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The Philippine Civil Service

Author(s): William S. WashburnSource: The Journal of Race Development, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jul., 1910), pp. 36-57Published by:Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/29737846 .

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THE PHILIPPINE CIVIL SERVICEBy William S. Washburn, United States Civil Service

CommissionerAn Address Delivered at Clark University during the Conference upon theFar East

It is eminently fitting that in celebrating the twentiethanniversary of the founding of Clark University the princi?ples which have controlled the action of our government inits relations to the Philippine Islands be subjected to thatclose scrutiny and critical analysis which characterize the

work of this great university.In considering the problems incident to instituting and

maintaining good government in the Philippine Islands aselsewhere, measures and men are the principal factors.Just as government measures may be good or bad, helpfulor harmful, so also administration may be beyond criticism,or vice versa. Good government usually results from wisemeasures faithfully observed by the intelligent action ofcapable and upright men.While formerly the colonizing movement of Europeannations was largely one of exploitation and national aggran?dizement, during the last century the attitude of the successfulcolonizing nations has greatly changed, so that their coloniesor dependencies are now largely the beneficiaries of thecontrol exercised by home governments. Experience hasdemonstrated that, aside from the benevolent assimilationidea, prosperity in a dependency is indirectly of materialadvantage to the home country and in recent years thetendency has been to adopt measures intended to promotecolonial well-being.This principle is no less applicable in the Philippines thanelsewhere. Our government has had to strive against manyadverse conditions in the endeavor to bring about a higher

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THE PHILIPPINE CIVIL SERVICE 37

degree of prosperity in the islands. Those who have giventhe matter impartial consideration in the light of modernhistory have reached the conclusion that a helpful remedylies in the application of the tariff measure just enacted,reducing the duty on Philippine products imported intothe United States. Undoubtedly many difficult problemsinPhilippine government administration will thus be solvedand the material interests of both the United States andthe Philippines will be subserved by improving economicconditions in the islands. In any event our country can notafford to neglect the interests of the Filipino people and thusassume the position of European colonizing powers of acentury ago. The white man's burden is upon us, and weshould carry itwith the strength and courage that befits astrong and courageous people.

It is not my purpose, however, to discuss measures,but rather that phase of government in the Philippine Islandswhich has to do with the personnel, with efficiency and econ?omy, integrity and dignity in the civil service, and withgood administration. Even with wise measures good govern?ment cannot be attained or maintained without an honest andefficient personnel. In the treatment of this subject I shalladopt the comparative method and invoke the aid of thehistory and experience of other nations to illuminate thesubject.

The Patronage Principle

For more than a century the patronage system and themerit system, the one feudalistic and the other democratic,embodying distinctly opposing principles relating to appoint?ment and employment in the public service, have been strug?gling as never before for the mastery. From the dawn ofhistory the patronage principle was an integral and inher?ent part of all government administration, and was domi?nant until the rise of democracy. With the recognition ofthe rights of the masses this feudalistic principle began to bequestioned and the more democratic principle of merit hasin recent times been gradually replacing the former.



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38 william s. washburn

Need of the Merit System

In briefly reviewing the civil service reform movement Ishall draw freely from the results of a study of this subjectmade on a former occasion.

That the merit system of appointment is essential to themaintenance of good government is patent to every studentof the history and development of the civil service in theUnited States and elsewhere. The public service the worldover has always been an inviting field for graft and wrong?doing. The reign of corruption and scandal was not thereign of law, but of demoralization and anarchy, entailing

wrongs on subject peoples, and resulting in embarrassment,and in some cases disaster, to home governments.

In the earlier days governments were frequently honey?combed with corrupting influences and there was not enoughhealthful public sentiment to cure evils generally well knownand acknowledged. Over fifty year s ago some of the Europeancountries, notably England and Holland, and a quarter ofa century later theUnited States, began effectivelyto repudiatethe patronage system of appointment, advancement, and re?tention of the personnel of the public service by the adoptionof the saner method of selection on merit and personal fitness.

Compared with the service in either hemisphere a quarteror a half century ago, the people of these countries and oftheir dependencies have cause for sincere congratulationin the establishment of a relatively clean, honest, and effi?cient public service. For many governments the day ofpurification has not yet come. It is of course idle to speculateas to what position in the colonial world Spain would nowbe occupying had she adopted the policy of England andHolland, and secured and retained the services of capableand honest colonial officials.

New Policy Adopted by England and HollandWith the loss of the thirteen American colonies, the recon?struction of the British Empire was begun under a moreliberal and enlightened policy. Great Britain has since



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established a world-wide empire, and of the great colonizingnations ofmodern times is easily first in colonial achievement,while the flag of Castile and Aragon, of Ferdinand andIsabella, once the most glorious in the world by reason ofterritorial acquisition, has almost ceased to wave beyond thepeninsula.

During the last century Holland abandoned the culturesystem which originated with the Dutch East India Com?pany, and is now administering affairs with greater consider?ation for the welfare of the natives of her East Indian posses?sions. France has adopted a similar policy in the controlexercised by the home government over her dependencies.

Nowadays, not only do colonies, as a rule, yield no directrevenue to the home governments, but in some cases theyare sources of heavy expense.The carrying out of this more beneficent and compara?

tively more liberal policy of fair treatment of the natives ofdependencies, has been attended with many difficulties,the chief of which has been the failure to secure the servicesof honest and reliable colonial officials. Long after thisnew policy was announced individual officials sought toenrich themselves as in days of old, with the result thatgovernment revenues were constantly being diverted fromlegitimate channels.

Application of the Merit System to the Civil Serviceof India

Although subsequently shown to be not guilty of muchwith which he was charged, the revelations of the ten years'trial ofWarren Hastings, the trial of Clive, and the utter?ances of eminent British statesmen tended to crystallizepublic opinion in Great Britain in favor of civil service reform.In 1853 the British Parliament passed an act which providedfor the making of appointments through open competitiveexamination of British subjects to the imperial (formerlycalled " covenanted") civil service of India, but this reformmeasure did not become effective in time to prevent thegreat Indian mutiny of 1857, the natural result of the mal



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40 WILLIAM S. WASHBURN

administration and mismanagement of dishonest and ineffi?cient officials, who had received appointment through favor.This reform provision, incorporated into the India act of1853, has been declared to be "one of the most enlightened,liberal, salutary, and far-reaching provisions ever incorpor?ated into the administrative laws of any nation," and" resulted in the overthrow of the old spoils system in GreatBritain itself, and the substitution therefor of free, opencompetitions of merit, both in the military and the civiladministrations."

The first regulations governing appointment through com?petitive examinations for the British Indian civil service,based on the report of a commission headed by Lord

Macaulay, have been revised from time to time.In 1889 the "provincial" civil service contra-distinguished

from the imperial or "covenanted" service, was established,thus providing for natives of India a systematic method ofentrance into the Indian service. Rules governing theappointment of natives of "proved merit and ability"were promulgated, which provided for examination and forpermanent appointment after a period of probationaryservice.

In 1864 the Dutch and in 1873 the French found it neces?sary to adopt the competitive examination system inmakingappointments to their colonial services, the results of whichare comparable only with the results obtained by GreatBritain.

Reform Movement in the United StatesThe reform movement is dominant now in America,

insisting not only on clean governmental operations, butalso the enactment of laws for the betterment of the people,for their moral, mental, and physical elevation. Supportedby eminent men in all the walks of life, the ever increasingnumber of reform organizations through which public senti?

ment finds expression, are having a manifest influence onthe selection of men for public office and the enactment of

wholesome laws for the improvement of social conditionsand the better protection of life and property.



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It is desirable and essential that these reform influencesand the power of public opinion in the United States extendto the Philippines and insist on the continuance and mainte?nance of a clean public service, the selection, retention,and advancement of the best men available, the elimina?tion of the unfit, and the ultimate establishment of a dig?nified, efficient, and permanent service?one which shallgive the Filipino people every opportunity for developmentand constitute an added achievement of the United States,worthy of the nation's greatness.

The Phillipine Government OrganizationWhile general knowledge of the Philippine goverment

organization might be assumed, a brief outline to refreshthe memory may properly be given at this time. Of thethree branches of the central government, the executivebranch is presided over by a governor-general and four mem?bers of the Philippine Commission who are secretaries of thefour departments into which the general administrativework of the government is divided. Under the immediatecontrol of the governor-general is the executive office, thecivil service office, and the auditor's office. All other bu?reaus or offices of the central government are under the execu?tive control of the four members of the Commission who aresecretaries of departments.The legislature is composed of thePhilippine Commission,at present a body of seven members, appointed by the Pres?ident of the United States, which constitutes the upperhouse of the legislature, and the assembly of eighty memberselected by the people, which constitutes the lower house.The judicial branch comprises a supreme court, sitting in

Manila, of seven justices appointed by the President, courtsof first instance, for which purpose the islands are dividedinto fifteen districts, and finally numerous justice-of-the-peacecourts.

For the purposes of administration, the Moros and othernon-Christian tribes are by law placed under the controlof the Philippine Commission. The organization of the



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Moro province, the inhabitants of which are principallyMohammedans, is distinct from the general provincialorganization common to the Christianized provinces of thePhilippine Islands. The Moros are governed directly by anarmy officer as governor, who is assisted by a council com?posed of officers of the army and civilian appointees. AllChristianized people of the islands are subject to the lawrsofthe central, provincial, and municipal government organi?zations.Provincial government organization is centered in boardscomposed of three members, a provincial treasurer, ap?pointed by the governor-general, a provincial governor,and a third member elected by the people.

The government of municipalities or pueblos is under thecontrol of municipal councils, each composed of a presidentand several members, all of whom are elected by the people.Provision ismade by special charter for the government ofthe city of Manila, by a municipal board. The chairmanand three members of the board are appointed by the gover?nor-general and two members are elected by the people.

Extent of the Philippine Civil ServiceThere being no military or naval branches of the public

service of the Philippine government, the civil service in?cludes the entire public service of that government. Thearmy and navy belong to the federal establishment, and theiroperation in the Philippines, as elsewhere, is supported bythe federal government. The first constructive enactmentof the Philippine Commission as a legislative body was thecivil service act passed in September, 1900. All its vitalprovisions are still in force. Of all the laws of the Commis?sion, it has best stood the test of time and the criticism ofthose opposed to the effective merit system which the homegovernment, through the Philippine Commission, sought toestablish and maintain in these islands.

Methods of entrance into the service and the duties andprivileges of the personnel are now, for the most part, clearlydefined in the revised civil service act and rules.



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When adopted the Philippine civil service act applied tocomparatively few positions. As the government organiza?tion developed and bureaus and offices were organized, thepositions thus created were placed in the so-called classifiedservice, appointments to which are made subject to examina?tions, the acts organizing the several bureaus leaving in theunclassified service positions, which, in the judgment of theCommission, it was inexpedient to fill through competitiveexamination. Finally the examination requirements of theact were made to apply to all positions in the legislative(except the assembly), executive, and judicial branches of thecentral government, in the provincial governments, and inthe government of the city of Manila, except certain posi?tions specifically exempted from examination, which, forthe most part, are exempt in nearly all governments, national,state, and municipal, having merit system laws.

The original provision of the civil service act for the ap?pointment of unskilled laborers by non-competitive exami?nation or by registration was found to be impracticableowing to the ignorance of the average laborer, the difficultyof securing a sufficient supply of satisfactory laborers andthe lack of competition. Skilled workman positions andcertain clerical and other subordinate positions have beenretained in the examination or classified service, in spite ofthe persistent and, for a time, partially successful oppositionof a small coterie of misguided American officials.

The Character of Competitive ExaminationsIt has been our constant study in the examining feature ofour work in the Philippines, to give appropriate and prac?tical tests of fitness for appointments. To do this requiresan accurate knowledge of the duties of the various positionsand classes of work. Reliance is rarely placed on scholastictests alone. Examiners are expected to observe applicants

closely and record their observations. Personal contactand inquiry bring to light evidences of fitness or unfitnessnot ordinarily discoverable by routine methods. Thephysical presence of an applicant or competitor sometimes



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reveals defects moral or physical, growing out of vicioushabits. The nature, scope, and form of inquiry outlinedin forms of application furnish fairly reliable evidencefor comparative ratings as to training and experience, animportant subject in most examinations. Appropriatepractical questions or tests relating to the duties of theposition sought constitute another important subject in

many examinations. These, together with subjects selectedto test general intelligence, present evidence of fitnesson which reliable, comparative, general ratings are at?tained. Practically adapted scholastic examinations aregiven when warranted by the nature of the work required tobe done. By such methods as outlined above, applicantsunfit for the public service, morally, mentally, or physically,are almost invariably found to be ineligible for appointment,and those best fitted are placed highest on the registers,entitling them to the first chance for trial as probationers,the final practical test of fitness under the examination sys?tem before permanent appointment.

The Promotion of the English Language

Applicants are examined either in the English or in theSpanish language, but those who are citizens of the UnitedStates are tested in the Spanish language and those who arenatives of the Philippine islands are tested in the Englishlanguage whenever, in the opinion of the director of civilservice, a knowledge of both languages is essential to theefficient discharge of the duties of the position sought. Theeffect of this provision of the law has stimulated the attain?ment of the Spanish language by English-speaking appli?cants, and the attainment of the English language by Span?ish-speaking applicants. The general civil service exami?nation requirements have led to the opening of nightschools devoted to preparing Filipinos for examinations,and have markedly stimulated effort in educational matters.Filipinos have now secured a sufficient knowledge of the Eng?lish language to be successful in examinations taken in Eng?lish .While formerly more Filipinos were appointed from regis



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ters obtained as a result of examinations given in Spanishthan from registers obtained as a result of examinationsgiven inEnglish, it is a remarkable and significant fact thatafter only a few years of American tutelage appointmentsare now being made principally from English registers ofeligibles.

Filipino Adaptability

The field of employment of Filipinos broadens with theiracquisition of a knowledge of the English language and theindustrial arts. The Filipinos excel in penmanship and arerapidly becoming proficient in routine clerical work as type?

writers and copyists. Many have been appointed to posi?tions in other grades, such as copyist of drawings, printer,interpreter, assistant sanitary inspector, forestry ranger,policeman, fireman, mechanic, etc.

The employment of Filipinos in certain classes of positions,especially clerical and mechanical, has demonstrated a fairdegree of capacity and efficiency. They possess adaptabilityand learn rapidly under those who are themselves skilledand not prejudiced against them. While it has been diffi?cult to induce some American officials to employ them freely,as such appointees naturally require more instruction than

Americans, the success of several of the bureaus in the em?ployment of Filipinos almost exclusively, clearly demon?strates the practicability of carrying on the routine workof government almost wholly with natives. The increasededucational advantages offered Filipinos, especially in indus?trial and vocational lines, is fitting them to fill many posi?tions vacated by Americans. The need of Americans isnow practically limited to superintendents, experts, special?ists, or, broadly speaking, instructors. Americans are ap?pointed principally to fill positions, the duties of which aretechnical, professional, scientific, or administrative incharacter.



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46 william s. wrashburn

Gradual Substitution of Filipinos for Americans

Eight years have elapsed since civil administration suc?ceeded military government in the Philippines. Duringthis period the policy has been to give preference to Filipinosin appointment to all positions which they are capable offilling. There has been a gradual reduction in the number ofAmericans connected with the government. While thereare now approximately twenty-five hundred Americans witha regular status in the service of the Philippine government,this number, though relatively larger than the number ofBritish in the civil service of India, is needed at present tocarry on the work of government efficiently. All unskilledlaborers, numbering many thousands, are Filipinos or other

Orientals?Japanese and Chinese. The constabulary, num?bering approximately five thousand, is 95 per cent Filipino.The municipal governments outside of the city of Manilaare autonomous and the provincial governments are in alarge measure also autonomous, with no Americans in theservice of the former and but few in the latter. Americansin the Philippine Service are connected principally with the

bureaus and offices of the central government. In thejudiciary about half of the judges are Filipinos, and in theupper branch of the legislature, the Philippine Commission,nearly half of themembers are Filipinos. The lower branch,the assembly, including its entire personnel, is wholly Fili?pino.

Political Conditions Favorable to an Oligarchy ifPeople Left to Their Own Resources

I now come to a phase of the subject which involves someconsideration of Filipino character and customs. I shallspeak frankly, yet considerately and sympathetically, as asincere friend of the best interests of the Filipino people.But a small proportion of the Filipino population takeany personal interest in politics. These few belong prin?cipally to the Cacique or the Ilustrado classes, and I suppose,accustomed as they have been from time immemorial to



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govern, actually feel that they have a sort of proprietaryright to the offices; as a general rule, they are looked up to asfunctionaries by the masses of the people. The rulingclasses were never trained by Spanish officials to guardthe interests of the common people, but rather to enrichthemselves. In that portion of Manila known as Intramurosis the foundation for a large public building. While thebuilding was never actually constructed, it is reported thatthe Spanish government repeatedly sent funds to Manilafor repairs, which like the money for the erection of thebuilding, went into the pockets of dishonest officials. Whatcan be expected of a people reared under this sort of tutelage?These lessons in corruption were not lost on the Filipinoswho are wont to excuse many unusual procedures with theexpression "es costumbre del pais77 (it is the custom of thecountry).The Filipino has had little opportunity for grafting since

American occupation. The payment of exclusive salaries,however, constitutes a real menace to good government inthe Philippines. If the salaries of some of the Filipinoofficials were measured by their capacity and efficiency,their rates of compensation would be but a fraction of whatthey are now receiving. Under the conditions attendanton the organization of civil government some of these ex?cessive salaries, however, were probably justified. A furtherevidence of the present unfitness of the Filipinos for selfgovernment appears in the reckless extravagance in expend?ing the revenues for salaries. During the very first sessionof the Philippine assembly, but a few weeks after its creationand organization and while bewailing the oppression of the

people and poverty of the country, the members voted toincrease their own salaries from $10 to $15 per diem. Thesalaries of the members of the Philippine assembly are nowlarger than the salaries of the members of any State legis?lature in the United States except the great commonwealthsof New York and Pennsylvania. Officials in some of the

provinces, where local government is practically automonous,have been known to vote the entire revenues of a provincefor salaries.



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Temperamental Characteristics

The Filipino is never boorish. He is generally the em?bodiment of politeness and often has the polish of the wellbred, the gentleman, but his idea of honesty and integrityis frequently quite different from that inculcated under oursystem of ethics. When confronted with the fact of havingspoken untruthfully or of having taken by theft that whichdoes not belong to him, his explanations are often charac?terized by much simplicity and innocence as well as ingenuity.He may say he told you what he thought you would bepleased to hear, that he did not want to hurt your feelings;and, in the case of theft, that it was an accident, or thathe was simply borrowing and would return the article pocotiempo despu?s (after a little time).It is important that American administrators understandthe mental attitude and possesss an intimate knowledge ofthe history of the Filipino people. The difference in outlookand attitude between Oriental and European are so real andfundamental that we do not know them as we know the men

who are the products of western civilization. There isneed for better understanding of Filipino philosophy, ofhis character, of his personality. The Oriental is an inter?esting study in psychology, but such a study, to be of muchvalue, can not profitably be made at long range, but mustbe made on the ground and cover a considerable periodof observation and study of his daily life in the light of hispolitical and religious history. Reference is frequently

made to the difference between eastern and western civilzation, and the European who travels and lives in Orientalcountries sees on every hand phases of life, the evidences ofa civilization, to which he has been unaccustomed. It maybe interesting to him because of the novelty, or, if he isstudious and thoughtful and inclined to investigate, theaverage man soon reaches the realm of mystery and wiselyconcludes that he does not understand. If he is broad

minded and tolerant enough, he will not condemn everythingbecause the people appear to him to be a hundred or a thou?sand years behind the times. For these reasons American



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administrators in the Philippines should not only possesswell disciplined minds and sound judgment, but they shouldbe men of high ideals and be actuated by principles of theright sort, men who are inclined to get at the mainspringsof action which govern the Filipino and to enlist his sym?pathy and cooperation in helping him to conform to modern

methods and usages in working out his own destiny.

Character and Qualifications of AmericansDuring the early organization period of civil governmentin the Philippines, appointments to official and many other

positions were generally made without examination. Sincevacancies in official positions have been, for the most part,filled by promotion from the classified service, malfeasancein office on the part of Americans has been lessened in pro?portion to the completeness of the application of the meritsystem. Many of these early appointments, made beforethe act became fully operative, clearly indicate the necessityfor stringent rules by which appointments shall bemade tothe public service strictly on a merit system basis. Underthe revised civil service act and rules the appointment orretention of incompetent persons is wholly inexcusable atthe present time.It is clear that the American in the Philippine serviceshould be a very high type of man, self-reliant and resource?ful, possessing a well-trained mind and that force of charac?ter which commands respect. To be successful he must pos?sess tact and industry in a high degree. He has to minglewith a people whose civilization is at once primitive andarchaic and very different from that to which he has beenaccustomed, a people who need enlightenment in modernmethods of accomplishment and to be taught by exampleas well as by precept. The American official should beheartily in sympathy with the settled purpose of the govern?ment, which contemplates that capable Filipinos shall begiven opportunity to aid in carrying on the work of govern?

ment, as their participation is in the interests of economicaladministration and accords with the policy of assisting a de



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pendent people to work out their own destiny. CompetentAmericans with this attitude are able to render conspicuousservice in the difficult situations which confront the govern?

ment.It has been amply demonstrated in the Philippines thatan efficient and honest civil service can not be established

or maintained in a dependency by the appointment or re?tention of men who do not possess adequate training andinherent integrity. Though they be relatively few, thelapses and failures of unfit and unworthy Americans do notpass unnoticed by Filipinos, but produce distrust and leadto unfortunate generalizations, thus increasing the difficul?ties of administration.

Continuity of Service is Essential to EfficiencyNor can a high degree of efficiency in the service be reached

and maintained with a transient personnel. From thestandpoint of economy as well as efficiency, colonial appoint?

ments should contemplate a long period of service, and con?sequently a career. Adequate salaries, the observance ofthe principle of promotion to the higher positions accordingto merit, with a liberal leave of absence to visit the homeland, all of which are provided by existing law, are necessaryto retain the most competent Americans and to secure anefficient and dignified service at all comparable with ourmilitary and naval services and the British Indian civilservice.

Importance of Making Merit the Basis of Retentionand Advancement in the Service

One of the most important problems relating to the civil serv?ice is to provide a system of promotion based on merit, the

working out of which is attended with almost insuperable diffi?culty. The rules relating to promotions contemplate that con?sideration be given to quantity and quality of work, physicalcondition, habits, character, conduct, aptitude and adapta?bility, punctuality, and attendance. A systematic record



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is required by rule to be kept in each bureau and office,showing the relative efficiency of employes based on con?sideration of the elements enumerated, and a report for?

warded to the Civil Service Office semi-annually. In makingselection for promotion of the most competent, the entirerecord of each employe is always available for considera?tion, themaking of which record is largely in his own hands.

Appointments and promotions made in accordance withthe letter and the spirit of the civil service law mean therecognition of the most deserving and the elimination offavoritism and nepotism. Conferences like this, and asso?ciations having similar aims, stand for the recognition ofthe capable and honest man. Obviously and logically thegrafter, the inefficient, and the ignoble can not consistentlybe retained in the public service. There is, of course, inprivate relations always room for individual freedom ofaction as between man and man; but sensible business men,however charitably inclined, do not knowingly employ orretain in their service this class of persons. Certainly notrustee or public official entrusted with the wise and properexpenditure of other people's money should be governed byprinciples or standards in the matter of the employment ofpersons and expenditure of funds?the public revenues, if youplease?widely different from those principles and standardswhich the honest business man of sound judgment ordinarilyadopts and follows. Those who talk much of running

a govern?ment on business principles are often the first to violate theprinciples they proclaim. In this day prodigies of valoror spasms of industry or of brilliancy are not indispensable,but the idea should be paramount that tenure of office isassured only by the exhibition of qualities essential to themaintenance of good government, such as honesty and capa?bility, industry and reliability.If the civil service law is faithfully observed in letter andin spirit, competent and reliable men in the service have theassurance that the higher positions may be filled by themas vacancies occur, rather than by the original appointmentof the less competent from private life. This in briefand in fact is the purpose of the civil service law in the



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Philippines, alike advantageous to the public service andto honest and capable Filipinos and Americans, the latterofwhom would not be justified in severing home relationsand going to the far away islands unless the service offersopportunity for advancement on merit.

Some Critics and Their Criticisms

The Philippine civil service has received at home andabroad, its fair share of criticism, constructive and destructive,favorable and unfavorable. Complaints from the deservinghave been comparatively few, from the undeserving, many.In former years bombardment by the latter was fierceand continuous. To point a moral or to adorn a tale, asyou choose, I may be permitted a personal reference. AUnited States minister to a foreign country once asked mein the presence of Governor-General Wright if I stood bymyguns and did my duty in enforcing the civil service law.Before I could reply the governor-general was saying, "Hedoes, but they get mighty hot sometimes," towhich Iwas ableto add, "And the governor-general always stands by the gun?ner. JJ The real point of this incident deserving of emphasis isthe important fact, worthy of all praise, that each of the govern?ors-general without exception stood for an effective civil servcive law and its enforcement. Without executive support the

merit system in the Philippines must inevitably be a failure.There are those in the Philippines who complain that therules and regulations of the civil service office are too inflexi?ble. Almost invariably it is observed that such criticismis based upon some action of the office unfavorable to thecomplainant, but thoroughly consistent and sound in law andlogic. In other words, the action taken is condemned be?cause a law, rule, or regulation has not been flexed by par?tiality or favoritism to subserve the interests of the com?plainant or his personal friends. Neither a civil service lawnor a body designated to execute such a law could long sur?vive under a policy of flexibility of interpretation in theinterest of individuals but both would soon be lost in aninextricable maze of inconsistencies and unhappy prece



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dents and be brought finally into disrepute. I have consist?ently insisted on an honest enforcement of the law, realizingthat only by its observance can impartiality be assured anda high degree of efficiency and honesty attained. As statedby President Roosevelt in one of his messages to Congress,"It is important that this? the merit ?system be observedat home, but it ismore important that it be rigidly enforcedin our insular possessions/7 President Taft, the first gover?nor-general of the Philippines, recognized this principle andobserved it by concrete application, during his administra?tion of Philippine affairs.I left the work in the Philippines, always to me intenselyinteresting, with much regret; regret that I could not accom?plish greater things in helping to create a service of highesttype; regret that sometimes plain duty required action ad?verse to the interests of an individual against my personalinclinations. "Hard cases'7 make powerful appeal to one'ssympathy, but they are responsible for much bad law and

many bad precedents. While there are times when cases arisewhich strongly tempt one to violate, through official action,his convictions of duty and impartiality, the law is the onlysafe guide, and, if faithfully adhered to, the deserving willrarely be prejudiced, all will be given a square deal, and thepurpose and majesty of the law will be maintained.The most reliable authors and critics of Philippine affairsare those whose stay in the islands has been prolonged, whohave had time, opportunity, and inclination to obtain clearviews of existing conditions and have faithfully and discrimi?natingly recorded facts and drawn logical deductions; theseobservers have made contributions of real and permanentvalue to the literature on the Philippine islands. Certainwriters, on the other hand, after spending a few days orweeks in the islands, have written and published much thatwas erroneous and unfair, which perhaps carries its ownantidote. Honest and intelligent comparative criticism ofgovernment operations is helpful, especially when comingfrom those who by education and position should be able tospeak authoritatively and candidly. Nevertheless, I havebeen constrained to say that certain critics in some instances



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display by their inaccuracy and attitude a need of definiteinformation and lack of appreciation of the principles under?lying the policy of the Philippine government. They seemnot to realize that they have no standard by which they canjudge of success or failure in the Philippines from the factthat never before has there been instituted a scheme ofcolonial government so beneficent and humanitarian as thatwhich the United States has instituted and ispledged to carryon in these islands. There isno precedent inhistory to whichthey can point as an example that the attempted mental andmoral elevation of a people of an Oriental dependency hasproved a failure and been detrimental to their materialwelfare. Following the army, the general education idea,symbolized by the little red school house of our own land,has been carried to those distant islands by a corps of morethan a thousand earnest, capable, and high-minded young

American men and women who won their appointments andpromotions by competitive examinations. Everywhere inthe pueblos and barrios in the Philippines the little schoolhouse of nipa and bamboo is being set up to accommodatethe children who, eager to learn and thirsting for knowledge,are presenting themselves in hundreds of thousands for in?struction.

The general education of the masses in a dependency isan American idea and something new in colonial achievement.In the broadest sense it is a missionary idea worthy of agreat mation like the United States, and should not be con?demned because it has not been extensively adopted by thesuccessful colonizing European nations. The views ofLord Macaulay expressed in his famous minute of 1835have been accepted in principle.

With Good Government Outlook Encouraging

The rapid acquirement of cultural and vocational knowl?edge through the medium of the world-wide English language,

must inevitably clear the way for the general adoption ofthe traditions, customs and laws of enlightened civilization



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and the unification and ultimate welfare of the Filipinopeople.For the last eight years I have seen much of the Filipinosin their home land, have had opportunity to learn their trueworth, to appreciate their virtues and their faults. It iscertainly true that they have many virtues and equallytrue that past environment and treatment are partly re?sponsible for their failure tomeasure up to the best standardsof civilization. Those who have approached them with aspirit of sympathy and helpfullness have been impressedwith the manifestations of sincere appreciation. The livesof hundreds of teachers and other civilians dwelling in remotecommunities, where but a single American was needed orcould be spared to aid in carrying on the work of govern?

ment, have been repeatedly entrusted to Filipinos. Offood and shelter the American teacher is generally given thebest the community affords, and time and again the hospi?table Filipinos have declined to accept any money compensa?tion therefor.

The door of knowledge has been opened to the Filipinoswith abiding faith that the gift of individual opportunity willbe found to fit into the general scheme for their physical,moral, and industrial uplifting, will give them abetter appre?

ciation of the principles of democratic government and insti?tutions, and will help to make them in time?probably notin your day nor in mine?partially at least if not fully pre?pared for self-government.

The Merit System and Not the Patronage System theHope of Good Government in the Philippines

Observation of the work of Filipinos in the classified servicegives hope that a fairly efficient and capable personnel,constantly increasing in numbers, will be gradually devel?oped in this part of the service, many of whom will undoubt?edly be able creditably to perform the duties and to meet theresponsibilities of administrative and executive positions.

History, observation, experience, and the logic of events,convince well-informed, open-minded, and thoughtful men



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that the merit system, made possible and effective by aproperly adapted educational system, and not the patronagesystem, must be depended upon for the development ofreliable and capable men needed for the great majority ofofficial as well as subordinate positions. In the practical

working out of the problem of government I have been accus?tomed to bespeak forFilipinos that genuine interest and help?fulness on the part of all Americans of the gentle, kindlyattitude of the strong man who habitually teaches by rightexample and sound precept. This is the attitude of thebroad-minded, sane-thinking administrator, and not thatof one who humiliates and discourages by boorish over?lording, nor yet one who spoils by coddling.

Danger from Reactionary ForcesWhile there has been real and substantial progress in the

effort to establish and maintain good government in thePhilippines and the struggle against the coercive power ofpatronage has not been in vain, yet the experience of the lasttwo or three years clearly indicates that a satisfactory futurefor that service is not by any means assured. A frank andfull presentation of conditions may be found in my lastannual report in which I endeavor to analyze the situation,to point out in detail impending dangers and suggest meansof forestalling reactionary forces. In view of the effortsheretofore made to modify the Philippine civil service law(also the rules), so as to render it ineffective as amerit systemmeasure and of the prospect of the more successful renewal

of such efforts in the absence of restraining influences, thecontrol of the service should be placed in the hands of thehome government, and provision be made for promulga?tion of civil service rules subject to the approval of theSecretary of War.

Creation of a Foreign ServiceThe suggestion ismade that it is quite possible that the

proposed law should be inclusive and apply to our other



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foreign possessions. The Spanish-American war and theacquirement of dependencies have occasioned the creationof a foreign civil service additional to the diplomatic andconsular service. I refer now to a trained corps of Americansfor public foreign service. The best interests of the peopleof these dependencies and of the home government, undoubt?edly demand the elimination from civil service, as far aspossible, of the patronage or Cacique system. To insure anefficient and dignified service, the time is ripe for definitiveaction looking toward the development and permanency ofa foreign service, the personnel of which shall include thebest type of American citizens, those who represent thebest traditions of American family life and the force of char?acter and breadth of view which education and culture give.Under existing conditions the personnel of our foreign civilservice can not be expected to compare favorably in effi?ciency and economy with that of European countries, wherethe benefits of training and experience acquired in the serviceaccrue to those governments by the retention of officials whenthey become most useful, thus establishing and preservingesprit and morale, very important factors in good adminis?tration in a dependency. Tenure should be assured, and thedoor of opportunity for transfer and promotion to otherfields in the foreign service, including the consular service,

might be opened with distinct advantage to the government,thus offering a careerwhich would justify the better equippedin remaining in the service and insure the development ofa corps of officials of the highest order of ability and useful?

ness.

journal of race development - 1910 - 6.pdf

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