The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-03

ouence. But ne says that one cannot
blame the landowner for the faults of
the people to whom he rents his land!
That is as it may be- but the fact remains
that the tenant suffers by the system For
one estate the Domintcans receive only
4, LEO per=year rental, while the man to
whom they lease 1t makes $4,000 a year
from his suo-leases. The landlords claim
that the rent should be based on the pro-
ductive value of the property The people
say the basis should be the market value
of the property. OF course. the Landlords
and their friends claim that the rents
are not excessive, but many people give
testimony 10 the effect that they are
It will be seen from the foregoing that
two things are involved in the land cues
ton in the Philippines. The rights OF
the landowners must be protected, ana
the tenants who have, as they ailege, been
deprived of their property must be
redressed for their wrongs. How can
these two objects be attained?
OPINION OF THE GOVERNMENT.
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 landlords, and 10 apply it to its own
uses This seems rafer inconsistent, but
these are war times, and money must pc
had. even though consistency suffer. TIE
estate of Loloinboy from The friars sent
an agent to il TO collect the rents. The
tenants told the agent tllat they Were
glad the estate had been bought by Eng
giish people, but they also said: You
know that we consider this land our own,
and besides we are already paying rent
to Aguinld0 If he gives you an order
for IT. we will be willing to Jay it to
you
Sr Mabini, former Prime Minister Of
the Filipino Government, suggests plan
which seems reasonable. He would have
:, commission appointed with full power
to decide these questions. TINS com
mission should go from place to place
and mark a certain time for the registry
of all titles and properties. If no protest
is made TO the registry OF. q farm or
estate, the title should be considered
good. If there were protests, then the
case should he examined with care and
Immortality He urges that the cases
be decided by equity rather than by law;
that is, the commission should not give
as much weight TO legal conditions as
to righteous principles Ine COMMISSION
should be composed of men of char
acter and standing that would inspire the
people with confidence
The religious orders are adopting, under
stress of circumstances. another solution
of the difficulty-for them. They are
selling their lands. Undoubtedly, they
would prefer to be restored to their pos
sessions and to their former power but
the people openly say that If the attempt
Is made to reinstate these clerical land
lords they will kill them The Domlni-
cans have sold their eight estates near
Manila TO the English syndicate already
spoken of for $5,Gt0000. The syndicate
is English only in name, and is so called
because the negotiations were conducted
q. Y-lo, r,~tt1 II <c
the syndicate has heen subscribed prin-
cipally by French and Spanish capital
lists in Haipon. Tonkin. IF the titles to
any part of the estates proves defective.
the friars are bound by the conditions Of
the sale 10 return to the syndicate a pro-
portonate part OF the money that it has
received for the land. The firm that eng-
neered the sale. Andrews & Co. has
directed a petition to the American
authorities, asking for protection III taking
possession of the properties. The Angus
tinian friars have sold the Hacienda of
Pasay TO another company. but 1t has
been stated by some that the sale is q
simulated. and not real one.
It certainly looks as though the friars
were fearful of losing their lands. and
are therefore Fastening 10 put them
under the protection of a foreign flag, and.
oddly enough, Protestant one. at that.
As to he company which has bought the
estates of he Dominicans, there is strong
reason to believe that it is simply
stock company formed by the friars
themselves, or by their French friends and
colleagues. The sale was hastily made
during the time between the battle of
Cavite and that of Manila, and the haste
and the time, taken with the statement
that most of the stock was disposed of
to people in so little known a place as
Tonkin, are convincing. though not final.
evidence that the order is simply mas
querading under the lions skin, in order
to more easily compel whatever govern
ment may be established here to concede
its demands.
If the Filipinos We're to have indepcnd-
erce then the hope of the friars would
be TO have the British, or some other
strong government, back the claims of its
citizens 10 these lands. If the .Ameri-
cans were to establish themselves here,
the friars think that the claims of an
English firm would carry greater weight
with the government than those of a
Spanish corporation. Hence the scheme.
JAMES b. RODGERS.
Manila, P. l., May l, 1900.