under the census law. The entire scheme of the census was explained to them, orally and in writing, by the officials of the census, and during the two weeks of their stay in Manila they were as well instructed as circumstances would permit. That they might better understand the census instruction, and be prepared to teach the presidentes, they were required to fill out the schedules and other blanks, using fictitious names and hypothetical conditions, and to acquaint themselves with all the blanks to be used in the census. The tentative division of the organized provinces into enumeration districts was carefully considered and adjusted by the census maps to meet the requirements of the census act, the enumerators and their substitutes were assigned to them, and the special enumerators for all the wild tribes were selected, except those for Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago. Each of the governor-supervisors was then furnished with a correct plan for the census of his provincial district, and was required to superintend in person the packing of the census pouches and portfolios allotted to his district, and to see that the requisite number of all schedules and other blank forms, together with a certain surplus, was placed in the pouch of each enumerator, special enumerator, and special agent, and that the pouches were numbered to correspond with the numbers of the enumeration districts. Some difficulty was experienced in finding a sufficient number of enumerators who could read and write Spanish who were not related to the governor-supervisor within the fourth degree of consanguinity, and, for the province of Bohol, special legislation on this point was necessary. Many of the presidentes did not understand Spanish at all, and for the same reason, in a number of instances, enumerators had to be taken from one municipality to serve in another. This was, of course, a disadvantage, but was fully expected, as it was well known that in many of the barrios none of the inhabitants could read and write Spanish, and it was to meet this contingency that paragraph 2, section 8, of the Philippine census law was enacted. It was not thought necessary to bring the army officers who were to supervise the census in Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago to Manila, but the census blanks, instructions, etc., were mailed to them early in January, and the Director of the Census, accompanied by Mr. Gannett, subsequently visited each one, established the supervisors' districts, and made such explanations as were essential to a complete understanding of the census within the limits of their respective districts. As the Spanish censuses had conscription or taxation in some form as their main object, and were therefore secretly opposed by the people, who were seldom willing to give the information required by the census, and as this census had a very different purpose in view, it was decided to state it in the proclamation of the civil governor fixing the date of the census, to quiet the apprehensions of the people, and, if possible, gain their cooperation, so that the census might be taken without interruption. Accordingly, on December 24, 1902, the following proclamation was issued by the civil governor: In accordance with the policy of President McKinley, announced in his instructions of April 7, 1900, the Philippine Commission has extended to the people of the Philippine Islands complete autonomy in the matter of municipal government, and partial autonomy in the matter of provincial government. By actual experience the qualified electors of the Philippine Islands are learning the science of selfgovernment. The policy of the late President McKinley has been sincerely adopted and followed by President Roosevelt; and the aim of the Commission, in accordance with his instructions, gradually to extend self-government to the people of the islands, was approved and adopted by the Congress of the United States at its last session, in the so-called Philippine act, by which provision was made for the election of a popular Philippine assembly within two years after the taking of a comprehensive census of the Philippine Islands. The taking of the census is indispensable to the calling of a general election for this popular assembly. No other object beyond the collection of the necessary data for determining the social and industrial conditions of the people, as the basis of intelligent legislative action, is involved in the taking of this census. By the terms of the census law, passed by the Philippine Commission, it will be seen that the census is to be largely in the hands and under the control of the Filipinos. The taking of the census will therefore form a test of the capacity of the Filipinos to discharge a most important function of government. The information secured by the census will form the basis upon which capital will be invested in the islands and the material prosperity of the people brought about. The census, therefore, is to be taken solely for the benefit of the Filipino people, and if they desire to have a larger voice in their own government within the near future, if they desire to demonstrate to the world a growing capacity for self-government, and if they would aid the investment of capital and the improvement of their material condition they should lend their unanimous support to the successful taking of the census. Now, therefore, I, William H. Taft, civil governor of the Philippine Islands, in pursuance of the duty imposed on me by section 16 of the act enacted by the Philippine Commission October 6, 1902, do hereby issue this my proclamation, announcing as census day March 2, 1903, on which day the enumeration of the Christian population shall begin in all parts of the Philippine Islands, and continue until completed. It is the expectation of the government that the enumeration of the Christian population will be carried on by the enumerators of urban districts at the rate of 50 persons per day, and of suburban or rural districts at the rate of 33 persons per day. Any reduction in any district in the rate of enumeration thus established will be made the subject of investigation by the supervisor, and unless it shall be found that such reduction in the rate of enumeration was due to causes beyond the control of the enumerator his (or her) pay for the period beyond which the enumeration should have been completed, at the specified rate, shall be withheld pending the decision of the Director of the Census. In witness whereof, etc. This proclamation, printed in English, Spanish, and the dialects of the Christian tribes, was read and fully explained to the governorsupervisors and by them to the presidentes when they assembled at the provincial capitals in January. The presidentes were directed to read SUPERVISORS OF THE CENSUS. TAGÁLOGS. 1. GOV. MAXIMINO PATERNO, CITY OF MANILA. 2. GOV. RICARDO PARAS, SUBPROVINCE OF MARINDUQUE. 3. GOV. E. DE LOS SANTOS, PROVINCE OF NUEVA ÉCIJA. 4. GOV. JUAN CAILLES, PROVINCE OF LA LA GUNA. 5. GOV. ARTURO DANCEL, PROVINCE OF RIZAL. 6. GOV. ALFONSO RAMOS, PROVINCE OF TÁRLAC. 7. GOV. PABLO TECSÓN OCAMPO, PROVINCE OF BULACÁN. 8. GOV. SIMEÓN LUZ, PROVINCE OF BATANGAS. |