Courts in the Philippines Old New

Administration of justice, involving the settlement of disputes and the punishment of crime, is and always has been a vital function of government; in fact, it might well be said to be the basis of all orderly government. The experiment in government which was begun by the American people when they separated themselves from the domination of England reached a new stage in its development when Admiral Dewey was victorious in Manila Bay on May i, 1898. It is perhaps impossible to determine at this time whether this new stage is to result in an attempt at colonization or in the establishment of a new nation. From the point of view of the student of the comparative history of law and institutions, it matters little what the years may produce, it is rather more pertinent to inquire concerning the nature of the acquisition and the developments which have been made.