Effect on population of various From these various partial conquests of the Philippine racial influences. Islands there remains to-day a strong influence on the native customs, language, and religion-the Mohammedan religion, from Indian and Arabic sources, a dominant Chinese influence in commerce and trade, Christianity, Roman law, and many features of occidental civilization from Spanish sources. American control established. Races. American control in the Philippines began during the War with Spain, but was not firmly established until 1900. Racially, the mass of the Filipino population is of Malayan stock, though other types are to be found, especially among the 10 per cent of non-Christians. Chinese and Spanish race mixtures are common among the wealthy and better-educated classes, this mixture seeming to strengthen the native stock. The inhabitants of Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Formosa, and, to some measure, Indo-China (the Malay groups), are racially the most nearly related to the Filipinos. Whatever may be said of Spain's methods (and too much is said without knowledge), the fact remains that she implanted the Christian religion and European ideas Foundations and methods of administration in these islands and laid laid by Spain. the foundations which have been of far-reaching value in our work here. From a number of warring tribes, Spain succeeded in welding the Philippine people into a fairly homogeneous group, sufficiently allied in blood and physical characteristics to be capable of becoming people with distinctive and uniform characteristics. Language. Conquest United 1898. States, Spain did not, however, seriously undertake to give them a common language, and although most of the more progressive and intelligent people managed to learn Spanish, no effective effort was made to make it a common language for the different groups, who continue to this day speaking many distinct dialects. There are eight languages in the islands, each of which is used by not less than 500,000 people, and some seventy-odd more which are used by smaller groups. Some differences between these dialects are slight enough so that people using different ones can make themselves understood, but many are so radically different that they are mutually unintelligible. by The United States obtained possession of the islands by conquest in 1898. The islands were formally transferred to the United States by Spain in the treaty of Paris. Almost immediately President McKinley announced Treaty of Paris. that the Philippine Islands were not to be exploited for the aggrandizement of the American people. American policy in Philip The Philippines are ours not to exploit, but to develop, to civilize, to educate, to train in the science of self-government. This is the path pines. which we must follow or be recreant to a mighty trust committed to us. The 23 years of American occupation may be divided Periods into the following four distinct periods: American pation. 1898-1901. of осси First, the military period, from August 13, 1898, to, Military period, July 1, 1901. During this period the islands were under a military governor and the insurrection against the Insurrection. United States, headed by Gen. Aguinaldo, was being suppressed. United States troops went to the Philippines in large numbers, and the first problem confronting the Government was the establishment of public order. Civil In spite of the continuance of military operations, ment established. substantial beginnings were made in the establishment and maintenance of a civil government, particularly in establishing respect for the authority of the United States; in the opening of schools, in which the first teach- First schools. ers were noncommissioned officers of the Army; in the establishment of the judiciary, and also in the matter of public health and public works. Organization Order No. 58 of 1900 of Gen. Otis laid broad and secure foundations Gen. Otis. for the establishment of civil government. 1901-1907. legislative Public schools. Second, the organization period, from July 1, 1901, to Second period, October 16, 1907, in which the sole legislative body of the islands was the Philippine Commission, appointed by Commission the President of the United States. In this period much body. constructive work was done, the creation of a working government was undertaken, a public school system organized, 5,000 schools were opened with 7,671 teachers, and an enrollment of 400,000 children, about one-fifth of the children of school age in the Philippine Islands, a census taken, the judicial system organized and the procedure adopted, a currency system established, public works started on a systematic basis, health service reorganized and put in more effective condition, and in general the structure of government built on secure foundations. Govs. Taft and Wright, members of the original Govs. Taft and commission, were the governors responsible for most of this work. Judicial sys- tem. tem. Health service. Wright. 1907-1913. Third, the constructive period, from 1907 to 1913. In Third period, this period one-half the legislative powers, namely, the lower house, were turned over to a body of elected Filipinos, known as the Philippine Assembly, the commission legislature. New form of becoming the upper house, or Senate. This, with the failed to agree on the appropriation bill and the previous bill was carried over without any great injury accruing Public works. to the public service. During this period a broad and practical public works program was laid down and carried out involving the construction of roads, bridges, port improvements, irrigation works, schoolhouses, markets, and other public buildings. Artesian wells were driven. Practical and effective negotiations were entered into for the financing and construction of railroads and for enTransportation. couraging interisland transportation. Steamship subsidies were established, and a large number of lighthouses were built. A comprehensive cadastral survey of the islands was undertaken, and many other constructive enterprises, which met with the cordial appreciation of Educational the Philippine people. In this period the University of progress. Filipino s' gradual partici ment. the Philippines was founded, also many professional schools, and the policy of the general extension of education was continued. Throughout these three periods the policy was estabpation in govern-lished and followed of utilizing Filipinos in the Government on the general principle of putting them in the less responsible positions-which was proper, as they had little experience and carefully training them for promotion and working them up as rapidly as their efficiency and training proved, through protracted periods, justified. At the end of this period the proportion of Filipinos in the service was 72 per cent, as against 28 per cent Americans. Fourth period, 1914-1921. ernment by Fili- Fourth, the period of Filipinization, 1914 to 1921. The first step taken by the new administration was to Control of gov- give the Filipinos a majority of the commission, or upper house. The second was the passage of what is now the fundamental law of the islands, known as the Jones bill, Sixty-fourth Congress, Act No. 240, approved August, 1916. Legislative Under it the Christian and civilized Provinces were permitted to elect a Senate and a House, and the Governor General authorized to appoint representatives for the nonChristian portions of the islands, the legislature having legislative control over the whole archipelago. During this period the administration deliberately adopted the policy Americans dis- of getting rid of most of the Americans in the service, competent and otherwise, and made the service so unat powers. charged. tractive that very few remained, until at this writing the percentage of Americans in the service is only 4 per cent, 96 per cent being Filipinos. The orderly process of promotion of proved efficiency from the less important positions was changed to a hurried Filipinization, placing ru Filipinization Filipinos in nearly all of the higher positions. Many, including some of those selected for judges, were chosen apparently without due reference to their training or experience. in children enrolled. Great emphasis was laid during this period, particularly toward the end, on the extension of education, Educational many new schools of all grades being established and the creased. enrollment in the public schools being brought up to the present high figure of 945,000, or double what it had Number of been at the beginning of the period, more children of school age finding an opportunity to go to school than ever before. There are also about 75,000 children in standard private schools, or a total of over 1,020,000 in school. public works. Further progress was made in public works, particu- Increase in larly public buildings, extensive boring of artesian wells, construction of new hospitals, etc. becomes top The period was marked, however, by a deterioration Administration in the quality of public service by the creation of top-heavy. heavy personnel, the too frequent placing of influence above efficiency, by the beginning of a political bureaucracy. In this period, taxation and expenditures were Increased taxavery greatly increased. THE PHILIPPINE PEOPLE. tion and expenditures. teristics. The Philippine people possess many fine and attractive Racial characqualities dignity and self-respect, as shown by deportment, complete absence of beggars, personal neatness and cleanliness, courtesy and consideration to strangers and guests, boundless hospitality, willingness to do favors for those with whom they come in contact, which amounts almost to inability to say "No" to a friend. They are happy and care free to an extent seldom found among other peoples, keen to own their land, strongly attached to their homes and their children, proud of and Domestic life. devoted to their beloved Philippines; they are free from Patriotism. worries arising from international difficulties and responsibilities, they are refined in manner, filled with racial pride, light-hearted and inclined to be improvident, as are all people who live in lands where nature does so much H. Doc. 325, 67-2—3 high positions with credit. and people require so little. In many positions they have shown marked capacity and have done better than could reasonably be expected of an inexperienced and Filipinos filling untried people. There are many holding high positions in the judicial, executive, and educational departments who would be a credit to any government. They are proud, as they well may be, of the advance they have made since the beginning of American control of the Unprecedented islands, for it can be safely stated that no people, under the friendly tutelage of another, have made so great a progress in so short a time; for 23 years is but a brief time in the development of a people. progress. Mentality. Occupations. Enthusiastic support of public education. Public opinion uneducated.. Press. They possess active minds, their children are bright and precocious and learn rapidly. The whole people have a consuming thirst for education, and, as is common among those who have had little opportunity and much hard work, there is a leaning toward the learned professions or occupations which do not involve severe manual labor, and a tendency to underestimate the importance of agriculture and the dignity of labor, and to overestimate the standing given by the learned professions. Their support and aid in the building up of public education is beyond praise. They have sacrificed much that their children might be able to go to school, and the interests of an entire family are often subordinated to sending the selected member to a higher school or university. Schoolhouses are often constructed by voluntary contributions of labor, money, and material. There is a serious lack of educated public opinion, for as yet the Philippine public is not a reading public, and there is a lack of a strong, independent press, although there has been a great advance in this respect during recent years, and there are several outstanding independent papers of great local influence. The daily total circulaSmall circula- tion of all island papers is a little less than 140,000, and in the remote Provinces people still depend largely upon the circulation of news by word of mouth. tion. Filipinos brave soldiers. Easily led. Sanitation. The Philippine people are readily led by those who understand them. They make brave soldiers, and under good leaders make excellent troops. Due to the lack of a well-informed public opinion they are easily swayed by their leaders. As a result of generations of disregard for sanitary measures, they are still rather oriental in their attitude |