REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR. WAR DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS, Washington, October 6, 1917. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the Bureau of Insular Affairs for the past year. I. PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. PERSONNEL APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT. Henderson S. Martin, vice governor and secretary of public instruction, resigned June 28, 1917, and was succeeded by Charles E. Yeater, who was appointed June 29. The present officers of the Philippine Government appointed by the President are: Governor General: FRANCIS BURTON HARRISON, appointed September 2, 1913. Vice Governor: Auditor: CHARLES E. YEATER, who is ex-officio Secretary of Public CLIFFORD H. FRENCHI, appointed August 29, 1916. Deputy Auditor: IRVING B. DEXTER, appointed August 29, 1916. Supreme Court: Chief Justice: 1 CAYETANO S. ARELLANO, appointed June 15, 1901. FLORENTINO TORRES, appointed June 5, 1899. Associate Justices Grant T. Trent and Sherman Moreland, of the Philippine Supreme Court, resigned on April 23, 1917, and were succeeded by Thomas A. Street and George A. Malcolm, who were appointed June 13. Justice Street had been in the Philippine Islands since November, 1910, when he was appointed a member of the code committee. Justice Malcolm had been in the Philippine service since January, 1907, having been assistant attorney in the Bureau of Justice, and dean of the College of Law, University of the Philippines. The Philippine Legislature at its last session provided for two additional justices of the supreme court, and the positions thus created have been filled by Justices Fisher and Avanceña. LEGISLATION. Congress did not consider any legislation affecting the Philippine Islands exclusively. The immigration act applies to the Philippine Islands but, by a provision therein, only until superseded by an act of the Philippine Legislature on that subject. The provisions of the act prohibiting and regulating the manufacture, distribution, storage, use, and possession of explosives in time of war, and the provisions of the act to define, regulate, and punish trading with the enemy extend to the Philippine Islands and Porto Rico. The war-revenue act under Title I-War-income tax-contains this section: That the provisions of this title shall not extend to Porto Rico or the Philippine Islands, and the Porto Rican or Philippine Legislature shall have power by due enactment to amend, alter, modify, or repeal the income-tax laws in force in Porto Rico or the Philippine Islands, respectively. This is in the spirit of the organic acts of Porto Rico and the Philippines which contemplate the imposition by their respective legislatures of internal taxes of all kinds, such taxes accruing to the respective treasuries. 1 Previously president of the supreme court of justice. Appointed chief justice upon organization of the court, June 15, 1901. LEGISLATION OF THE PHILIPPINE LEGISLATURE. One of the important changes in the form of the Philippine Government made by the new organic act approved August 29, 1916, was the creation of an elective senate to replace the Philippine Commission as the upper house of the legislature. The first election of senators was held on the first Tuesday in October, 1916, and on October 16, 1916, the new legislature met in its first session, whereupon the Philippine Commission ceased to exist. The new legislature immediately began the consideration of a bill rearranging the executive departments and bureaus of the government, and on November 18, 1916, the Governor General approved an act (No. 2666) which remolded the executive departments and increased their number by two. The executive departments thus provided are: Interior, Finance, Justice, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Commerce and Communications. Among the other important acts passed by the new Philippine Legislature at its first session were the following: No. 2668, fixing the salaries of the more important officers and employees of the government. As this act frankly provided salaries for a Filipino personnel in the higher offices of the government it has an added importance. Considering the present resources of the islands the salaries are high, and it is noticeable that the salaries of the members of the legislature are relatively higher than those of the executive and judicial officers. Nos. 2710 and 2716, establishing divorce in the Philippine Islands. This is the first legislation authorizing divorce in the islands. Divorce is to be granted in the case of adultery only, and only when the guilt of the defendant is established by final sentence in a criminal action. No. 2715, the Philippine Militia law. This act follows generally the United States national defense act of 1916. PERSONNEL OF DEPARTMENTS. The vice governor is by the organic act made the head of the Department of Public Instruction. The heads or secretaries of the other departments are appointed by the Governor General, by and with the advice and consent of the Philippine Senate. The executive departments of the Philippine Government are now organized and officered as follows: Department of Public Instruction. Secretary, Vice Governor Charles E. Yeater. Under Secretary, Bureau of Education: Director, W. W. Marquardt. Philippine Health Service: Director, Dr. J. D. Long. Bureau of Quarantine Service: Director, Dr. J. D. Long. |