Manuel L. Quezon 1878–1944

H former members 1900–1946 H Manuel L. Quezon 1878–1944 RESIDENT COMMISSIONER 1909–1916 NACIONALISTA FROM THE PHILIPPINES uring a career that spanned the length of Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila, graduating in America’s colonial rule in the Philippines, 1894. Shortly after, he matriculated to the University of Manuel L. Quezon held an unrivaled grasp Santo Tomas, also in Manila, to study law.4 Dupon territorial politics that culminated with his service About a year later, however, Quezon left school and as the commonwealth’s first president. Although he once returned home during the Philippines’ revolution against fought against the United States during its invasion of Spain. He resumed his studies in 1897, but when hostilities the islands in the early 1900s, Quezon quickly catapulted began between the United States and the Philippines in himself into a Resident Commissioner seat by the sheer force February 1899, Quezon joined General Emilio Aguinaldo’s of his personality and natural political savvy. Young and forces. Commissioned as a second lieutenant, he saw little brilliant, Quezon, according to a political rival, possessed action, but rose to captain and served on Aguinaldo’s staff. “an ability and persistence rare and creditable to any After surrendering to U.S. forces in 1901, Quezon spent representative in any parliament in the world.”1 Quezon six hard months in prison, where he contracted malaria was wary of immediate independence, but in the U.S. and tuberculosis. He suffered from complications of the House of Representatives, he worked tirelessly to secure diseases for the rest of his life.5 his nation a greater level of autonomy. He met privately On his release, Quezon resumed his legal studies at with the President and powerful committee chairmen alike, Santo Tomas and earned a bachelor of laws degree in 1903 gauging the issues and crafting legislative solutions, which before returning to his home province. Only in his mid- culminated in perhaps his savviest political victory, the Jones 20s, intelligent, and a natural “master of political intrigue,” Act of 1916. “Considering the time I have been here, the Quezon caught the attention of American administrators, character of the subject, and the influences I had to fight, particularly Harry H. Bandholtz, the director of the local I feel inclined to say that I am almost surprised that I have constabulary, and district judge Paul Linebarger. The two secured so much,” he said.2 Long after he left Washington as Americans soon adopted Quezon as a protégé.6 a Resident Commissioner, he continued to shape the office As a result, Quezon routinely walked a fine line, by choosing and sometimes discarding his successors. balancing the colonial agenda of his powerful American Manuel Luis Quezon was born on August 19, 1878, in associates, the interests of Philippine nationalists, and Baler, a town on the island of Luzon in Tayabas Province, his own career ambitions. According to a recent study by Philippines, to Lucio, a veteran of the Spanish Army Alfred W. McCoy, a leading historian of the Philippines, and a small-business owner, and Maria Molina Quezon.3 Quezon—in an arrangement that seemed equal parts The family lived in the remote “mountainous, typhoon- quid pro quo and extortion—worked as an informant plagued” swath of the province that hugged much of the for American security officials who kept a detailed list of eastern coastline of Luzon. Quezon’s parents eventually accusations against Quezon—ranging from corruption to became schoolteachers, which allowed the family to live murder—that they could use to destroy Quezon if he ever comfortably in Baler. Manuel, the eldest of three sons, and ceased being “a loyal constabulary asset,” McCoy wrote. his brothers, Pedro and Teodorico, were taught at home by Quezon reportedly had damaging information on his a local parish priest. In 1888 Quezon left Baler to attend American connections as well, but he continued to spy for 146 H ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICANS IN CONGRESS Image courtesy of the Library of Congress 42940_05-APA-MP1.indd 146 2/13/2018 11:55:31 AM Manuel L. Quezon 1878–1944 RESIDENT COMMISSIONER 1909–1916 NACIONALISTA FROM THE PHILIPPINES 42940_05-APA-MP1.indd 147 2/13/2018 11:55:33 AM H manuel l. quezon H them, passing along information about Philippine radicals for speaker behind Sergio Osmeña, a powerful young in exchange for political support and for help ascending assemblyman with a broad base of power, Quezon was the ranks of the insular government.7 rewarded with prestigious appointments as majority floor Quezon’s political career began in 1903, when Linebarger leader and chairman of the appropriations committee. named him the provincial attorney, or fiscal, of Mindoro, From their first term in the assembly until Quezon’s death, an island province near Tayabas.8 Quezon was quickly Osmeña and Quezon went back and forth in one of the promoted to serve as fiscal of his home province, where Philippines’ foremost political rivalries, vying for control he famously prosecuted Francis J. Berry, who owned the over both the party and their country.15 Cablenews-American, one of the largest daily newspapers in After serving just one term in the Philippine assembly, the Philippines, on charges of illegal land transactions. He Quezon looked nearly 9,000 miles away for his next political won the case, but had to defend himself against charges of challenge. In 1907 the Philippines began sending two corruption by Berry’s allies. Once the dust settled, Quezon Resident Commissioners to the U.S. Congress to lobby resigned and returned to private practice.9 on behalf of the territory’s interests. The assembly and In 1906 Quezon ran for governor of Tayabas Province, the commission selected one candidate each, which the campaigning not only on his reputation as a lawyer, but on opposite chamber then had to ratify. It is not entirely clear his connections with Bandholtz and other American officials. why Quezon wanted the position in Washington—one Belying his inexperience—he had been in politics less than biographer has conjectured that Quezon wanted to be the two years—Quezon deftly maneuvered past two other hero who brought independence to the Philippines— candidates and overcame shifting alliances to win his seat.10 but in 1909 he sought the Resident Commissioner seat As a local politician, Quezon had not yet aligned with occupied by Nacionalista Pablo Ocampo. Regardless of his any national political party. In fact, at the time, American motivations, Congress and the President controlled the fate administrators regulated much of the Philippines’ civil of the islands, and the Resident Commissioners, despite activity and very little formal political organization not being able to vote in the House, were best positioned to existed outside Manila.11 Following a trip to the capital influence the territory’s political future on Capitol Hill.16 for a convention of provincial governors in late 1906, “I have every reason to believe that I shall succeed in Quezon, in the hopes of laying the groundwork for a my ambition, or I certainly should not permit my name to shot at national office, joined the Partido Independista go before the Assembly,” Quezon told the Manila Times Immediatista, which pushed for immediate Philippine when asked about his candidacy.17 Though initial reports independence.12 In 1907 the opportunity came. He indicated that Ocampo was surprised by the challenge, the resigned from the governorship and ran for the Tayabas incumbent later published telegrams to and from Osmeña seat in the Philippines’ first national assembly, which indicating his desire to retire.18 Quezon won handily with would function much like the U.S. House and was created 61 of the 71 available votes, Ocampo received four votes— by a delayed provision in the Organic Act of 1902. On July ostensibly “complimentary” gestures out of respect for his 30, 1907, he won election decisively.13 service—and a third candidate received none.19 With the opening of the Philippine legislature, political Quezon arrived in Washington, DC, in December parties and new coalitions “sprang up like mushrooms,” 1909 wearing a thick fur overcoat to protect him from the according to one historian of the era, catapulting Quezon early winter chill and took up residence at the Champlain into the national spotlight.14 His party, the Partido Apartment House, a new building at the corner of 14th Independista Immediatista, was absorbed by the Partido and K Streets in Northwest.20 Quezon received House Nacionalista (Nationalist Party), creating a majority in Floor and debate privileges but was not permitted to serve the territorial legislature. After throwing his support on any committees. 148 H ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICANS IN CONGRESS 42940_05-APA-MP1.indd 148 2/13/2018 11:55:33 AM H manuel l. quezon H Already fluent in Spanish, Tagalog, and the local dialects In the fall of 1910, the policy differences between in Tayabas, Quezon recalled the “most serious obstacle to Legarda and Quezon and, consequently, between the performance of my duties in Washington was my very the Philippine commission and the assembly threw limited knowledge of the English language.” He hired a tutor, their re-election into chaos. Because Legarda opposed but soon began teaching himself using a Spanish–English immediate independence, the assembly refused to certify dictionary to read books, magazines, and newspapers.21 his nomination. In retaliation, the commission rejected His American friends gave him the nickname Casey, an Quezon’s candidacy.31 For months, the Philippine anglicization of Quezon.22 legislature tried and failed to settle the dispute.32 Finally, Quezon’s first term in Congress was relatively quiet in February 1911, the House stepped in and passed a bill legislatively.

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