Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

POLITICAL SECTION

First Session
The first meeting of the Political Section of the
First Independence Congress was called to order by
the Chairman, the Honorable Juan Sumulong, at
9:30 A. M., February 23, 1930.
Honorable Jose P. Laurel, ex-Secretary of the Interior and Senator from the fifth district, read the
following paper before the section:
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL GOVERN-.
MENT IN THE PHILIPPINES AND THE ORGANIZATION OF OUR PROVINCES AND MUNICIPALITIES
UNDER AN INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT
By the HON. Jost P. LAUREL,
Member, Philippine Senate.
In the history of any country, among the problems that
have always engaged the attention of reformers, statesmen,
scholars and public-spirited citizens are those relating to the
organization and administration of local administrative units.
It is these local units which enlist the interest of the ordinary
citizen and influence him in his daily life. As a well-known
authority on municipal government said, "the average inhabitant sees only the eddies of life which swirl without apparent
meaning through the streets he frequents and about his home
and workplace." Upon the workings of the government of
these local units depend in a great measure the success or failure of the central government. This is especially true in a
democracy. Paralization of the parts will result in the paralization of the whole. Sound municipal administration is the
main prop of a State. It was M. de Tocquiville who said:
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