Spanish government had been dishonest in the handling of public money. Undoubtedly there were faithful and honest Spanish officials, but the system under which they worked made no provision for proper salaries and the government sent its appointees out with the implied understanding that they might acquire wealth by well understood methods. The official class had come to the conclusion that public money like holy water was free.

The Filipinos were familiar with that system and assumed that every official would appropriate a certain portion of the money which came into his hands. To them it seemed as natural for an official to steal as for a fruit bat to eat fruit. It would take time and careful training to eradicate this idea. After ten years of American rule a district engineer, when asked if the people of his province at last believed that he honestly expended all public funds, replied that they did but that they could not yet understand why he was so foolish as to do so. Some progress, at least, had been made.

One of the very last things an oriental grasps is the western idea of the sacredness of public funds and the Filipino was an oriental who had been trained in a very bad school of official morality. To institute a popular government under such conditions and secure officers who would honestly collect and expend the taxes was no easy task. It was indispensable that officials should be obtained or developed who would be honest and efficient according to American standards. The greater number of officials would be natives. The elective officers in the municipalities would be such as the electors chose to select. The instructions of the president required that when practicable Filipinos should be given the preference in appointments to office. But such natives as were then qualified to hold office had been trained in the Spanish service, and it was to be expected that some of these men, when trusted with official control over the affairs of their fellow citizens, would be guilty of financial irregularities. It was hoped that after a time with the better salaries and the example of honest American officers a higher standard of official integrity would be developed.

There was also grave danger that Americans unaccustomed to
power over such people and as yet without the spirit which is
developed in an established service such as that of the English
in India and Egypt, would occasionally prove unable to with-
stand the subtle temptations of the country. Many of them were
in the islands with the reasonable and proper hope and expecta-
tion of accumulating a competence. Far from home and its as-
sociations and without the restraints of a settled community,
subject to the temptations offered in a country of loose official
morals by persons seeking to escape lawful burdens or obtain
fraudulent advantages, it would be surprising indeed if some of
them did not prove unworthy. To avoid as far as possible the
dangers inseparable from such conditions it was necessary that
a system of selection should be devised which would eliminate
favoritism and politics, provide adequate salaries, liberal leaves
of absence, and cultivate an interest in and an enthusiasm for
the service. It was equally essential that the system adopted
should be administered with impartiality, because "in no part
of the world does rumor of injustice or fraud or underhand
methods in the administration of public office receive so much
credit as in the Orient." The commission, therefore, as one
"The
of its first legislative acts passed a civil service law which was,
in fact, much superior to the one in force in the United States."1

40 Rept. Phil. Com., 1900, p. 36. 41 Act No. 5 (Sept. 19, 1900).

et seq.

Printed in Rept. Phil. Com., 1900, p. 13

This important fact escaped the notice of even the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Philippines.

The following extract from the testimony taken by the Senate Committee on the Philippines during the winter of 1914-15 is interesting. Former ViceGovernor Gilbert was on the stand.

Senator Lane. "Yes, was he covered in under the civil service or was it an appointment?"

The Chairman (Senator Hitchcock). "None of them. I do not think there is any civil service in the Philippine Islands."

Mr. Gilbert. "Oh, yes, sir, we have had a civil service law, which has been observed, I think I may say, very scrupulously, for many years.

Senator Crawford. "That has been generally true ever since the Commission first went there. It is a merit system."

Mr. Gilbert. "It was one of the earliest systems that was established." Hearings on H. R. 18459, p. 604.

1, would occasionally prove unable to e tera, ruins of the country. Mony f th... Ith the reasonable and proper hot na Place fac.umulating a competere. Tar fr mbre... tions and without the restraints of a settled bject to the temptations ffered in a country of! anels by par i. by por as seeking to escape lawful burdens La ta 'vantages, it would be surprising indeed if tem did not prove unwordy. To avid as far as pos. dangers inseparable from such condition; it was necessa as, stem of selection should be devised which would c favoritism an. 1 politics, provide adequate salaries, 11.al

the service. It was equally sent that the system r
should be administered with impartiali y, Lecause "'n n
of the word des run. r of injuste or fraud or i..
ps in the administration of public office receive
the Crient. The commission, there re,

**48

Siative acts passed a civil service how which, superior to the one in force in the Unite! St.

Phi Com., 197 ), p. 36

ཝཱནཾཎཱི, 5. (Sept. 19, F90. Prins i in Puft. Dal, Cort, 19

important fact escaped the notice of even t'e chairman of de

for me on the 1' 13ppines.

The following extract iron the testing agen by the Senate Co ot, the 26 lingi s during the winter of 1914-15 is interesting. Former A

Gove * Gitert was on the standi.

"Yes, as he coved in under the civil service or as

The Chairman (Sevator Hit neo k). "None of them. It th is a servic in the ideje Islands

Mr. Gibert. “On, yes, sir, we have had a civil service law, w been chcerved, I think I may say, very scrupulously, for many ve114. Crawford. "That has been generally true ever since tan worst went there. It is a merit syster."

Mr. Gilbert. "It was one of the earliest systems that was esta l'ings on 11. R. 18559, p. 604.