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Taft Commission

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Philippine Commission
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
of the Philippine Legislature
History
FoundedMarch 16, 1900 (1900-03-16)
DisbandedOctober 16, 1916 (1916-10-16)
Preceded byU.S. military government
Succeeded by4th Philippine Legislature
Leadership
Seats5

The Taft Commission, also known as the Second Philippine Commission (Filipino: Ikalawang Komisyon ng Pilipinas, Spanish: Segunda Comisión de Filipinas), was established by United States President William McKinley on March 16, 1900, following the recommendations of the First Philippine Commission, using presidential war powers while the United States was engaged in the Philippine–American War.

McKinley's letter of instruction to the commission (dated April 7, 1900) defined American policies and intentions which make cultural and economic progress, acquire skill in self-government, and eventually progress to national independence. Emilio Aguinaldo, who led the Philippine war against America, wrote retrospectively in 1957 that McKinley's instructions to the commission would "prove one of the most important documents in the history of international relations."[1][2]

The Second Commission was at first the sole legislative body of the Philippines, then known as the Philippine Islands under the sovereign control of the U.S. After the passage of the Philippine Organic Act in 1902, the Commission functioned as the house of a bicameral legislature until it was supplanted by an elected legislature established in 1916 by the Philippine Autonomy Act.

William Howard Taft was the first head of the Philippine Commission from March 16, 1900 until July 4, 1901, after which the commission's head also became the Civil Governor of the Philippines.[3] Taft served in that office until January 31, 1904, when he was appointed Secretary of War by President Theodore Roosevelt.[4] Taft was succeeded by vice-governor Luke Edward Wright and the Philippine Commission was subsequently headed by a number of persons, but is often mentioned informally and collectively as the "Taft Commission".

Background

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The Second Philippine Commission (the Taft Commission), established by President William McKinley on March 16, 1900, and headed by William Howard Taft, was granted legislative as well as limited executive powers.[5] Between September 1900 and August 1902, it issued 499 laws, established a judicial system, including a Supreme Court, drew up a legal code, and organized a civil service.[6] The 1901 municipal code provided for popularly elected presidentes, vicepresidentes, and councilors to serve on municipal boards. The municipal board members were responsible for collecting taxes, maintaining municipal properties, and undertaking necessary construction projects; they also elected provincial governors.[7]

Commission membership

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Members of the Philippine Commission
1900–1916[8]
Original members[a]Period of service
William Howard Taft*March 16, 1900 – January 31, 1904
Henry Clay Ide*March 16, 1900 – September 19, 1906
Luke Edward Wright*March 16, 1900 – March 30, 1906
Dean Conant WorcesterMarch 16, 1900 – September 15, 1913
Bernard MosesMarch 16, 1900 – December 31, 1902
Subsequent MembersPeriod of service
Benito LegardaSeptember 1, 1901 – October 31, 1907
Trinidad Pardo de TaveraSeptember 1, 1901 – February 1909
Jose de LuzuriagaSeptember 1, 1901 – October 27, 1913
James Francis Smith*January 1, 1903 – November 10, 1909
William Cameron Forbes*June 5, 1904 – September 1, 1913
William Morgan ShusterSeptember 26, 1906 – February 28, 1909
Newton W. Gilbert*July 6, 1908 – December 1, 1913
Rafael PalmaJuly 6, 1908 – October 16, 1916
Gregorio S. AranetaFebruary 25, 1909 – October 27, 1913
Juan SumulongMarch 1, 1909 – October 26, 1913
Frank BranaganMarch 2, 1909 – October 26, 1913
Charles Burke ElliottFebruary 14, 1910 – February 1, 1913
Francis Burton Harrison*September 2, 1913 – October 16, 1916
Victorino MapaOctober 27, 1913 – October 16, 1916