The age-herald., 1900-04-02
CHURCH TROUBLES
 IN PHILIPPINES Rev. Joseph M. AIque Replies to
 Bishop Potter, FEES ARE NOT EXCESSIVE The Statements That Religious Orders Have Robbed the People is De- nied as the Taxes Are Willingly Paid
FEES ARE NOT EXCESSIVE

l tNem York, April 1.ARev. Joseph M. sAlque, l director of the observatory at Manila, who ij now in Washington engaged in official business of the government has issued a statement in reply to Bishop Henry C.. Potter and his secretary, Rev. Percy S.. 1 Grant, regarding affairs in the Philippines. 1 Calling attention to the published inter- vews in which the bishop and his secre- l tary are qutoed as having declared that the taxes and fees for priestly administra- tions in the Philippines are excessive, the writer points out that tgle bishop and his | secretary were in the Philippines but a | very short time, not over three or four usys; that 1t was gmpossJole on account or me war for them to get informatio outside of Manila, and the more serious f1lspinos ignored their presence there. ihe bishop was quoted as saying that the religious orders, except perhaps the Jesuits, have robbed the people. The writer says the Jesuits have mission in only the southern islands, and General Bates, in a report of the 27th of last December stated that the people there had declared that the missionaries had taken neither money nor property. The writer wants the Bishop to explain the use of perhaps" Further quoting his interview, he calls upon Bishop Potter for facts to prove such grave and serious charge
 NOW, the bishops main point" the statement continues, lis to prove that the religious orders have robbed the people But if the people pay the necessary charges TOT these certificates willingly, how can it be called robbery? It is not clear from inc bishops words whether the charge in each case be from s to $S for all the certificates together, or for each certificate for each party, which would cause quite a differ ence rom $40 to $60; nor is 1t clear whether the So to SS Is estimated in Mexican money or our own. But 1t is worth while disputins this point, because the facts are with fees in the Philippines they are not as high AZ he asserts. The fees for marriages among na- tive Indians amount to $175 among Mesti- EOS $S25; among white people about A For poor people there is no tax al all, as can show by numerous instances"
 Archbishop Don't Fix Charges
 The writer says it is not true that the archbishop fixes the charges and divides with the clergy. He declares the true taxes are divided among the lay servants of the church, the sacristan, altar boys, man who rings bells, etc." If anything is left if goes to the church. He declares he found in his experience as priest in the Ermit's parish at Manila during ffle blockade that it was rarely indeed that the church gets any, thing as the 1aymen in charge of the church had to be fed by the parish priest.
 That thousands of the people live in ,,~ac- tlcal concubinage as charged by the bishop. Us denied, although the writer admits that some live that way, but asserts that if is true that there, as everywhere are found a few instances of this: that 1t was the church taxes which caused the peoDle to revolt is emphaticalfy denied. Th, writer says the causes of the revolt aeainst tho United States, like the causes of that against Spain, complicated, and "Bishop Porter has no right to state thtst the cause or the outbreak among the natives against Spain was the taxation of the religious or- dons and friars in the administrati lion of tha Sacraments."
 In proof of this, it is stated that many of the most important parishes in the arohipelago are administered by the na- tfves themselves as r~iests. including the cathedral at Mania. Natauu,na San Rouue of Cavite. and all the parishes. The same ecclesiastical law as to taxes was enforced bv those secular priests and it is a matter of history that nobody obsiected to it. Therefore nobody can honestly state that the cause of the rebellion of the natives against Srain was the requiring of the taxes in the administration of the sacra- nents.
 Mistaknn for Priest
 Referring to Bishop Pctter's eulogy of Chaplain Pierce, whom he described as ''the pastor and servant of all sorts and conditions of men, organizing a congrega- tion for the citizens of the United States and another for the FiMpinos." the writer says MT. Pierce was mistaken by many of the na'tivels for 8 Roman Catholic priest. as he used to carry crlcifx in his uniform used candles and incense In his services. and also that he asked for g. fee in case of marriage. Now ordinary people can scarce ly distinguish refined differences of worship and religious doctrines"
 The writer speaks of one Catholic young man wfo went to MT. Pierce to get mar red. Discovering that he was not priest he excused himself on the pretext of the fees and went to his own parish priest. The writer says this instance was, Ire under stood, many times repeated.