Philippine Commission | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | of the Philippine Legislature |
| History | |
| Founded | March 16, 1900 |
| Disbanded | October 16, 1916 |
| Preceded by | U.S. military government |
| Succeeded by | U.S. insular government |
| Leadership | |
| Seats | 5 |
 |
|---|
 Philippines portal |
The Taft Commission, also known as the Second Philippine Commission (Filipino: Ikalawang Komisyon ng Pilipinas), 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 U.S. was engaged in the Philippine–American War.
McKinley's letter of instruction to the commission 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 United States. 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".
- ^ Aguinaldo 2016, pp. 133–134.
- ^ United States. President William McKinley (April 7, 1900). "Instructions of the President to the Philippine commission". The United States and its Territorieed : 1870 - 1925 " The Age of Imperialism. University of Michigan.
- ^ U.S. War Department 1901, p. 11.
- ^ "American President: A Reference Resource" Archived August 7, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. University of Virginia Miller Center. Retrieved on August 7, 2013.