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.

104 INDEPENDENCE CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS

by steps, the test for further concession being the use made
of the powers already granted. It is a pleasant task to review
the steps that have been taken, for they afford gratifying evidence of the rapid political advancement that has been made.
Leaving aside the movements in the Insular branch and con-
fining our discussion to provincial and municipal governments,
we find that in the early days of American occupation, after
the establishment of civil government here, the provincial
governors were appointed by the Governor-General. In 1901,
the Provincial Law was enacted; and in pursuance thereof, the
office of provincial governor was made elective in the majority
of provinces, not however, by popular vote as it is today, but
by the vote of the councilors and vice-presidents of municipalities
within the province. In 1907, the year when the Philippine
Assembly was constituted, this method of electing provincial
governor was changed, and the choice was left entirely to the
people.
The provincial board, which (as we have seen) is the legislative body of a province as originally constituted prior to
1907, was formed by the provincial governor, elected in the
manner explained above, and two appointive members, one of
whom was the supervisor and the other the provincial treasurer. Both of these officials were appointed by the GovernorGeneral. This composition of the board was changed by
eliminating the supervisor, substituting a third member elected
by the people in his stead, but allowing, however, the provincial governor and the appointive provincial treasurer to retain
their membership on the board. This change was effected in
order to impose upon the provincial governor and the third
member, both Filipinos, the burden of responsibility in the
government of the province and thereby to enable them to
prove their capacity for local self-government. The rest proved
successful; and in 1915 the provincial treasurer, the only remaining appointive member, ceased to be a member of the
provincial board and was replaced by a new member appointed 4
by the Governor-General and chosen from among the municipal presidents. Inasmuch as municipal presidents are elected
by popular vote, the change effected was undoubtedly to
extend popular control in the administration of provincial