Evening star., 1899-04-06
BIG TASK IN CUBA
Continued from Fourteenth Page)


ne thought justified the charge that the
Spanish ecclesiastical influence was hostile
10 American ideas and to American policy
IN Cuba. He was also severe in his char
acterlzatlon of the religious orders. These
lnclude the Pau1ists, the Franciscans, the
DofnicahS, the Jesuits and the Escoepans.
me Two latter orders maintain colleges.
All the monks, Father Marrero said were
Spaniards. Some of them had been often
sfNety hostile to the Cubans during the
lnsufrectlon, and they could never regain
the confidence of the Cuban people. They
ought to go along with the bishop and the
spanish parochial priests.
IN ther conversation with Father Mar
zero, gathered a fairly definite idea of
What N the Cuban priests expect Their de-
nance OF the bishop is open and aggressive.
Ecclesiastical discipline has no terrors for
tnem, because they realize that in the po-
n1cal conditions the Vatican itself would
hesitate to adopt rigorous measures APP
pafently they are not fully satisfied that
Archbishop Chapele as apostolic delegate,
VIII proceed as vigorously as they think
ought to be done against the bishop. Their
movement looks to the selection of Cuban
blshop, and also of a Cuban archbishop in
santiago. Under the union of church and
state the Spanish government nominated to
the holy see the two superior ecclesiastical
authorities in Cuba, and the nomination was
ai"ayS confirmed The Cuban priests want
10 make these nominations to the holy see
from among their own numbers. They want
TO NIL all the parishes with Cuban priests
and to re-establish the seminary. They also
want to place the church in harmony with
American ideas, and they have shown a
marked disposition to welcome American
pians Tor education and for government.
bishop SnntRnder's Attitude.
The attitude Of Bishop Santander in this
controversy has been dignfied, yet not alto
gether defensive His personality is a
strong one. He has not publicly rebuked
the Cuban clergy, but his pastorals have
achf hf,,l
He has grieved with some publicity over
this rebellious and pugnacious Cuban
priesthood. He has eyhorted his flock to
CHRISTIAN charity and has impressed the
Importance of voluntary contribution to
sustain the church, since it no longer re-
ceiVes government aid. While not placing
himself in a hostile attitude toward the
future government Of Cuba. he has shown
no disposition to yield a tithe of his au-
lhorlty. He is a Spaniard, but he is also
bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in a
country whose language and whose tradi-
tlonal faith are those of Spain. He eX-
pects the traditional faith to continue and
lhe language to remain the language of the
people While deploring the rebelliOus at
tltude of the Cuban priests, the bishop has
also contrived to bring out that he cannot
neglect the Spaniards who remain in the
island. They are certain to continue a nu-
merouS and an influential class. The retort
of the Cuban priests IS that inasmuch as
the Cubans were compelled to receive the
iHlIiStTillOnS OF spanish priests, the Span
ish classes in the future, if they are truly
devout, should accept the ministrations of
the Cuban priests. 1t is an acrid ecclesi-
astlcal controversy, with no sign of concli-
alton on the part of either party Arch
bishop Chapelle can hardly act as arbtra-
tor when each side thinks it has nothing to
arbftr2te.
Politically Correct.
In his attitude toward the American au-
thorites the bishop, if not cordial. has been
politically correct. Many of the Spanish
priests are very ignorant. They supposed
that the American authorities would want
to make reprisaIs because Spain had baen
at war with the United States and because.
being Spaniards, they had supported Spain.
1t took them "a while to learn that the
United States held it no more against
Spanish priest than against a Spanish lay
man for having supported his country in
time Of war. Bishop SdntanGer had thun-
dered against the United States Before
War had been declared he had made an
Easter offering to Captain General Blanco
Of the property which the church POSSESS
ed After hoStiIiticS begun he hal :SaGed
resistance to the foreign foe. American Of
ticials, when they came to Cuba, mad no
fault to find with an ecclesiastic who had
been It militant CccleSiaStic. The bishop
issued a pastoral accepting the new condi-
tions and counseing his people to respect
the authority of the United States. His
position was recognized, ana NnGn ne n3d
occasion TO confer regarding church prop
crtv he was always received with consider
alton.
Church Property Question.
Some of this church property will have to
have the title settled by the courts. but
that is not a matter involved in the present
status. The charge was made that much of
it was conveyed to the religious orders by
the Spanish civil officials after peace be-
tween the United States and Spain was
concluded, and that what should oe the
property of the state or the municipality
was wrongfully transferred. The Jes lit
convent Of Eeien is one of the cases in
doubt. Bishop Santander throughout has
steadily maintained that none of these
transfers We're unlawful. He has also been
vigorous in his protests against the mu-
inequalities taking control of the cemeteries,
which We're alleged to be owned by the
church This happened in Trinidad, Colon
and two or three other places in the in
terror of the island. Usually it went no
further than the assertion by the munich
Dality of an interest in the cemeteries. The
property rights in these cases are in dis
pute and will have to be adjudicated by the
organized processes of the law. The QueS-
ton of free burial grounds is going to be
one OF the future issues in Cuba. The
Cuban priests have recognized this and
have sought TO place themselves on the
popular side. One of their complaints is
that the bishop and the Spanish clergy have
taken a reactionary stand in this, in
other matters. 1t is true that Bishop San
tander has abated not jot Of the church's
pretensionS or its rights, whichever they
may be. He has stood as an infieXible
guardian of what it once possessed.
Distrusts Popular Education.
While the bishop has accepted the Ameri-
can authority it cannot be said that he las
welcomed this authority, as the Cuban
priests have done. Ills pastorals have
shown some distrust of the American in
fiuence, especially with regard to pop mar
education. That has been pointed out by
his watchful opponents among the priests,
These are always on the alert. They have
also pointed out that the bishop was :,eek-
ing to consolidate the Spanish colony as
political element. This is hardly correct
statement. and itshas lost some of its force
since Gen. MaXiwO Gomez began prca en-
ing his doctrines of peace and concord
between Cubans and Spanards. NcverthC-
less, Risl 0p Santander cannot be REGARDED
as factor in ATnericaHizinsc Cuba in the
sense of moldingits people to the institu-
tions of the United States. The contro-
hi n