The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-27

sake of peace.
Whether or not the first complaint is tru
depends on how these large estates wer.
first acquired by their present owners I
is undoubtedly true that some were origi
naily purchased in part or were received a
gifts from devout people. The hacienda o
Naic. on the south shore of the bay invent,
miles from Manila. was purchased in Us
from Spaniard and large pile of parch
mert-bound books containing the record o
this and other properties of the Dominican.
is shown. These stities were never regis
tered because the law exempts from regis
try the land on which a Roman Catholic
Church stands and the law was stretched
TO cover all these estates of the Domini
cans. Some years ago. when certain of thu
friars refused to pay their rents. claiming
that the land they occupied was their owl
and that the f-i:rs had no Just claim upor
it, Spanish trt ops, under General Weyler
then governor. ra7ed the village and com
mittcd many abuses Another plantation o
the Dominicans. Chilled Oriong. was a gift
and the papers of-stiH another. the Lolom-
boy, date back to sixteen hundred an6
something.
A plantation owned by the Augustinians
just south o. Manila, is said to have beer
received by them as legacy from Cuban
woman who spent her whole fortune on the
place. In this case as in many others the
title of the landlord seems to be clear. but
the representatives of the people, the ten
ants. say that although they must admit
the existence of documentary evidence OF
acquisition and possession of the lands by
the landlords. they charge that fraud was
used in the original purchase. and espe-
cially in the extension of the sizs of the
holdings at a later date. The religious or
ders claim to have papers showing that
they have had possession of some OF their
estates for over one hundred years, and
We know that in 1854 royal commission
was sent from Spain to investigate the
complaints made at that time by tenants
against these same orders and that the
commission decided In favor Of the friars.
So that 1t will be seen that something is to
be said on the side of the landlord.
On the other hand, the natives claim
that many tricks were resorted to by
the friars to extend their holdiogs of
land and to include in them properly that
rightfully belonged to natives, but title to
which had not been registered by the
latter. One plan Of the religious orders
was to request OF all the farmers a small
annual contribution toward the building
of church or its support. This was
readily granted by the average native
and receipt was given in Spanish for
the money or produce. Soon this annual
contribution was demanded as right in
stead of requested as a gift, and finally
the claim was advanced that these con-
tributions were really the annual rental
for the land occupied by the native, and
that the church or the order was the
true owner Of the property.
The second charge. that the rents have
- 81 b.
landlords of many of the plantations.
but 1t is very difficult to get definite in
formation. The natives say that the rent
has been gradually raised as the prop
erty has increased in value under the
careful cultivation of the tenant This
method of dealing with him takes from
the tenant any in entive to try and bet
ter the condition of his land Foreman.
in his book on the Philippines, says. THE
Augustinian and Dominican friars hold
very valuable real property in the prov
inces near Manila which was rented out
to the natiFe agricuturists ON tyrannical
conditions. Leases were granted for the
term of three years. but the receipts
given for the rent were very cunningly
worded-neitherd the amount of money
paid not the extent of the land nor its
situation was mentioned in the document,
so that the tenant was constantly at the
mercy of the landlord
In contrast to this il is said BIZ an Eng
lish gentleman that the Dominican friars
have been very kind in their dealings with
their tenants. He says that If he were to
obtain possession of the lands held By the
friars the rents would be doubled. He ad-
mits, however. that the friars in some
cases rent the land to middlemen, who
sublet it to the farmers. ard the farm
crftTarS no
one cannot blame the landowner for the
faults of the people to whom he rents his
land. That is hsdt may be, but the fact
remains that the tenant suffers by the
system. For enc estate the Domincans
receive only $500 per year rental, while
the man TO whom they lecse it makss &c.
Geo year from his sub-leasss. The lanl-
lords claim that the rent should be based
on the productive value of the land The
people say the basis should be the market
value of the property. OF course, the
landlords and their friends claim that TIE
rents are not excessive. but many people
give testimony to the effect that they are
1t will be seen from the foregoing that two
things are involved in the land question in
the Philippines. The rights of the land
owners must be protected and the tenants
who have, as they allege. been deprived OF
their property. must be redresssd for their
wrongs. How can these two objects ba
attained. The Filipino Government holds
the opinion that the land belongs to the
people. and then calmly proceeds to collect
the rents that formerly went to the lard
ords and to apply It TO its own USES This
seems rather inconsistent. but these are
war times and money must be had. even
hough consistency suffer. The English
syndicate that has bought the estate of
Lolomboy from the friars sent an agent
o 1t TO collect the rents. The tenants told
he agent that they were glad the estate
lad been bought by English people. but
hey also said: You know that we con-
ider this land our own, and besides We
re already paying rent to Aguinaldo. If
lie gives you an order for it we will be |
Wiling to pay it to you"
Senior Mabini. former Prime Minister OF |
he Filipino Government, suggests a plan |
which seems reasonable. He would have |
commission appointed with full power TO !
Iecide these questions. This commission |
Mould go from place to place and mark a !
ertain time for the registry of all titles |
nd properties. If no protest is made to |
he registry Of a farm or estate the title |
hould be considered good. II there were /
rutests then the case should be examined |
With care and iinpartiality. He urges that
he cases be decided by equity rather than
" law. That is, the commission should !
ot give as much weight to legal condi-
ions as TO righteous principles. The com
mission should be composed of men of a
haracter and Standing that would inspire
he people with confidence
The religious orders are adopting. I'M
er stress Of circumstances another solu-
ion of the d.ffculty-for them. They are
eiling their lands. Undoubtedly they
'culd prefer to be restored to their pos
CIR ND % bot |
be people openly say that IL the atterapt
) made to reinstate these clerical land
,rds they will kill them The Dominicans
ave sold their eight estates rear Manila