Download Campaign for Independence (part II)

Campaign for Independence
(part II)
Reported by:
Ina Mae Penafuerte
The Supreme National
Council
While Osmena was in Washington,
Quezon launched the National
Supreme Council, uniting all political
parties and all segments of Filipino
society for an ostensibly effective
vigorous
fight
for
Philippine
independence.
Objectives of the Supreme
National Council

The
attraction
of
substantial
Filipinos not heretofore prominent in
the independence campaign, with the
seeming subordination of the politico
element which thus far had
dominated it.

The
decentralization
of
the
campaign, so that the provinces
might take an active part, heretofore
played only by Manila.

An attempt at the gradual and
peaceful use of the political authority
vested in the American Governor
General
and
the
Philippine
Legislature.
The
organizational
structure
established by the Council paralleled
that of the insular government.
The council tried to play down the
role of the politicos in the campaign
by inviting non-politicians to
participate and thereby giving the
appearance of a more unanimous
effort.
The Fall of the Supreme
National Council
The Plebiscite Controversy
Plebiscite Bill (Senate Bill
198)
“The calling of the plebiscite was
not a matter within the scope of the
legislative power granted under the
organic act.” – Governor Wood
The bill was reintroduced and
approved
by
the
Philippine
Legislature in July 1926.
In April 1927, President Coolidge
sustained the Governor’s veto of the
plebiscite bill in a long message in
which he stressed the need for
greater economic and political
progress before such matters as the
holding
of
an
independence
plebiscite should be attended to.
The Filipino politicians faced a
painful defeat, for the rejection had
dismissed their campaign for
independence as mere agitation
unworthy serious attention.
From 1929 onwards, the issues of
tariffs and free trade, more
specifically
of
sugar,
and
immigration, would revive the
independence
movement
and
eventually see its consummation.
• Labor and extreme patriotic groups
opposed to Filipino immigration
• Isolationists anxious about
the Japanese menace in Asia
• Anti-imperialists who felt
America’s mission in the
Philippines
had
been
accomplished.
Payne-Aldrich Act of 1909
Underwood-Simons Act
The natural result of the free trade
policy was to bind the Philippines
closer to the United States
economically while it gave a great
stimulus to the production of export
commodities that found a profitable
market in the United States.
American agricultural interests, from
the beginning, found free trade
undesirable.
With the renewed attention to
possible independence, Filipino
immigration to the United States
became a contentious issue.
Free Trade and
Independence
The public attitude was still that no
matter what the cost, the sacrifice
was one they were willing to make.
Privately, many were saying that it
would be only fair if the actual date
of independence were postponed, but
with the question being definitely
settled in the mean time.
Hearings on Philippine independence
were begun on January 15, 1930 and
continued intermittently for several
sessions, focusing on the HawesCutting Bill.
After Quezon returned from the
United States in November, he made
a subtle bid to generate support for a
plan providing for dominion status
under an autonomous government.
OsRox Mission
At the sixth year of the ten-year
period, a constitutional convention
was called to draft a constitution
which would provide for certain
stated limitations on autonomy.
After
the
transition
period,
independence would finally become
effective.
The Return of the OsRox
Mission

The provisions affecting the trade
relations between the United States
and the Philippines would seriously
imperil the economic, social, and
political institutions of the country
and might defeat the avowed purpose
to secure independence for the
Philippines at the end of the
transition period.

The
immigration
clause
was
objectionable and offensive to the
Filipinos.

The
powers
of
the
High
Commissioner were too indefinite.

The military, naval and other
reservations provided for in the act
were
inconsistent
with
true
independence, violated dignity and
were subject to misunderstanding.
In November 1933, Quezon left for
the United States as head of a joint
legislative committee for the purpose
of securing a better independence bill
for the Philippines.