9SO PORTO RICO 



in the interest of the American " Harvester Trust," which has agents in the Philippines 

 and which by the nature of the case is practically the only exporter in a position to 

 secure a refund of export taxes by proving American consumption. Early members 

 of the Commission pointed out the injustice of "giving these duties to manufacturers 

 of hemp products in the United States." In 1911 nine resolutions (one by McCall of 

 Massachusetts; the others by Democrats), and in 1912 one (by W. A. Jones, author 

 of the Independence measure), were introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives 

 for neutralisation of the islands. An act of Congress of March 23, 1912 gives local 

 citizenship to all who were Spanish subjects in 1899 and to their children and allows 

 the Philippine legislature to provide for others becoming citizens. A protest of the 

 Philippine Assembly against the sale of friars' lands to corporations brought up 

 this matter in Congress, where the Committee on Insular Affairs exonerated the 

 Philippine government. In 1911 the Commission prohibited slavery, peonage and 

 the sale of human beings in certain non-Christian territory; and an effort was made 

 to secure the passage of a similar act by the legislature applying to all the islands. 



In Mindanao there was sharp fighting in the autumn and winter of 1911, and about 

 40 Moros were killed in December. In Jolo, about 600 Moros were hemmed in and 

 forced to surrender during the same winter. In the Basilan islands an American ensign 

 was killed and several sailors were wounded in September. Otay, an outlaw chief 

 of Samar, was killed by the constabulary in October. In 1912 there was a clash with 

 ladrones on January 14 near Siet Lake, Jolo, in which 20 Moros were killed; and at the 

 very end of the year and early in 1913 there was more fighting with Moros. 



Taal volcano in southwestern Luzon was in explosive eruption January 27 to Febru- 

 ary 8, 1911. This outbreak, probably the most severe which has occurred in the island 

 in historic times, was at its height on January 30, when an area of 230 sq. km. (nearly 

 twice that devasted by Mt. Pelee) was laid waste. The mud-coated area was 1,940 sq. 

 km. and the loss of life was estimated at i ,300. Earthquakes of a mild type accompanied 

 the eruption. This was the first great outbreak of Taal since 1754. In February 1912 

 the legislature appropriated money for a seismological station near Bombon Lake to 

 study the volcano and give warnings of eruptions, and for a launch to be used for 

 rescue work. In July 1911 rain fell for nearly a fortnight, and in Luzon about 

 $1,500,000 worth of property was damaged. On October 16, 1912, a typhoon did 

 damage estimated at $25,000,000 and caused the loss of a thousand lives. 



The Philippine Commission in 1912 was composed of: W. Cameron Forbes, governor- 

 general; Newton W. Gilbert (public instruction; acting governor in 1912); Dean C. 

 Worcester (interior); Charles B. Elliott (commerce and police); Gregorio Araneta 

 (finance and justice); Frank A. Branagan; Rafael Palma; Jose R. de Luzuriaga; and 

 Juan Sumulong. 



Bibliography. James Henderson Blount (officer U.S. Volunteers in Philippines, 1899- 

 1901 and U.S. District Judge there, 1901-05), The American Occupation of the Philippines, 

 1898-1912 (New York, 1912); C. D. Willcox, Head-Hunters of Northern Luzon (Kansas City, 

 Missouri, 1912); D.C.Worcester, " Head-Hunters of Northern Luzon " in National Geographi- 

 cal Magazine, Volume 23, pages 833-930 (1912); Eleanor F. Egan, The Philippines (New 

 York, 1912). The report of the secretary of the interior in the 1912 report of the Commission 

 contains particularly interesting material, with illustrations, in regard to the natives of Ifugao, 

 their remarkable rice-terraces, etc., and about road-building in Bukidnon. The Philippine 

 Journal of Science is an important organ, not merely for local or Eastern research; and 

 the Bureau of Science is printing E. D. Merrill's Flora of Manila. 



PORTO RICO 1 



Population (1910) 1,118,012, about one-sixth more than in 1899. The principal 

 towns or municipal districts 2 in 1900 were: San Juan (48,716); Ponce (city, 35,027); 

 Yauco (31,504); Caguas (27,160); Humacao (26,678); San German (22,143); Aguadilla 

 (21,419); Fajardo (21,135); Cayey (17,711); Guayama (17,379); Mayaguez (16,591); 

 Aibonito (10,805); an d Arecibo (city, 9,612; district 42,429). 



1 See E. B. xxii, 124 el seq. 



2 Except where otherwise noted the population is for municipal districts. 



