was closed and the committee rose and recommended that further consideration of the bill be postponed until the next meeting of the Commission. The report of the Committee of the Whole was accepted. MESSAGE FROM THE ASSEMBLY. JANUARY 9, 1912. MR. PRESIDENT: I have been directed to inform your honorable body that the Assembly on January 9, 1912, passed the following Assembly Bill No. 927, in which it requests the concurrence of the Commission. An Act to authorize a continuing annual and reimbursable appropriation to meet the obligations of the Insular Government incurred by reason of contracts authorized by Act Numbered Thirteen hundred and ten, and for other purposes. Very respectfully, To the Honorable, RAMÓN DIOKNO, Secretary, Philippine Assembly. the PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION. By unanimous consent Assembly Bill No. 927 was read the first time by title only and referred to the Committee on Matters Pertaining to the Department of Commerce and Police for report and recommendation. REPORT OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. CONFERENCE REPORT NO. 28. The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendment of the Commission to Assembly Bill No. 79, entitled "An Act to provide Government scholarships for young Filipinos who shall have completed any professional course of study or who are otherwise licensed or authorized to practice scientific, artistic, or industrial professions, in order that they may continue their studies in the higher educational institutions in America or in Europe, and for other purposes," having met, after full and free conference have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows: (1) That the Commission agree to the increase of the number of Government fellowships provided for in section 1 of the bill, as amended by it, so that there shall be twenty permanent fellowships instead of only ten. (2) That the Commission likewise agree to having section 2 of the amended bill read as follows: "SEC. 2. An appointee under this Act shall be a citizen of the Philippine Islands of sound physical constitution and good character, and shall have studied and completed some professional, technical, scientific, artistic, or industrial course in the University of the Philippines and received a degree therefrom, or in some other educational institution of standing in the United States, Europe or the Philippine Islands." (3) That the Commission agree to amend section 6 of its amendment to read as follows: "SEC. 6. The holders of fellowships under this Act shall each receive, in monthly or quarterly installments, one thousand two hundred pesos a year; and they shall be entitled to tuition fees and to reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses for travel and subsistence to and from their homes in the Philippine Islands and their respective places of study in America or Europe, and for textbooks." (4) That the Commission agree to increase the continuing annual appropriation made in section 7 from 30,000 to 60,000; and, (5) That as so amended the Assembly concur in the amendment of the Commission. NEWTON W. GILBERT, JUAN SUMULONG, Managers on the part of the Commission. GREGORIO NIEVA, TOMÁS G. DEL ROSARIO, ANGEL SALAZAR, Managers on the part of the Assembly. On motion it was Resolved, That the Commission agree to the report of the committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendment of the Commission to Assembly Bill No. 79, entitled "An Act to provide Government scholarships for young Filipinos who shall have completed any professional course of study or who are otherwise licensed or authorized to practice scientific, artistic, or industrial professions, in order that they may continue their studies in the higher educational institutions in America or in Europe, and for other purposes." Ordered, That the Secretary notify the Assembly thereof. THIRD READING OF BILL. Assembly Bill No. 874. An Act providing for the postponement of the payment of installments on the purchase price of the so-called friar lands and interest thereon during the year nineteen hundred and twelve and every other year when there is drought or any other calamity, and providing that in no case shall more than one installment or annual rental be collected. Assembly Bill No. 874 was read the third time. Commissioner Worcester moved the following amend ment: Section 1, page 1, line 7, strike out the word "ordinary" and insert in lieu thereof the word "prevailing." The motion prevailed. The question then being upon its passage, the roll was called and the bill was unanimously passed. Commissioner Worcester then moved to amend the title to read as follows: An Act amending section fourteen of Act Numbered Eleven hundred and twenty by providing for the suspension of payments of rentals or installments on the purchase price of the so-called friar lands, and the interest thereon, in the event of calamities arising in consequence of the acts of God or of the public enemy. The motion prevailed, and the title as amended was read and approved. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the Assembly in the amendment of the Commission. At this point Commissioners Gilbert and Luzuriaga left the Session Chamber and Commissioner Worcester took the chair. REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEES. [Committee Report No. 345.] MR. PRESIDENT: Your Committee on Matters Pertaining to the Department of Commerce and Police, to which was referred on December 23, 1911, Assembly Bill No. 662, entitled "An Act authorizing the Director of Labor to commence and carry on civil and criminal actions on behalf of the working classes; to employ the services of the prosecuting officers of the Government in such actions; creating the position of law clerk in the Bureau of Labor, fixing the salary of said position and making an appropriation therefor," has examined the same and has the honor to report it back to the Commission with the following recommendation, viz: That the bill be laid on the table. There are some good features in this bill, but it is open to objections which in my judgment should prevent its being enacted into law. It is class legislation, which will tend to promote litigation and disturb the relations between employer and employee. It also creates a new office, and will require an additional appropriation, which is not advisable at present. There is no necessity for a law clerk in the Bureau of Labor. It would further transfer the control of the fiscals, even in criminal cases, from the court and the Bureau of Justice to the Director of Labor, thus making a radical and undesirable change in the law. Respectfully submitted. To the Honorable, C. B. ELLIOTT, Committee on Matters Pertaining to the the PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION. The report and the recommendation contained therein were adopted. [Committee Report No. 346.] MR. PRESIDENT: Your Committee on Matters Pertaining to the Department of Finance and Justice, to which was referred on January 6, 1912, resolution No. 101 of the assembly of municipal presidents of the Province of Pangasinan requesting legislation increasing the punishment for cattle stealing, has examined the same and has the honor to report it back to the Commission with the following recommendation, viz: That the communication be laid on the table. At the last session of the Legislature an Act was passed increasing the punishment for the theft of work animals, and for this reason your committee sees no necessity for the proposed legislation. Respectfully submitted. To the Honorable, GREGORIO ARANETA, Committee on Matters Pertaining to the the PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION. The report and the recommendation contained therein were adopted. [Committee Report No. 347.] MR. PRESIDENT: Your Committee on Taxation and Revenue, to which was referred Assembly Bill No. 888, entitled "An Act authorizing provincial boards to remit the collection of the land tax for the years nineteen hundred and two, nineteen hundred and three, nineteen hundred and four, and nineteen hundred and five, under certain conditions, and extending the time for the redemption of lands and improvements which have been sold for delinquency in the payment of the land tax," has examined the same and has the honor to report it back to the Commission with the recommendation that it be laid on the table. Several petitions and other bills to similar effect as this bill have been considered by your committee, and laid on the table on its recommendation, and your committee sees no change in conditions which would warrant the proposed legislation. Respectfully submitted. To the Honorable, FRANK A. BRANAGAN, NEWTON W. GILBERT, RAFAEL PALMA, Committee on Taxation and Revenue. the PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION. The report and the recommendation contained therein were adopted. [Committee Report No. 348.] MR. PRESIDENT: Your Committee on Taxation and Revenue, to which was referred Assembly Bill No. 889, entitled "An Act authorizing provincial boards to remit, suspend, or postpone the payment, without penalty, of the land tax, in whole or in part, in their respective provinces during the year nineteen hundred and twelve, and appropriating the sum of one million three hundred and forty-five thousand pesos, or so much thereof as may be necessary, from Insular funds not otherwise appropriated, to reimburse to the provinces and municipalities the amounts collected by them from land taxes during the year nineteen hundred and eleven," and a petition from the municipal council of Cabatuan for a suspension of the land tax for the year 1912, has examined the same and has the honor to report them back to the Commission with the recommendation that they be laid on the table. The only change the bill makes in existing law is to eliminate the Governor-General's approval of resolutions suspending or remitting the land tax, and as your committee believes this executive supervision desirable, and that there is no good reason for further |