462

Opinion of the Court. 212 U. S.
articles [the articles recognizing prescription of twenty and
thirty years] may legaflize their possession, and thereby acquire
the full ownership of thd said lands, by means of adjustment
proceedings, to be conducted in the following manner." This
seems by its very terms not to apply to those declared already
to be owners by lapse of time. Article 8 provides for the case
of parties not asking an adjustment of the lands of which they
are unlawfully enjoying the possession, within one year, and
threatens that the treasury "will -reassert the ownership of the
State over the lands," and will sell at auction such part as it
does not reserve.' The applicant's possession was not unlawful
and no attempt at any such proceedings against him or his
father ever was made. Finally, it should be noted that the
natural construction of the decree is confirmed by the report
of the Council of State. That report puts forward as a reason
for the regulations that, in view of. the condition of almost all
property in the Philippines, it is important to fix its status by
general rules on the principle that the lapse of a fixed period
legalizes completely all possession; recommends in two articles
'twenty and thirty years, as adopted in the decree; and then
suggests that interested parties not included in those articles

may legalize their possession and acquire ownership by adjust-
ment at a certain price.

It is true that the language of arts. 4 and 5 attributes title to
those "who may prove" possession for the necesssary time,
and we do not overlook the argument that this means may prove

in registration proceedings. It may be that an English con-
veyancer would have recommended an application under the

foregoing decree, but certainly it was not calculated to convey
to the mind of an Igorot chief the, notion that ancient family
possessions, were in danger, if he had read every. word of it.
The words "may prove," (acrediten), as well, or better, in view
of the other provisions, might be' taken to mean when called
upon to do so in any litigation. There are indications that
registration was expected from all, but none sufficient to show
that for want of it 'ownership actually gained would be lost.