Arizona citizen., 1875-11-27
THE PIOUs FUND CASE.
Award for the Roman Catholic
 Church.

W Washington, November ll.-SiS Edward Thorton, the Umpire of the United States and Mexican claims commission, to-day rendered bis de- cision in the case of the Roman Catho- lie church Represented by Thsddeus Amst, Bishop of Monterey. and Joseph $. Alemsny. Archbishop of San Fran cisco, vs. Mexico, popularly known ss the Plous Fund case. The award Ia probably the largest ever made in any single case ill Washington, as IL amounts in our currency to over L. OOO,OO The Pious Fund of the Cali fornisns was the result of the donations made by various private persons for the purpose of establishing, support ing aud maintaining tho Roman Catholic missions in California, and for converting the heathen of this re- gion. The foundation of the fund dates back to l135, aud the original donations were made to the Society of Jesus, for the purposes above indicated, on the 24th of February, 1912. Santa Anna, then provisional President of Mexico, issued decree that the real and other property belonging to the fund should be incorporated into she National Treasury, and engaging ths Government should forever pay to the benefcisries interest, at the rate of six per cent. per annum, on the pro- ceeds of the sale of this property. This obligation has not been met, although frequent demands for payment have been made. Claimants, as the lawful successors of the original Trustees SO far as concerned the territory of Upper California, here demand against AIexi- co 0 share of each annual installment of interest sccruiug since February 2, lS4S, beyond which date the jurisdic- tion ot the Commission does not ex- tend, and which was the date of the ac- quisition of California by the United States, propOrtioned to the population of Upper California, with interest up on each annual installment from the date on which it fell. The Umpire decides that is equitable to divide the gross revenues of the fund since Feb ruary 2, lS4S. into two parts, one of which these claimants are entitled to, and rejects the demand for interest. He therefore awards that there be paid by the Mexican government, on sc- count of the above mentioned claims. the sum of $9O4, 70O.79 in Mexican gold dollars without Interest. Ex- Senator Cssserly, of Cahfornis, argued thus case on behalf of the Catholic church before the Umpire last July. IL has been pending ever since the Mexican Claims commission was organized.
 This award settles tho claim be- tween the United States snd Mexico; but 1t does not finish the case ss re- gsrds the representatives of the Church, and individual claimants under them. These will have to pros- ecute their claims now before our government which relieves Mexico from any responsibility to any party except the United States. Just ga with tho Alabama claims, there came first the award to our government based on various private claims. and then the consideration by the govern ment of those claims ss against itself, and the adjustment of terms of pay ment. According to an agreement made, whatever amount may be sd- judged due by Mexico is not to be pay able to the United States on demand, but in easy instsllments. Whether our government will make payment proportionstely to the individual clsimants only ss fast As the money is received from Mexico remains to be seen. In whatever way it may come. we are glad to know that the family of Dohs Rosario dc Fsrrer, of San Diego. is interested, somewhat over s2O, 900 in the payment of the chureh's claims, drafts upon the pious fund on account of goods purchased for the mission having been given to them just before this fund was seized upon