El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-12-22
CHURCH PROPERTY
In Our New Colonial Posses
sions Will Raise Questions.
CONVERSATION IN MEXICO
The Present Status Of the Catholic
Church In Our Sister Republic
We Can Have No Estate Church
In Cuba And Porto Rico.
bishop Ireland's Views.

Written For the HERALD.
Since the United States has come in
to possession of her new colonies many
people are wondering what disposition
will be made of church property in our
newly acquired possessions.
In all these territories acquired as q
result of the war with Spain, there are
large church properties which have
been under the control hitherto OF the
Roman Catholic church as the estao-
lished church of Spain and her COLO
MES. These church properties are
claimed by the Roman Catholic autnorl-
ties, but to q large extent tney.show no
right. There doubtless are properties
given by will or personsl oonaHon,
under the control of the Roman CAthO-
lie church in Porto Rico and the Phil
ippiues, but in addition to suchs proper
ties, there are other properties, espe-
cially church edifices, which were paid
out of the public funds and main tain d
at the expense of the Spanish govern
ment. The latter properties are the
properties not of the church, but OF the
people.
The church in Porto Rico seems to
have been forgotten in the discussion
of improvements in the island.
Men of the church who are wont to
discuss the present situation are fully
aware of the fact that the government
of the United States does not support
any church or creed and that the
Church of Rome from this time on
most stand upon its own feet and ex-
pect lively competition In religious
matters.
DISPOSITION OF CHURCH PROPERTY.
Many citizens of the United States
believe the government should deter
mine what moiety of the property &C.
tually belongs to the Roman Catholic
church as such, and retain the remain
er under its control for the benefit of
the people of the new territories.
They do not advocate that the United
States government should take posses
sion of church property in the new
territories dis posing ofthe same at pub
lie sale and placing the money
people of this new territory, in each
of the cities and towns, should have
an opportunity to determine what use
should be made of these church edi-'
fises. They were built by means forced
from them by oppressive methods OF
the Spanish government, and they are
morally and legally the property of the
Inhabitants of these territories. Let
there be vote for instance, in each of
the towns and parishes of Porto Rico
as to the disposal of the church edi-
fees.
The clergy say there has been a
great change of feeling evidenced
since the Americans took possession |!
and the people seem glad to let the
church make it's own fight alone and
unaided and few come to it's help and
support. These people have not
forsworn their old faith with their old
flag, say the clergy, and they are still
Catholic. "But the voices of a few
freethinkers are stronger than the
weak, half-h earted effort of over eight
hundred thousand MEMBERS" said a
leading Catholic priest.
Archbishop Ireland in speaking of |
the matter said: 81 do not believe the |!
United States government will confis- |
cate Catholic church property in our
new possessions. The American gov
eminent is an honest government, and !
the American people is an honest peo-
pie, and no robberies perpetrated by |