Commanding the
Department, of which the following are the most important elements:

It was ordered that the government of the island of Negros should
consist of a military governor appointed by the United States military
governor of the Philippines, and a civil governor and an advisory
council elected by the people. The military governor was authorized
to appoint secretaries of the treasury, interior, agriculture, public
instruction, an attorney-general, and an auditor. The seat of government
was fixed at Bacolod. The military governor exercises the supreme
executive power. He is to see that the laws are executed, appoint to
office, and fill all vacancies in office not otherwise provided for,
and may, with the approval of the military governor of the Philippines,
remove any officer from office. The civil governor advises the military
governor on all public civil questions and presides over the advisory
council. He, in general, performs the duties which are performed by
secretaries of state in our own system of government.

The advisory council consists of eight members elected by the people
within territorial limits which are defined in the order of the
commanding general.

The times and places of holding elections are to be fixed by the
military governor of the island of Negros. The qualifications of voters
are as follows:

(1) A voter must be a male citizen of the island of Negros. (2) Of the
age of 21 years. (3) He shall be able to speak, read, and write the
English, Spanish, or Visayan language, or he must own real property
worth $500, or pay a rental on real property of the value of $1,000. (4)
He must have resided in the island not less than one year preceding, and
in the district in which he offers to register as a voter not less than
three months immediately preceding the time he offers to register. (5)
He must register at a time fixed by law before voting. (6) Prior to such
registration he shall have paid all taxes due by him to the Government.
Provided, that no insane person shall be allowed to register or vote.

The military governor has the right to veto all bills or resolutions
adopted by the advisory council, and his veto is final if not
disapproved by the military governor of the Philippines.

The advisory council discharges all the ordinary duties of a
legislature. The usual duties pertaining to said offices are to be
performed by the secretaries of the treasury, interior, agriculture,
public inst