The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-10
PHILIPPINE MoNASTIc ORDERS
ROeT OF POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES
IN THE ISLANDS.

ent Situation.
Manila Letter New York Post.
At the very root of all political matters
in the Philippines, there lies that most del
icate of all matter-a religious question
No competent knowledge of affairs in the
islands is possible without a clear under
standing of the position Of the church in
Filipino life AS the church has affected
the history of the islands in the past so
is its influence still potent to-day. Beyond
this It lies before the American occupation
as barrier, bristling with serious COM
nIications, which is not surmountable by
mere force of arms. The difficulties which
confront the American government would
stiu remain a long way from solution even
were the last insurrecto to be shot down or
imprisoned.
ANY effort to set up an idea that the
great mass of the Filipinos are a people of
high. or even of fair, order of intelligence,
is the assertion of fanacy. The masses
are ignorant and deeply supersttious. For,
nerbaps, a large majority of the native
people life is little more than a merely
animal existence. Natures bounty makes
arduous toll wholly unnecessary, and life
is accented and passed under its easiest
conditions There are, of course, Filipi-
ms of higher type. There are some of a
considerable measure of intelligence and
canacity, men ranking Intellectually with
the hest among those of tropical and sub
tropical countries. The expressed opinion
of local physician, however implies
limitation, a lack of elasticity, in the Fill
nno intellect 1t is his assertion that they
are CAPABLE of mental development and
-,jlture no TO a more or less definite point.
Beyond that. in a majority of cases, in
sanity follows or mental arrangement.
with the Spanish soldiers of the days
of the sixteenth century, actuated by the
idea of territorial expansion" went the
CONSERVATIVES of the church, with their
ideas of the extension of the kingdom of
God and the augmentation of the power
of the church. A review of the writer's
of those early days will show that, while
these two elements operated together in
the establishment of Spanish authority In
the Philippines, they were in an almost
constant state of dissensions as to which
of the two constituted the supreme au-
thority During the later years of that
century Spain was the scene Of a some
what animated and sometimes bitter con-
troversy regarding the scope and Iunc-
tons of the church in the islands of the
East Although discovered by Magellan
in 1921 il was not until nearly fifty years
later that the Spaniards secured an as
sured footing on the Islands.
Previous to- and during the controversy,
mendicant friars had gone to the islands
in considerable numbers, though lacking
the proper authorization of the rulers or
the church. The controversy at home ter
minated in an arrangement by which the
church should receive one-tenth of the
tributes of the island A body of Angus
tinian friars was to be sent out at once,
we n q followed bV
sentatives of other orders. Serious fric-
ton occurred at frequent intervals be-
tween the authorities of the church and
those of the state, and many acrimonious
contests occurred between the friars Of
different orders Upon the plastic mater1-
ais of ignorance, credulity and supersu-
ton the priests and friars, many of
them men of keen and highly trained
minds, have impressed an idea of a re-
ltgious power greater than that of the
state.
Most unfortunately for the natives, and
also most unfortunately for the church, the
| power of the priesthood has been greatly
| abused. That statement needs some quail
| ihCaton. l do not find that the protest
Of the people has been against the Church
of Rome per Sc. 1t has been directed
| more distinctly against the extortions and
| abuses which are admitted to have been
| exercised by the various religious orders,
| the Augustines the Dominicans, and the
lFranciscans. The Jesuits were expelled
from the islands in 176S, but were permit
Eed to return in 1852, upon the definite
condition that their operations should be
Eholly confined to educational work. The
Rfeoetos, being a branch of the Angus
lRian order may be grouped with the
Nher organization.
(beieVe myself to be wholly in accord
W the facts in stating that, while Spain
n nominally exercised authority in the
Ptippines, the real power and many of
m minor functions of government have
~ in the hands of the religious orders.
decision of the Council of Trent, which
loFde the holding of benefices by friars,
h4oeen made void in the Philippines, and
nIqhere else. if 1 am rightly informed.
FPal bulls have made an exception in
NE islands, and misfortune and revolt
ne followed the system. In spite of
hfaoly strong protesting element, those
lers have a grip on the Philippines. and
ePower over its people which cannot be
Fsed by guns and bayonets.
is dlstastefui to comment unfavorably
Ion any branch of an institution which
mas in the world OF to-day as stands the
4ufch of Rome. But the Philippine Is
f0s present long array of wholly I'M
luoVeruble facts regarding the mSrule,
misconduct, and the oppression and
1oIuon OF these religious orders, against
"teh IN past years Filipino revolt has
H. N'4i@N'SNs AAdlIy Ol the DetlSF Grass
V'lhe natives have no hesitation in say
~ mat the Spanish government, though
oP was far from unbearable. 1t was the
Afuon OF the monasyic orders, whose
was supreme, against which they
iHed' Ihese orders own and control
,at areas OF ruraf properly and have eX-
uIFVe and valuable holdings in the towns
a,1 cues. What they give in return for
NNt they get does no. seem to be
MNh' In his book, now one of the
pallard works on the subject Mr.. John
ofnan covers number of pages with
i'ed accounts of monastic oppression
corruption. He also frequently al.udes
Ehe great possessions and the gross
Fe OF the great power held by these
ldsuc orders. 1t is interesting to mole
Mr. Foreman is himseSG Catholic.
u Na'ements are those OF an honest man
I o ready to acknowledge the faults he
i'Fay, these orders are watching every