The evening times., 1900-01-10

Considerable interest has been aroused
in State Department circles over q report
that Archbishop Chapelle is alleged TO
have said that the principal part OF his
mission TO the Philippines is to settle a
claim that the Catholic Church holds on
property in the Philippines.
According TO the report the Archbishop
is quoted as saying that the church has a
claim to a fee simple title to all OF the
land in the Philippines derived from
grants made in aid Of missionary work by
Spaiu centuries ago. The Archbishop. It
is all ged. had an agreement with the Ad-
ministration before he left Washington
whereby in consideration of S20,C0O,0o0
worth of property to be selected by the
Archbishop in the Philippines the church
viii waive all claims to any other property
of the Philippine Islands.
When Archbishop Chapele was appoint
ed Apostolic Delegate TO the Philippines
he had several Interviews with the Presi-
dent and Secretary of State regarding his
mission. The nature of these conferences
was never made public, but it is said that
they largely pertaiucd 10 the question OF
what portion Of the rights the church Reid
under Spanish rule i'm the Philippines
would De recognized By this country when
civil government was once established I'm
the islands.
The church. it is said held millions Of
dollars worth of property i'm the Philip
pines when Spain had control of the ISL
ards. and the priests and friars also en-
joyed many privileges which have been
curtailed. it is alleged, since the Ameri-
cans established a military government
there Until the insUrreCti0n among the
natives is thoroughly stamped out, it Is
said. the questions OF the ChurCh's property
and the rights of tbs priests and friars Will
be held in abeyauce.
Archbishop ChapeIle. however. has arriv-
ed in Manila. and. besides aiding the
priests. is looking after and relieving the
distress among the natives. will, it Is re-
ported. examine thoroughly into all the
claims made by the church to property
with a view Of obtaining as nearly as pos
siblo an accurate estimate of what prop
erty the church can justly lay claim TO AMI
what rights and privileges the clergy ought
90 enjoy under American rule.
Al the State Department it was said that
nothing YVES known OF the alleged claim
that the church had been granted a title
10 Le Philippines by Spain several hun
dred years ago. and that if such had been
the case 10 would certainly have been
brought cut al iNe time or me signing OF
the treaty between Spain and this country
by which the Philippines passed into the
possession of the United States. Nothing
was said Of the church having a claim on
the islands while the treaty was pending
and the state Department officials are not
inclined 20 believe that such q claim viii b-
put forth at this time.
II was further said that there was no
doubt but that the church had pos
scsse3 vast properties under Spanish rule
iu the Philippines and that the church was
entitled TO consideration iu respect 70 the
claims which wOuld doubtless De presented
later. What these claims are Is not known.
as they have not yet been presented, and
it was not believed that any definite sum
iId been mentioned by Archbishop Cha
pelle I'm his conference with the President
and the Secretary Of State about the future
OF ne church iu the Philippines.
The question OF The privileges OF the
priests and fr.arS il TIE Philippines which
they have enjoyed fer hundreds Of years. q
vas -7id would De "a matter for discus
sion when they We're formally brought be-
fore the department. but il was not thought
Jhat there would be the slightest tr1uble
In settling the matter in manner satiSfac-
tory 20 an concerned.