The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-25


for all information in the possession of
the Secretary Of War, or the Taft Com
mission. relative TO ali lands in the Phil
ippines held for ecclesiastical or religious
purposes. in Eaortmain or otherwise. to-
gether with the title, extent. and value
of such Ian,S-
The resolution, as worded also directs
the President to state whether he has
entered into any agreement other than
that set forth IT the Treaty with Spain
in regard TO the titles to tie land. and
if any policy has heen declared regard
ing the dealing with such titles
The reply covers nearly 800 pages. and
includes all the testimony taken before
the Philippine Commission on the subject
The evidence of thirty-eight witnesses
is given, and is bitter protest on the
part of representative FiIipinos against
the domination of the friars. who.
nearly all Of the witnesses declare. keep
the natives poor because the latter are
compelled to pay for the support Of the
large families OF cOncubines and the nu-
merous children acknowledged by the
friars-
Cruelty. ignorance, and lust are alleged
TO be the principal traits of nearly all OF
those representing the church in the arch
ipeIago.
The response to the resolution bids fair
to give Congress and the Supreme Court
plenty of work. since the Philippine Com
mission states that the task OF deciding
the titles to the church lands should
come to the Supreme Court for de-
cision As there ara 967 missions, each
holding land, the future has a large num-
Der of cases in store. The friars own
4gs. 900 acres of land. together with hun
4, of h,VifG nd each Gf
the orders, the witnesses aver, is in the
money-Iending business The annual in
come from the lands of the Recalietos is
S45O, go: from those OF the Dominicans,
S211. so. and from those OF the Angus
tinians, $I5o 0oo.
The report, which has just been print
ed. has the following 10 say OF this mat
ter
1t IS not at all unlikely that before
the Congress which was elected in No
yernker last and which viii meet in De
cember next shall finally adjourn IL VII
conclude TO confer upon the Supreme
Court Of the United States jurisdiction to
consider appeals from the Supreme Court
of these islands The present case. in
volving a construction OF the Treaty of
Paris and the effect upon public trusts
of transfer of sovereignty from king
y
united, and one might almost say mex
tricabIy fused. to one IL which church
and state are kept entirely separate, is
OF such Importance as to make most
appropriate the submission OF the issue
TO a court of the dignity, learning,
ability and commanding jurisdiction Of
| the Supreme Court of the United States.
This Commission has no power TO confer
such jurisdiction upon that court. but Il
may make q legislative provision which
| shall prevent the decision of the Supreme
Court Of these islands from being 50 final
in its character as TO make il impossible
for the Congress of the United States.
after its rendition. to provide an appeal
10 the United States Supreme Coa.-t. The
| law TO be passed VIII. therefore. enact
that upon the entering Of a decree by the
Supreme Court Of the islands il shall be
| Immediately carried into effect If against
the petitioner, the petition shall be dis
missed and the costs awarded collected;
| if against the defendants, and IN favor
| of the petitioners the decree shall be
| executed by a ci.anca Of possession and
| control of the college and an accounting;
| but the decree shall not become final 50
as TO prevent an appeal. by virtue Of a
provision II the Congress OF the United
States, TO the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States. or some other tribunal, until
March 1. 1876"
a voluminous history Of the dominion
of the friars in the Philippines is given.
| showing tk1 manner in which they OBJ
tanned the lands they now hold
one of the most interesting chapters
Of the report is found in the evidence
given befort the Commission by FIoren-
tinO Torres. Attorney General of the Phil
ippines under the United States. Mr.
Torres says in part:
The social relations which the fTiars
have maintained with the FIhpinOS are
the most injurious. They have endeavJr-
ed 70 keep the Filipinos IN ignorance op-
posing, wherever they could bring their
pressure 10 bear, TIE teaching OF the
| Spanish language by primary school
| teachers They have condemned in their
preachingS ard private converse ton sE--
cry desire for culture and civilization. an
| tagoniZing the best purpose Of the Ma
| dr1d Government OF OF that Of these isl
ands. IS well in the faint and neagr.- Te-
forms IN behalf Of the progress and edU-
/ cation OF the FilipinOS as in the ecOnOmi-
/ cal measures which to q certain extent
! effect the interests Of the corporations.
| although they may rebound TO the great
| benefit or the people, and having AFRO
gated 70 themselves the title of mentors
| and directors of this society. instead %
| teaching the EiiipinOs cultured social be-
haYIor becoming TO civilized men they
| educated and formed them morally with
that narrow character, little frank and
{
! crafty Of the people, especially in the
| more ignorant, making them stubborn
| nd suspicious OF intercourse and reIa-
| lions with foreigners.
| III can be asserted without exaggera-
| ton Jhat the friars haze been md are =
| fatal hinorance to the advancement mo.
! raj and material. Of this country, from
! the very fact that they have devoted
/ themselves 10 keeping this society in IL
| nOrance, as though il lived in the Middle
! Ages or IN the mediaevaI epoch Of remote
! centuries, auC lastly. as priests and GU
| rates the ma j0rity of them were living
! examples Of immortality. Of disorder ir
| the towns, and Of disObedienc@ and re-
| siStance to the constituted powers and the
/ authorities. encouraged BIZ lie irnr.l4rliry
qua ranteed in the anachFonistic ecclesias,
! tical jurisdiction. by the weakness Of fht
/ governors and officials Initiated with fet.
| ichISm and hypocrisy. and by the ire.
SlSLlbIe OmnIpOteuce Of each mona cha
! corporation, possessing immense wealth
| Nearly All. If not all. Of he inhabitants
| Grafton, bear hatred and resentment
/ against the friars and are prepared
| against returning 70 their infamous woke
| some for personal injuries received and
/ The rest even the Indifferent a nd the de-
/ sccldants Of the very IriarS. Injured In
! their dignity and manly amour propre. find
] themselves more or less convinced that il
| would not bT possible To 3iy.. With dignity
/ prudent liberty, and legal guaranty for
/ the human personality or hope for prog.
/ ress and prosperity III this -ountry while
the frlaTS govern or ear n;iNe influence
over those who govern in 1rt'-f 20 con
! tlnue their gloomy policT agaI4.-- the Fill
pnOs-
! with respect TO tie &c lily Of the
parish friars. the cunvuct 81 t-.a I:ea jOrity
! left much 10 be desired. and IN each towI
! ard locality the manner of living Of The
| cUFate-fTiar was publicly known and talk.