people, in order that they might recommend a just form of government for the country. They had to find out what were the ideas of the Filipino people in regard to government, and to study the needs of the country, before they could make any recommendations.

The commissioners came to Manila early in April, 1899, and began work at once. They traveled about the country to see what it was like. They held meetings in Manila and elsewhere, and invited leading Filipinos to come and meet with them. They did this in order to ask them about matters of interest to the country and its people. They promised the people that just laws should be established in the country, and the government is keeping that promise.

The members of the commission saw that good schools are a great need in the country. An attempt was made to provide these at once, and the commander of the army established a great many schools, with soldiers as teachers. It was seen, however, that to make the schools what the people needed would require experienced teachers. These could not be provided immediately; but a couple of years later hundreds of trained American teachers were brought to the islands. In time, when there are enough trained Filipino teachers to carry on the work, this country will have a school system as good as any in the world. The American Government has pledged itself to bring education to these islands, and to see that the people have justice and fair treatment in all that touches their lives. It will not cease its efforts until the Filipinos are as able to maintain themselves securely in their rights and liberties as are the Americans.

The president of the first Philippine commission was the Hon. Jacob Schurman, and this commission is known as the Schurman Commission. The members did the work which they were sent here to do, and made a full report to Congress. This report sets forth all that the commission had learned about the country. The views of the Filipinos who appeared before the commission are given in their own words, which were written down at the time. The report was printed, in order that both Filipinos and Americans might know all that had been said and done.

In April, 1900, a new commission was appointed to come to the islands and do further work. This commission was known as the Taft Commission, its president being the Hon. William H. Taft. To its members was given the task of forming a government for the country.

A central government was set up in Manila in September, 1900. Central government means the government for the whole country. The government of provinces, towns, and barrios is called local government. The local government is carried on by the provincial governors, by presidentes, alcaldes, and lesser officers. These have authority in their own districts, subject to that of the central government.

The central government at Manila was what is called a military government—that is, the commander of the army in the islands was governor-general of the country. He was the executive, or officer whose business it is to execute, or carry out, the laws of a land. As we have seen, the government in Spanish times was almost wholly a military government. It was a different sort of military government, however, from that in which Americans believe. Americans believe that even armed force is only for upholding the law. It can never, justly, be law in itself.

The executive of a country is, as we have said, the official who executes the laws. In the United States the President is the executive. The laws are framed by men whom the people elect to do the work. The men thus elected become what is called a legislative, or law-making, body. The chief legislative body in the United States is Congress. When the central government was set up here in the Philippines, in September, 1900, the executive, or governor, was Major-General MacArthur, commander of the army. The Taft Commission acted as the legislative body, and had, as well, some executive powers.

This government remained in force until July 4, 1901. At that time Major-General Adna R. Chaffee succeeded Major-General MacArthur as commander of the army, and Judge Taft, president of the commission, was made governor of the islands. All the authority formerly held by the military governor and the commission now passed to Governor Taft.

The new government was not military, but civil. Under a civil government the law is maintained through the courts and police powers. Only when the country, or a section of it, is in a state of rebellion is the military power called upon to act. Even then it does not act for itself, but as an arm of the civil government, to carry out the laws. The civil government in the Philippines was set up July 4, 1901, the anniversary of American independence. On that day Governor Taft was formally inaugurated, or established, in office.

September 1, 1901, three Filipino members were added to the commission. They were Dr. T. H. Pardo de Tavera and Señor Benito Legardo, of Manila, and Señor José Luzuriaga, of Negros. The American members, besides President (now Governor) Taft, were Hon. Luke E. Wright, Hon. Henry C. Ide, Hon. Bernard Moses, and Hon. Dean Worcester. Besides carrying on the present government, the commissioners were charged with the task of planning a permanent government for the islands. To do this it was necessary to have the aid of Filipino members, and the gentlemen thus added to the commission were a great help to the Americans in drawing up a form of government suitable to the country.

The plan which has been made and submitted to Congress is somewhat as follows:

There should be a governor and four heads of departments. These should be appointed by the President of the United States. There should also be a body to be called the Executive Council. This council would be made up of the governor, the four heads of departments, and four other members, to be appointed by the President. Members of the council should be both Filipinos and Americans. Besides the council there should be an assembly, of not more than thirty representatives, all to be elected by the Filipino people. The members of this assembly should serve for two years. Under such a government the Executive Council and the Assembly would have the power to elect two delegates to represent the interests of the islands and of the Filipino people before Congress. These delegates would be residents of the islands.

Such a system would give the Filipino people what is called a representative government—that is, they would have a voice in making their own laws. In time they would have just as much self-government as they could fit themselves for. The report of the commission to Congress recommends that such a government be begun here January 1, 1904. If this is done, the success of the government must depend to a great extent upon the efforts and faithfulness of the Filipino people themselves.

Summary.—At the beginning of American rule in the Philippines, the government was military. The commander of the army in the islands was also governor-general. In January, 1899, the President of the United States appointed a commission to come to the archipelago and study the country. This commission is known as the Schurman Commission. The commissioners came to Manila early in April, 1899. They held meetings in Manila and elsewhere, and invited leading Filipinos to come and talk with them on matters of government and the needs of the country. They spent the year in learning all that they could about the islands, and then made a report to Congress. During this year, schools were opened in many parts of the archipelago, and certain needed reforms were made in the courts. In April, 1900, a new commission, known as the Taft Commission, was appointed. It was charged with the task of forming a government for the country. The government continued for another year to be military, but on July 4, 1901, civil government was set up, and Hon. William H. Taft, president of the commission, became the first civil governor. Three Filipino members were added to the commission the following September. The civil government proceeded to draw up plans for a permanent government in the islands, and submitted them to the President and Congress.

Questions.—Why is the United States often called a free country? Why can there be no real liberty where there is no law? What are some of the changes Americans have made in this country? When was the first Philippine commission appointed? What did it do? What was the second commission called? What sort of government was established here in September, 1900? When was the civil government begun? Who was made first civil governor? When were the first Filipino commissioners appointed? How does the form of government recommended by the commission give the Filipinos a voice in making their own laws?