Part 14

+---------+----------------------------------------- | Vessels | 1921 | entered +-------------+-------------+------------- Nationality | and | Imports | Exports | Total of vessels | cleared | | | -------------+---------+-------------+-------------+------------- | | Pesos | Pesos | Pesos Philippine | 170 | 3,379,522 | 484,817 | 3,864,339 American | 336 | 74,809,502 | 64,206,170 | 139,015,672 British | 740 | 109,387,341 | 60,335,999 | 169,723,340 Chinese | 40 | 499,454 | 325,625 | 825,079 Danish | 3 | ----------- | 1,750 | 1,750 Dutch | 94 | 6,314,435 | 13,203,844 | 19,517,779 French | 8 | 482,434 | ----------- | 482,434 German | ------- | ----------- | ----------- | ----------- Spanish | 13 | 1,304,940 | 5,011,874 | 6,316,814 Swedish | 6 | 17 | 1,788,182 | 1,788,199 Norwegian | 30 | 1,637,253 | ----------- | 1,637,253 Japanese | 319 | 29,169,887 | 20,746,925 | 49,916,812 Mail | ------- | 4,692,363 | 10,125,959 | 14,818,322 +---------+-------------+-------------+------------- Total | 1,759 | 231,677,148 | 176,230,645 | 407,907,793 -------------+---------+-------------+-------------+-------------

+---------+----------------------------------------- | Vessels | 1922 | entered +-------------+-------------+------------- Nationality | and | Imports | Exports | Total of vessels | cleared | | | -------------+---------+-------------+-------------+------------- | | Pesos | Pesos | Pesos Philippine | 194 | 2,811,668 | 1,344,485 | 4,156,153 American | 367 | 48,873,151 | 83,313,550 | 132,186,701 British | 704 | 79,488,095 | 56,090,093 | 135,578,188 Chinese | 31 | 1,293,429 | 587,691 | 1,881,120 Danish | 2 | ----------- | ----------- | ----------- Dutch | 111 | 6,792,919 | 14,244,306 | 21,037,225 French | 2 | 86,423 | 19,900 | 106,323 German | 16 | 22,002 | 3,003,029 | 2,025,031 Spanish | 12 | 1,272,832 | 1,993,246 | 4,266,078 Swedish | 9 | 41 | 4,031,697 | 4,031,738 Norwegian | 38 | 296,657 | 2,295,116 | 2,591,773 Japanese | 315 | 14,809,799 | 17,520,311 | 52,330,110 Mail | ------- | 4,648,273 | 6,725,172 | 11,371,445 +---------+-------------+-------------+------------- Total | 1,801 | 160,395,289 | 191,166,596 | 351,561,885 -------------+---------+-------------+-------------+-------------

Not until the coming of the cargo steamer, however, could the bulky products of the Islands be gathered together in large quantities and become an important factor in the world's commercial necessities. Every portion of the Islands is now covered by steamers, plying regular routes.

[Interisland Lines]

To the north a route leads to Aparri, the outlet from the fertile Cagayan Valley, a tobacco country, where thousands of hectares of rich unoccupied prairies await only the touch of capital. To the southward are the main channels of trade. Cebu is the metropolis of the Southern Islands, and to this port come the hemp and copra of all the Visayas, there to be transferred to Manila. Some ocean liners load direct at Cebu for the homeward voyage, saving the haul to Manila. Cebu harbor accommodates vessels of 30-foot draft, which can anchor at the sea wall, close to the warehouses of the principal commercial houses. From Iloilo comes the sugar of Negros and Panay. Here, too, is a harbor of sufficient depth to allow ocean vessels of fair tonnage to load. Ships of the Spanish lines in particular are accustomed to procure their cargoes here and omit Manila. Commercial routes encircle Mindanao, drawing from it copra and hemp, and supplying in return cotton cloth, canned goods, rice, and other commercial staples. Smaller vessels ply between the Bicol provinces, Masbate, Leyte, and Manila, carrying hemp principally.

[Control over Rates]

The steamers of the Philippine Islands are not allowed to charge the prices "the traffic will bear," without any recourse by shippers. The Public Utility Commission fixes the maximum rates for all classes of traffic and for all ports of the Islands. In this way the interests of the producing and consuming public are protected, and destructive rate wars between shipper and carrier and among the several companies are avoided.

The number and tonnage of vessels engaged in domestic shipping are as follows:

NUMBER AND REGISTERED TONNAGE OF VESSELS ENGAGED IN DOMESTIC SHIPPING, BY PORTS OF ENTRY, 1918-22

[Source: Bureau of Customs]

MANILA

Year Entered Cleared

1918. 3,782 630,980 3,858 644,831 1919. 3,359 709,980 3,474 723,986 1920. 3,266 845,227 3,452 975,448 1921. 3,210 888,238 3,410 1,090,668 1922. 3,570 1,006,556 3,741 1,293,564

ILOILO

1918. 4,770 357,641 4,755 320,441 1919. 5,317 447,272 5,355 456,308 1920. 6,830 687,828 6,818 625,746 1921. 6,699 755,521 6,708 667,506 1922. 6,822 878,074 6,843 806,642

CEBU

1918. 5,625 357,523 5,645 327,196 1919. 5,386 432,007 5,562 437,896 1920. 4,947 560,925 5,029 464,791 1921. 5,157 634,904 5,170 465,355 1922. 5,713 967,494 5,800 656,828

ZAMBOANGA

1918. 831 158,116 859 165,043 1919. 1,161 207,992 1,168 215,233 1920. 1,520 231,060 1,533 224,499 1921. 1,515 219,732 1,520 242,201 1922. 1,272 278,481 1,280 303,311

ALL OTHERS

1918. 138 31,430 137 30,983 1919. 185 49,787 182 47,578 1920. 175 36,665 179 36,365 1921. 153 42,893 150 42,577 1922. 177 50,093 182 50,218

TOTAL

1918. 15,146 1,535,690 15,254 1,488,494 1919. 15,408 1,847,038 15,741 1,881,001 1920. 16,738 2,361,705 17,011 2,326,849 1921. 16,734 2,541,288 16,958 2,508,307 1922. 17,554 3,180,698 17,846 3,110,563

XII. STRUCTURE OF THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT

[Patterned after American system]

The government of the Philippine Islands as it now exists and functions resembles in structure the Federal and State governments of the United States. It is reared on the same fundamental principles of representative democracy which have made the United States government the model for other states, so that the Philippine government is just as much a republican government as that of the United States; the will of the majority rules.

The law of public officers as observed in the United States is in effect in the Philippine Islands. The principle of division of powers is recognized, and the functions of government are distributed among three departments, the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. The principle of checks and balances is likewise observed, and the legislature and the courts are prohibited from delegating their powers. The passage of irrepealable laws is forbidden. The government is immune from suit at the instance of private individuals except with its consent.

DEPARTURES FROM AMERICAN STANDARDS.--There have been several departures, however, from the American standard of government that have been made by the Filipinos. For instance, the budget system has been adopted previous to its adoption in the United States to provide for economy and certainty in expenditures. The Council of State was created as a coördinating and advisory body to the Governor-General. It is made up of the Governor-General as presiding officer, the six members of the cabinet, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It also serves to bring the executive and the legislative departments into close relationship. The creation of the council seems to indicate a tendency to adopt in the future a parliamentary or semi-parliamentary system of government.

In addition to the foregoing departments there is the further innovation conferring on either house of the legislature, the right to call and interpellate the secretaries of departments before it. The secretaries of departments in turn have the right to be heard in the legislature. The chairmen of the appropriation committees are also empowered to require the attendance of chiefs of bureaus and offices, thus bringing the executive and legislative departments in close harmony.

[Autonomy]

All of the officials of the government are Filipinos with the exception of the Governor-General and the Vice-Governor-General and the majority of the members of the Supreme Court who are Americans, appointed by the President of the United States. There is thus a practical autonomy, the American chief executive having supervision and control of the government in theory but in actual practice rarely acting on matters of domestic concern except with the advice of the Council of State.

Appointments made by the Governor-General are with the advice and consent of the Philippine Senate.

THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL.--The Governor-General is appointed by the President by and with the consent of the Senate and holds his office at the pleasure of the President and until his successor is chosen and qualified. Through the Secretary of War, he is responsible to the President and the American people for his acts. He has a more responsible position than that held by the Governors of the several states of the union. He is paid a handsome salary from the Philippine government and is given free quarters. As chief executive of the Islands, he is in charge of the executive control of the Philippine government; which he exercises either in person or through the secretaries of departments. He can veto laws passed by the Philippine Legislature.

THE VICE-GOVERNOR.--The Vice-Governor is also appointed by the President of the United States with the consent of the Senate. He acts at the same time as the Secretary of Public Instruction and may be assigned such other executive duties as the Governor-General may designate. In case of vacancy in the office of the Governor-General, the Vice-Governor acts.

THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS.--There are six executive departments. At the head of each is a department secretary, who, with the exception of the Secretary of Public Instruction, must be a citizen of the Philippine Islands. As Secretary he is assisted by an under-secretary who temporarily performs the duties of department secretary in case of vacancy. The executive departments and bureaus, offices, and boards pertaining to each are given below:

Governor-General:

Bureau of Audits. Bureau of Civil Service. All other offices and branches of the service not assigned by law to any Department.

Department of the Interior: Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes. Philippine General Hospital. Board of Pharmaceutical Examiners. Board of Medical Examiners. Board of Dental Examiners. Board of Optical Examiners. Board of Examiners for Nurses. Board of Dental Hygiene. Executive Bureau. Philippine Constabulary. Public Welfare Commissioner.

Department of Public Instruction:

Bureau of Education. Philippine Health Service. Bureau of Quarantine Service.

Department of Finance:

Bureau of Customs. Bureau of Internal Revenue. Bureau of the Treasury. Bureau of Printing. General supervision over banks, banking transactions, coinage, currency, and except as otherwise specially provided, over all funds the investments of which may be authorized by law.

Department of Justice:

Bureau of Justice. Courts of First Instance and Inferior Courts. Philippine Library and Museum. Bureau of Prisons. Public Utility Commission.

Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources:

Bureau of Agriculture. Bureau of Forestry. Bureau of Lands. Matters pertaining to colonies and plantations on public lands. Bureau of Science. Weather Bureau. Matters concerning hunting, fisheries, sponges, and other sea products.

Department of Commerce and Communications:

Bureau of Public Works. Bureau of Posts. Bureau of Supply. Bureau of Labor. Bureau of Coast and Geodetic Survey. Bureau of Commerce and Industry.

The Executive Bureau and the Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes, both of which are under the Department of the Interior, exercise supervision over the provincial and municipal governments. The Executive Bureau has charge of the so-called regular provinces, and the Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes of those inhabited by the backward inhabitants of the Philippines including the Moros in Mindanao and the Igorotes of the mountain regions of Luzon. The functions of these two bureaus are practically identical, the difference lying only in the degree of civilization of the inhabitants over whom they have supervision.

THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.--The legislative branch of the Philippine government is vested in the Philippine legislature. It is made up of two separate coördinate bodies, the Senate and the House of Representatives. All the senators and representatives are elected by direct popular suffrage with the exception of the representatives and senators from the Mountain Province, the Province of Nueva Vizcaya, and the provinces in Mindanao and Sulu who are appointed by the Governor-General with no restriction as to residence or length of office. The elective representatives hold their office for terms of three years and the senators for terms of six years.

Laws dealing with certain special subjects such as the tariff and the mining laws require the approval of the President of the United States.

The Senate has twenty-four members consisting of two senators from each of the twelve senatorial districts. The lower house has ninety members, determined by the population of each province. Appropriation bills originate by custom in the House of Representatives.

THE JUDICIARY.--An independent judiciary system completes the governmental structure. The administration of justice is entrusted to the Supreme Court, the Courts of First Instance, the Municipal Court of the City of Manila, and the courts of justices of the peace in each municipality.

The Supreme Court is the highest legal entity in the judiciary system. It has an appellate jurisdiction in all actions and special proceedings brought to it from the Courts of First Instance and from other inferior tribunals from whose decision appeals to the Supreme Court are allowed. The justices of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President of the United States with the consent of the United States Senate and serve during good behavior. It is made up of nine justices, the chief justice and eight associate justices. The chief justice has always been a Filipino. It seats in banc to transact business. It also seats in divisions for the same purpose, and when it so sits, four justices constitute a quorum so that two divisions may sit at the same time.

Appeals to the Supreme Court of the United States are allowed in certain cases only.

The judges of the Court of First Instance are appointed by the Governor-General with the consent of the Philippine Senate and serve practically for life, the only restriction being that they must retire upon reaching sixty-five years of age. The justices of the peace are also appointed by the Governor-General with the advice and consent of the Philippine Senate.

PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT.--The Philippine Archipelago is divided into 46 provinces, 34 of which are designated as regular provinces and the remaining 12 as special provinces.--The chief executive of a regular province is the provincial governor, who is an elective official. He, together with two other elective members, form the provincial board which constitutes the legislative branch of the provincial government. In the special provinces, with the exception of Mindoro, Palawan, and Batanes, the provincial governors are appointive officials.

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.--As the name indicates, this branch of the Government has charge of the municipalities or towns. The chief executive of a municipality is called the municipal president. The municipal council, which is the legislative branch of the municipal government, consists of from 8 to 18 councilors, depending on the size of the municipality. There is a vice-president who substitutes the president during his absence or disability and who is ex-officio member of the council. All these officials are elected by the people.

EXPENSES OF THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT.--All the expenses of the Philippine government are paid for from the Insular Treasury. The United States government pays for nothing in the administration of the Islands except for the army and navy and the salaries of the resident commissioners from the Philippines who are stationed in Washington and granted the privileges of members of Congress.

An investigation into the expenses incurred by the United States for the Philippine Islands, exclusive of the maintenance of her army and navy, elicits the following facts:

1. That the Philippines has always been a self-supporting country; all expenditures have been drawn from ordinary revenues.

2. That the sum of $267,663.26 pertaining to the former government of Spain and seized by the United States, and therefore legally pertaining to the latter country, was subsequently turned over into the general fund of the insular government.

3. That the Congress of the United States appropriated the sum of $3,000,000, known as the "Congressional Relief Fund," for the purchase, distribution and sale of farm implements, farm or draft animals, supplies and necessaries of life, extermination of pests, relief for sufferers due to fire and other calamities, etc. This amount has been, at different times, appropriated by the Philippine Commission for the purposes above mentioned. The unexpended balance from this fund was subsequently turned over into the general funds.

Aside, therefore, from the Spanish seized funds and the expenses for the army and navy, the only amount expended by the United States directly for the benefit of the Philippine Islands was the Congressional Relief Fund. The Philippine government having always had, at the end of every year, an excess of ordinary revenue over ordinary expenditure, the United States could not have any other occasion to give direct pecuniary aid for the maintenance of the Islands.

FINANCIAL STATUS.--The Philippine government today is on a solid financial basis as any government in the world. It is self-supporting, its taxation is adequate to its needs, the per capita tax of the people is low. The Filipinos bear a smaller burden of taxation than the natives of Great Britain, United States, Japan, Argentina, and Brazil. The year, 1922, was presented with an aggregate surplus of approximately $64,000,000 in central, provincial, and municipal governments including the City of Manila. This goes to show that both the central and local governments are on a sound financial basis.

A clearer comprehension of the financial standing of the government may be had from an inspection of the following tables:

STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS, EXPENDITURES, AND SURPLUS OF THE INSULAR GOVERNMENT, 1921-1922

Items of revenue and expenditures 1921 1922 Pesos Pesos Revenue: Licenses and business. 14,246,440 13,755,670 Import duties. 12,778,791 11,362,250 Excise Tax. 13,327,843 13,444,281 Income tax. 4,880,370 1,943,716 Wharfage tax. 1,473,627 1,852,095 Franchise tax. 243,618 109,749 Documentary stamp tax (customs and internal revenue). 951,809 990,933 Immigration tax. 237,040 239,152 Tonnage dues. 254,515 276,130 Inheritance tax. 210,303 121,812 Revenue from public forests. 923,216 854,337 United States internal revenue. 756,444 1,428,959 Fines and forfeitures. 663,415 799,553 Sales and rentals of public domain. 22,110 24,254 Income from commercial and industrial units. 12,771,068 11,130,403 Income from operating units. 254,514 133,698 Dividends on bank stock. 463,373 ---- Interest repayments, railway companies. 192,716 387,785 All other income [2]. 67,430,039 74,427,334 Prior year adjustments. 1,282,547 531,826 ----------- ----------- Total. 133,363,798 133,813,937

Less apportionments of internal revenue to local governments. 3,164,084 3,164,084 =========== =========== Total revenue. 130,199,714 130,649,853

Expenditures: General administration [3] 2,046,646 2,272,591 Legislation 1,413,541 1,547,683 Adjudication 1,891,080 1,747,093 Protective service [4] 5,783,904 4,866,840 Social improvement [5] 13,084,682 13,709,846 Economic development [6] 53,820,568 14,037,386 Aid to local governments 14,305,267 15,561,867 Expense of revenue collection 11,275,497 9,963,714 Public debt 3,811,266 5,117,494 Public works and purchase of equipment 10,209,597 9,670,476 Retirement gratuities [7] 521,226 397,886 Pensions Acts 2909 and 2922 12,000 12,000 Prior year adjustments 18,937 6,248 ----------- ---------- Total 118,194,211 78,911,424 ----------- ---------- Current surplus for the year 12,005,503 51,738,429 Current surplus at the beginning of the year 43,937,712 55,943,215 Current surplus at the end of the year 55,943,215 107,681,644

BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR THE INSULAR GOVERNMENT, 1918-1923