The development of Philippine politics

278 THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHILIPPINE POLITICS

the United States of North America, the said Philippine
Islands constituting a territory with the rights and privileges which the Constitution of the United States grants to
the other territories, such as that of becoming eventually a
state of the Union." (1)
By this time the Federal Party was at the height of its
power. According to the report of the Secretary of the
Federal Party in 1901 there were 296 organized committees
throughout the archipelago "with more than 200,000 members". According to the same report, the Federal Party
had been instrumental in the surrender of eleven generals,
fourteen colonels, fourteen lieutenant colonels, twenty majors, six chiefs of guerrillas, forty-six captains, one hunderd six lieutenants, 2,640 soldiers and 4,440 guns.
"On February 22, (1901)" said Doctor Tavera, (2) "the
'Americanista' sentiments of the Federals were in evidence
in Manila, when a memorable demonstration was held on
the Luneta drive, where more than 7,000, belonging to all
classes of society, applauded the name of Washington and
paid homage as sincere as it was enthusiastic to the American flag. In all the pueblos of the archipelago where the
party had been organized, demonstrations of the same
nature took place, this being the first time that enthusiastic public demonstrations of friendly sentiments toward the
United States had been held."
How many of those who originally affiliated with this
party were actually in favor of annexation, it is hard to
say. Subsequent events showed that the majority affiliated
with it because they wanted peace and not because they
wanted to become permanently a part of the United States.
To a large extent what Mr. Taft said before the Senate
Committee in 1902 is true: what attracted people to the
party was its program for peace.
(1) In his address before the American Academy of Political and Social Science,
in 1902, Mr. Taft referring to this petition, said: "The Federal Party filed
a petition in Congress in which they ask for a declaration from that body to
form the Philippines as a territory and ultimately become a state. While
that is one of the prominent planks in that platform it should be said that
there is an indifferent and ambiguous relation with its original program, its chief
object being to secure peace under the sovereignty of the United States."
(2) Report of the Philippine Commission, '1901, p. 163.