THE HARRISON ADMINISTRATION

AND

THE JONE’S LAW PROVISIONS

REPORT OF GROUP 4

~~~

SUBMITTED TO :

MR. ENCABO

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN THE UNITED STATES HAD ALWAYS INTERESTED THE FILIPINO LEADERS.THE REASON FOR THIS WAS THE RESULTS OF THESE ELECTIONS OFTEN HAD IMPORTANT EFFECT ON THE PHILIPPINES.WHEN WOODROW WILSON WON THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN 1912,HE APPOINTED FRANCIS BURTON HARRISON AS GOVERNOR GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINES.

DURING HARRISON’S ADMINISTRATION, THE FILIPINO MEMBERS BECAME THE MAJORITY IN THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION; THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT WAS RAPIDLY FILIPINIZED; THE JONES LAW WAS PASSED IN THE AMERICAN CONGRESS; AND THERE WERE MAXIMUM COOPERATION BETWEEN THE FILIPINO LEADERS AND THE GOVERNOR.

THE HARRISON’S

ADMINISTRATION

UNDER HIS ADMINISTRATION, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S MANSION CALLED MALACAÑANG PALACE WAS EXPANDED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN EXECUTIVE BUILDING. DEPARTING FROM THE POSITION, HARRISON LIVED IN SCOTLAND UNTIL BEING RECALLED TO THE PHILIPPINES IN 1934. THE PHILIPPINES WOULD BE TRANSITIONED FROM UNITED STATES TERRITORY TO COMMONWEALTH WITH AN ELECTED FILIPINO GOVERNMENT.

IT WAS ALSO DURING THE RULE OF GOVERNOR GENERAL FRANCIS HARRISON THAT MORE FILIPINOS WERE APPOINTED TO DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT POSITIONS. MANY AMERICANS WERE PERSUADED TO RETIRE AND IN THEIR PLACE, QUALIFIED FILIPINOS WERE EMPLOYED. HARRISON BECAME POPULAR AMONG THE FILIPINOS BUT BECAME UNPOPULAR AMONG THE AMERICANS.

MANUEL L. QUEZON BECAME THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES AND HARRISON WAS ASKED TO BE QUEZON'S PRINCIPAL ADVISOR IN NOVEMBER 1935. HE SERVED IN THAT CAPACITY FOR TEN MONTHS. HE WAS ALSO MADE AN HONORARY FILIPINO CITIZEN.

HARRISON DIED AT HUNTERDON MEDICAL CENTER IN RARITAN TOWNSHIP NEAR FLEMINGTON, NEW JERSEY. HE WILLED THAT HE BE BURIED IN THE PHILIPPINES SO HIS CORPSE WAS SHIPPED BACK FROM THE UNITED STATES AND WAS INTERRED IN THE MANILA NORTH CEMETERY IN LA LOMA, MANILA.

THE

JONE’S LAW

PROVISION

THE FILIPINOS DID NOT STOP WORKING FOR THEIR INDEPENDENCE FROM U. S. FOR THIS, THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS PASSED THE JONE’S LAW OF 1916 AND SIGNED IT ON AUGUST 29, 1916. IT WAS SPONSORED BY REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAM ATKINSON JONES AND IT’S SOMETIMES KNOWN US PHILIPPINE AUTONOMY ACT.

THE IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE JONE’S LAW OF 1916:

1. IT DEFINED THE STRUCTURE OF THE GOVERNMENT, THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE OFFICIALS INCLUDING THE BILL OF RIGHTS FOR THE FILIPINOS.

2. THE EXECUTIVE POWER WAS TO BE EXCERCISED BY THE GOVERNOR GENERAL [AMERICAN] APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND ADVICE OF THE U.S. SENATE. ALL CABINET MEMBERS WOULD BE FILIPINOS EXCEPT THE SECRETARY OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTIONS WHO WAS CONCURRENTLY THE VICE GOVERNOR AND HAD TO BE AN AMERICAN.

3. THE LEGISLATIVE POWER WAS VESTED ON A PHILIPPINE LEGISLATURE WHICH IS COMPOSED OF THREE HOUSES- THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AS THE LOWER HOUSE AND A PHILIPPINE SENATE AS THE UPPER HOUSE. THE MEMBERS OF THE TWO HOUSES WERE FILIPINOS TO BE ELECTED BY THE FILIPINOS.

4. THE JUDICIAL POWER WAS VESTED IN A SUPREME COURT TO BE HEADED BY A FILIPINO CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE LOWER COURTS LIKE THE COURTS OF FIRST INSTANCE AND ASSOCIATE JUSTICES TO BE COMPOSED OF FILIPINO AND AMERICAN. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WOULD APPOINT THE MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME COURT WITH THE CONSENT OF THE U.S. SENATE.

THE ELECTIONS OF THE PHILIPPINE LEGISLATURE WERE HELD ON OCTOBER 3, 1916. THE NEW LEGISLATURE WAS INAUGURATED ON OCTOBER 16, 1916 WITH SERGIO OSMENA ELECTED AS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND MANUEL L. QUEZON AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE SENATE.

IMPORTANTLY, THE JONES LAW PROVIDED FOR A BILL OF RIGHTS, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, FREEDOM OF RELIGION, FREEDOM TO PETITION FOR REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES, AND FREEDOM FOR ILLEGAL SEARCH. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE JONES LAW LIES IN THE OPPORTUNITY IT GAVE THE FILIPINOS TO RUN THEIR OWN COUNTRY ALMOST BY THEMSELVES ALONE.