ADJOURNMENT. Thereupon, at 12 o'clock and 20 minutes postmeridian, On motion by Commissioner Branagan, The Commission adjourned to meet at the call of the President. Attest: GEO. C. SCHWEICKERT, Secretary. THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1912. The Commission met at the call of the President at 10 o'clock and 30 minutes antemeridian. Present: Commissioners Gilbert, Luzuriaga, Araneta, Palma, Sumulong, Branagan, Elliott, and the President. Absent: Commissioner Worcester (on official business). The President being temporarily absent from the Session Chamber, Commissioner Gilbert took the chair. READING OF JOURNAL. The Journal of Wednesday, January 3, 1912, was read and approved. SPECIAL ORDER. Assembly Bill No. 633, entitled "An Act to exempt from payment of the land tax every kind of buildings, machinery, and implements on agricultural lands and used exclusively in the cultivation of such lands or in the production of crops thereon, or for the use thereof, or that are needed thereby, with certain exceptions," made a special order for this date, was then taken up for consideration. Commissioner Luzuriaga moved that the same be laid on the table. The motion prevailed. The President returned to the Session Chamber and assumed the chair. MESSAGE FROM THE ASSEMBLY. JANUARY 3, 1912. MR. PRESIDENT: I have been directed to inform your honorable body that the Assembly on January 3, 1912, passed the following Joint Resolution No. 34, in which it requests the concurrence of the Commission: Joint Resolution creating a select joint committee to investigate the crisis in rice and other food grains and to recommend to the Philippine Legislature the adoption of new measures to avert the consequences thereof. Very respectfully, To the Honorable, RAMÓN DIOKNO, Secretary, Philippine Assembly. the PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION. Assembly Joint Resolution No. 34 was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee of the Whole. It was considered in committee and reported back to the Commission with the recommendation that it pass with the following amendment: Line 7, strike out the words "as soon as possible" and insert in lieu thereof the words "not later than January twenty-fifth, nineteen hundred and twelve." Add at the end of the resolution the words "Such committee shall serve without compensation." The report and recommendation of the Committee of the Whole were adopted. On motion by Commissioner Gilbert, unanimously carried, The resolution was considered urgent under the provisions of Rule XIV, Rules of the Commission, and read the third time by title only. The question then being upon the adoption of the resolution, the roll was called and the resolution was unanimously adopted, and the title read and approved. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the Assembly in the amendment of the Commission. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES. [Committee Report No. 322.] MR. PRESIDENT: The Committee on Matters Pertaining to the Department of Commerce and Police, to which was referred on December 20, 1911, the amendment of the Assembly to Commission Bill No. 116, entitled "An Act to provide for the collection and apportionment between the Insular, provincial, and municipal governments of taxes paid by the grantees of franchises, their lessees, successors or assigns, on the gross earnings or receipts from the business covered by the law granting the franchise or any amendment thereof," has examined the same and has the honor to report it back to the Commission with the following recommendation, viz: That the Commission disagree to the amendment of the Assembly and request a conference with the Assembly thereon. The amendment made by the Assembly merely changes the proportion of the taxes which shall be paid to the Insular, provincial, and municipal governments. Respectfully submitted. To the Honorable, C. B. ELLIOTT, Committee on Matters Pertaining to the the PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION. At this point the President left the Session Chamber and Commissioner Gilbert took the chair. The report was adopted, and On motion, it was Resolved, That the Commission disagree to the amendment of the Assembly to Commission Bill Numbered One hundred and sixteen, entitled "An Act to provide for the collection and apportionment between the Insular, provincial, and municipal governments of taxes paid by the grantees of franchises, their lessees, successors or assigns, on the gross earnings or receipts from the business covered by the law granting the franchise or any amendment thereof," and request a conference with the Assembly on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses thereon. Ordered, That Commissioners Elliott, Luzuriaga, and Sumulong be the managers on the part of the Commission. [Committee Report No. 323.] MR. PRESIDENT: The Committee on Matters Pertaining to the Department of Commerce and Police, to which was referred on October 24, 1911, Assembly Bill No. 613, entitled "An Act establishing the office of provincial engineer, amending The Provincial Government Act and amendments thereto," has examined the same and has the honor to report it back to the Commission with the following recommendation, viz: That the bill be indefinitely postponed. This bill aims at the complete elimination from Insular super vision of all public works constructed in the provinces. Under its provisions the preparation of all plans, the type of construction to be employed and the method of carrying on work would be left entirely with the provincial engineer, his responsibility being to the provincial board only. This would defeat the present Government policy under which a systematic plan for the construction of public works is made possible. It would result in thirty-one independent construction units in which each unit would have absolute control within the limits of its territory, which would be a reversion to the conditions existing when the old Supervisor Law was in effect. It would mean variance in engineering standards, poor discipline in the field, and much inferior work. In addition to the results obtained under the present organization, which in itself demonstrates the effectiveness of central supervision, one of the strongest arguments in favor of such supervision lies in the attitude that is being taken by numerous State governments in the United States at the present time. Where previously road betterment and maintenance was left to county and road district organizations, State supervision has now been adopted by practically every State where extensive construction work is being carried on, and a State highway commission created with highway engineers employed for the supervision of all road and bridge work. The amount of money annually expended on road and bridge work in many of these States is less than the expenditure for similar work in the Philippines. While the proposed law purports to provide for a provincial engineer, in effect it creates a condition under which no engineer would accept employment. The mere fact that engineers' salaries might be decreased or the position declared vacant, at the option of the provincial board, would prevent an engineer from accepting such position, even at the maximum salary provided for in the Act. The Bureau is able to hold its best foremen at present only through the inducement of offering permanent employment; engineers, with a greater demand for their services in all parts, all the more require such inducement. The bill practically withdraws from the civil service engineering and skilled labor positions and in turn with ten months' services requires temporary employees to be provided with a civil-service position. The bill also contemplates the Bureau of Public Works holding a sufficient number of engineers in reserve, permitting provincial boards, by resolution, to "request the services of one or more engineers from the Bureau of Pubile Works" without making provision for the training of such engineers, the cost of securing such engineers, and the payment of their salaries while held in reserve. An engineer's services in a provincial position only become of real value after a year or more of training in provincial work. The |