The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-26
Circulation Statement.
The Friars In the Philippines.

friars has been settled to their satisfac-
ton. That question. as readers of The
Times are aware is generally allowed to
have been at the bottom of every Filipino
rebellion for the past century. On the
basis of what we can learn from the the
atre of controversy, it does not appear to
be any nearer a settlement satisfactory
to the natives than it has been since the
first outbreak caused by it.
Briefly stated. on the authority of Fill
Pine writer's. the contention of the native
races is that for more than hundred years
they have been oppressed. abused, and
robbed by the religious orders, which have
assumed autocratic charge and direction OF
their spiritual and temporal affairs. They
claim that these outland clerics have ap-
propriatei their lands under color CT
grants or concessions fr~m Spanish colo
NAL governments, which the latter were
not authorized by law 10 make, until the
major portions OF arabic lands in Luzon
and Panay have passed under the illegal
control of the friars. They complain
that these religious persons have been al
ways held immune from the civil and GRIM
;nal law endowed with magisterial powers,
and liable only 10 citation before ecclesi-
estical courts composed of their own or-
ders. Thus. the Filipinos declare that
by the friArs they have been robbed OF
their realty. compelled to pay tithes and
tribute without legal remedy, and sub
jected to a system Of complete theocratic
serfdom. As conditions precedent to their
recognition Of American sovereignty they
demand the expulsion OF the friars, the
return to the people of malappropriatei
property. and the right to have the Cath
Ollie parishes served by secular priests,
who shall, like other Philippine colonists
Of the United States, be subject to the
same laws and be held to the same re-
sponsibilities to the law as are other colo
nists.
We shall not stop here to consider the
merits of the Filipino case. We merely
state 1t az we have derived our under
standing Of it from many independent
sources. In a general way it is exactly
the case as the natives present it. They
make the expulsion of the friars and the
to surrender. On the face of things they
appear to be in the right.
Our attention has been called to the
subject at this time by an article in the
Washington correspondence of the st.
Louis Globe Democrat" which may be
generally taken as closely representing
the views. Of the Administration. In it
opposition to the friars will be futile; be-
cause neither General Macarthur nor The
Philippine Commission, headed by Judge
Taft, has any authority to grant them
relief. inasmuch as relief is barred by
the Treaty OF Peace with Spain. The
ferring 10 the recent peace protocol ire
scented by leading natives to the Governor
General, and to the view taken of it By
the Administration. writes to his paper
as follows:
"The last OF the seven propositions which wers
made by the representatives of the Filipincs and
which it was said insisted on most strongly
and most loudly applauded when proposed; creates
Government. IL provides for the expulsion Of the
friars General Macarthur, the Filipino Com
mission, or the President under no ciIcuni-
stances VIII grant this demand. II can be said
without fear of contradiction that no such action
Will be taken by this Government in any event.
To act in the matter would mean an abrogatipn
Of the Treaty Of Peace under which secured
the islands from Spain, because article 10 Of that
treaty specifically provides:
az The inhabitants Of the territories over
which Spain relinsuishes cedes hef sovereignty
shall be secured 10 the free exercise OF their re-
ligion.
Several other propositions are covered ny the
last words Of the ninth article OF the Treaty Of
Pesce with Spain. which reads
- The civil rights and political status Of tte
native inhabitants Of tho territories hereby coded
to the United States shall be determined by Con-
gFess'
'It can he said that the strict letter and in:en:
of the treaty Will be adhered 60 by this Govern
rnent, and nothing will be countenanced having
rny other end in view Before anything VIII be
done by this Government the Filipinus must nc.
cept the amne.ty Proclamation and comply with
Gl OF its conditions"
If the Globe Democrat article under |
discussion was inspired, as it well may have |
been. the inspiration does rot strike one |
as quite ingenious. The firm stand which |
the Administration has taken and main
.ains today in the matter of guaranteeing
to the religious orders in the Philippines |
all the claims. privileges. immunities, and |
advantages that they enjoyed under the |
Spanish rule is not based on the tenth |
section of the Treaty Of Paris, which Sc
cures to the inhabitants of the territory |
coded by Spain 'the free exercise Of their |
Neither is it consequence |
Of the ninth article, cited by the Globe |
Democrat" correspondent, which speaks |
Of civil rights and political status. What |
underlies and determines the policy and |
conduct of the Administration is the sec
md paragraph of the sixth article Of the |
treaty. which reads:
And II "a hereby declared that the reiinquisl- |
mont or cession, the case may be can
not in any respect impair the property or rights
shcl. by law belong to the peaceful possession
1t property OF all kinds. Of provinces. munici-
palities, public private establishments, eccle
iasticai OF civic bodies, any other associa-
ions having legal capacity to acquire and pos
css property in the Aforesaid territories re-
ceded. Of private individuals. Of
shatsoevrY nationality such individuals may be-"
It IS upon this clause that the Administra-
ion and Monsignor Chapelle, its represen-
atfve Jointly with the Vatican. arc agreed
hat the rights of the Dominican. Francis
an, ReroIiet and other religious orders
.rmiy rest. And that the former "a bound