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.

128 INDEPENDENCE CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS
government of Manila, and the municipal guard the duty of
which it was to enforce the city ordinances.
We believe we have demonstrated that the experience of
more than three centuries of Spanish government, often precarious, has accustomed the Filipinos to preserve the public
order efficiently. Few peoples have had the experience that
the Philippine people have had in this branch of government.
Never and nowhere, perhaps, has the public order been more
seriously threatened than in the Philippine Islands where, owing
to these circumstances, there was a discontented people, or at
least a people no longer inclined to suffer the evils incidental
to a colonial government. Hence it can be affirmed, without
fear of exaggerating, that there are probably few peoples more
accustomed and prepared to assume the responsibilities of maintaining the public order than the people of the Philippines who,
during the critical period of their national consolidation, were
constantly surrounded by disturbing elements which greatly
delayed the full and complete realization of national unity.
The short-lived Philippine Republic was a difficult test of
the exercise of the police power and the maintenance of the
public order in the territory under its jurisdiction. In June,
1898, the commander-in-chief of the revolutionary troops
relinquished his power to the Revolutionary Government solemnly constituted and proclaimed. Hence, before the city of
Manila ever capitulated to the American army of occupation,
there existed in the Philippines a public power recognized by
almost the entire country, regardless of caste, religion, island,
or section. The authority of the Filipino Government was not
challenged anywhere but was fully established in the municipalities as the Spaniards evacuated them. Not the slightest
discordant note was heard in the entire national territory. The
chieftains of the pagan districts, who had for several centuries
resolutely refused to recognize the Spanish sovereignty, adhered to the new national government, recognizing its authority and control. The sultans of Mindanao and Sulu presented
themselves to the Government to express officially their recognition of the same and the allegiance of their subjects to the
constituted authorities. The war of resistance to the new
invader did not prevent the Filipino Government from exer