A TEXT-BOOK OF CIVICS, DESCRIBING THE NATURE OF GOVERNMENT, THE PHILIPPINE GOV- ERNMENT, AND THE RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF CITIZENS OF THE PHILIPPINES BY PRESCOTT F. JERNEGAN Teacher of Philippine History and Government, The best laws, tho approved by every citizen of the State, will be useless, 55401 MANILA PHILIPPINE EDUCATION, PUBLISHERS 1907 TO THE RISING GENERATION OF FILIPINOS, WHOSE INTELLIGENCE, INDUSTRY, AND PATRIOTISM SHALL MAKE REAL THE DREAM OF THEIR FATHERS—A SELF-GOVERNING FILIPINO STATE-THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. PREFACE The primary purpose of this book is to help Filipinos to understand and perform the duties of citizen ship. After giving an analysis of the nature, forms, methods, and duties of government in general, it traces the development of the present government of the Philippines from the beginning of American occupation to the present. The organization of the various branches of the government of the Philippines is presented and explained, as modified by the legislation extending to Oct. 16, 1907, the date of the opening of the First Philippine Assembly. Special chapters follow on the rights and duties of Philippine citizens. This book discusses more extensively the general theory of government than is usual in books of its class, and introduces some topics that are not commonly embodied in texts on civil government. Both of these steps seemed justified by the special circumstances of the Philippines. It is hoped that this work may prove useful to other than Filipino students, since it presents what cannot be found elsewhere,-a compact and up-todate account of the history and organization of the Philippine Government. This government is unique among all governments, past or present. Its serious study is the first duty of Filipinos, while for Americans its interest is second only to that of a study of their own political institutions. |