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

109

was freely discussed and suggestion incidentally made by one of
the club mefnbers that the stability of the Philippine Government might well be founded upon the successful administration
of our local governments by Filipino officials. And the question would have been: Have they really succeeded? The same
question may now be asked.
Our provinces and municipalities asseverate that, tested by
their accomplishments during the last three decades, their ability to conduct and maintain a responsible and creditable government can not be challenged. The mere fact that both during
the life of the Philippine Commission and later with the cooperation of the direct representatives of the Filipino peoplethe Philippine Assembly and still later under the Jones Law,
with the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives constituting the legislative agency of the nation, laws have been
enacted extending popular control, is evidence that the Filipinos
are not only eager, but ready to assume, and in fact have
successfully assumed, the responsibilities so far made to devolve
on them.
Our local units point with pride to the fact that peace and
public order prevail within their confines, and even in the region
of the once dreaded Moros, the inhabitants live peacefully and
are loyal to the constituted authorities. Despite the sporadic
disturbances provoked by the retentionist elements in Mindanao
during the Wood administration, to demonstrate the supposed
traditional antagonism between the Moros and the Christian
Filipinos, it can be affirmed that peace prevailed during the
period although perhaps not in the same degree as during the
administration of Governor-General Harrison. Governor-General Wood himself, in spite of his uncompromising antiindependence attitude, could not but acknowledge the excellent
condition of public order in his official messages. The following excerpt is quoted from his message to the members of the
Sixth Philippine Legislature, delivered on October 27, 1922:
"I also congratulate you on the excellent condition of
public order throughout the Archipelago. Life and property have been safe and the conduct of the people characterized by respect for the law."