ity conferred upon us.

Taylor has correctly described our method of procedure in the
following words:--

"On September 1, 1900, the Commission began its legislative and
executive duties. In performing them it adopted the policy of passing
no laws, except in cases of emergency, without publishing them in the
daily press, nor until after they had passed a second reading and the
public had been given an opportunity to come before the Commission and
suggest objections or amendments to the bills. Before enacting them
they were submitted to the military governor for his consideration
and comment." [460]

The other especially important events of our first legislative
year were the establishment of civil rule in the municipalities
as well as in thirty-eight provinces and the substitution of the
military central government by the gradual creation of bureaus and
the ultimate appointment of a civil governor and of five heads of
executive departments.

On November 23, 1900, we passed an act providing for the establishment
of a civil government in the province of Benguet, and thus it happened
that a province practically all of whose inhabitants were members of
a non-Christian tribe was the first to enjoy the benefits of civil
rule. This action grew out of investigations by General Wright and
myself made when visiting Baguio during the latter part of July, which
led us to the conclusion that civil government could be established in
Benguet at any time and should be established as soon as possible. In
view of the rather primitive state of civilization of the people for
whom we were legislating, a special act adapted to local conditions
was passed providing for a provincial government and fixing a form
of government for the several settlements.

On January 31, 1901, we passed an act for the organization of municipal
governments in the Philippine Islands which, with various amendments,
is still in effect and has been made applicable to all municipal
corporations of the Philippines inhabited chiefly by Filipinos, except
the city of Manila, the city of Baguio and a few small settlements
in the so-called special government provinces. [461]

On February 6, 1901, we passed a general act for the organization of
provincial governments in the Philippine Islands. A special act was
required to make it applicable to any given province.

Having thus prepared for the serious work of establishing civil
government throughout the archipelago