interest to Filipinos is the Act of Congress of August 29, 1916, known to many as the Jones Law.

All of these Acts of Congress which are in force in the Philippines, especially the Jones Law, together represent a Constitution, that is, a fundamental law, for the Philippines. These laws name the powers of the GovernorGeneral, of the Philippine Legislature, and of the courts, and enumerate the rights of citizens.

When the Philippines are once independent, these acts of Congress will no longer be in effect, and a Constitution for the Philippines will be drafted.

55. The Jones Law.'-The Jones Law, as we have said, is the principal part of the Philippine Constitution. It gets its name from one of its authors, Congressman William Atkinson Jones.

By the Jones Law, many new rights were granted the Filipinos. It also formally promised future independence for the Philippines. All this is most unusual in the practice of nations, for, as a rule, countries are constantly trying by various means to acquire more territory and are never willing to give up territory unless forced to do so by war. But the United States is a great democracy which had to fight for its own liberty, and its people, who appreciate the aspirations of the Filipinos, said, "We will do nothing unless it is for the welfare of the Filipino people." For this act of generosity, the Filipino people feel grateful to the United States.

56. Philippine Law. Most of the laws of the Philippines are enacted by the Philippine Legislature. The 1 The Jones Law is printed in the Appendix to this book.

FOURTH PHILIPPINE LEGISLATURE,}

Third Session.

[No. 2782.]

H. No. 1423.

AN ACT APPROPRIATING THE SUM OF THIRTY MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIVE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOUR PESOS FOR THE EXTENSION OF FREE ELEMENTAL INSTRUCTION TO ALL CHILDREN OF SCHOOL AGE.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Legislature assembled and by the authority of the same:

SECTION 1. There is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of thirty million seven hundred and five thousand eight hundred and twenty-four pesos, or such part thereof as may be necessary, for the purpose of extending the facilities of free elemental instruction to all the children of school age of the Archipelago. Of this sum there shal! be available for investment on the first of January, nineteen hundred and nineteen, the sum of seven hundred and thirtyfive thousand pesos; on the first of January, nineteen hundred and twenty, the sum of three million nine hundred and nineteen thousand pesos; on the first of January, nineteen hundred and twenty-one, the sum of six million three hundred and five thousand four hundred pesos; on the first of January, nineteen hundred and twenty-two, the sum of eight million seven hundred and ten thousand four hundred and forty pesos; and on the first of January, nineteen hundred and twenty-three, the sum of eleven million thirtyfive thousand nine hundred and eighty four pesos.

The sums so appropriated shall be in addition to the sums appropriated in the annual appropriations for the Bureau of Education and shall be expended with the approval of the Council of State. The unexpended balances at the end of each one of the aforesaid years shall revert to the general funds of the Insular Treasury.

SEC. 2. This Act shall take effect on its approval.
Approved, December 6, 1918.

161488

ACT NO. 2782, THE DE GUZMAN LAW

laws passed by the Philippine Legislature are called "Acts." There are over three thousand acts of the Philippine Legislature. The subjects of these acts are various. Some acts merely appropriate money for government use while others provide for economic development. An example of an Act of the Philippine Legislature, Act No. 2782, known as the De Guzman Law, appears on the preceding page.

The most important of the laws are called "codes." At present, there are six codes-the Civil Code, which concerns questions of private rights, such as cases referring to property contracts, etc.; the Commercial Code, which governs commercial relation; the Administrative Code, which concerns the organization, powers, and the general activities of the Government; the Code of Civil Procedure and the Code of Criminal Procedure, which state the methods of procedure to be observed in the various courts; and the Penal Code, which prescribes certain penalties for criminals and which aims to reduce crime. These codes and other laws are published by the government in English and Spanish.

57. Courts of Justice.-Courts exist in order that justice may be done. All people, the rich and the poor, the highest officer and the most ignorant person, are equal before the law. If an executive officer disobeys the law, the courts will punish him. If the Philippine Legislature enacts a law, or a municipal council passes an ordinance, the courts will interpret it. The highest merit of the judiciary is to have not only a thorough knowledge of the law but a reputation for integrity and impartiality.

In a court, the presiding officer is a justice of the peace or a judge. The questions to be decided by the justice of the peace or judge are called "cases." The justice of the peace or judge examines and studies the case and decides according to the facts and the law. The method of conducting a case is called "procedure."

58. Court Procedure.-The cases brought before a justice of the peace or judge are of two kinds, "civil" and "criminal." The chief difference between "civil" and "criminal" cases is that in civil cases a person desires to establish some right, for instance, to recover his property, whereas in criminal cases the question to be decided is whether the person accused of a crime is guilty or not. In a criminal case a person accused of a crime is presumed to be innocent until he is proved to be guilty.

There are two parties to a case, "the plaintiff" and "the defendant." Usually, in civil cases, each party has a lawyer. In criminal cases the fiscal represents the Government and prosecutes the accused. The accused engages a lawyer or, if he is too poor to do so, the court appoints some one to defend him.

Witnesses, persons who know something about the case, are called to answer questions before the court. The document which summons witnesses is called a subpæna. Every person who receives a subpoena must obey it and come before the court on the day and at the hour appointed; otherwise the court will punish him. Witnesses. should always be willing and ready to testify, for it is a duty they owe to the courts. Again, the witnesses should be careful to tell only the truth. When a person tells a