21 MAY

Imperialist Gov. Taft addressing the "Philippine Assembly"

1909- While the Philippine-American War (1899-1914) continues, particularly the part of the Moro resistance, the first session of the First Philippine Assembly, the colonial legislative body in the Philippine Islands during the United States' imperialist rule, is concluded; the body that has served as the lower house of the mostly American-in-composition Philippine Commission [translation: Bald Eagle body of colonial control] passes a resolution declaring that the Filipino people's constant desire is to attain independence; genuine democratic Filipino representation to the Philippine Assembly, which for a time was effectively the lower house to the appointive, all-American Philippine Commission, is however dubious because at least during the first elections in 1907, only less than 1.5% of the Filipinos were able to vote their representatives to the Assembly, because of the severe qualification requirements (real estate ownership worth at least P500; able to read and write; and could speak in Spanish or English)

Photo credit: http://reference.findtarget.com/search/Philippine%20Assembly/