Evening star., 1901-04-09

charge. He was president Of the census
taking of the town.
Under the Spanish law every man had
to be furnished with a certificate of char
acter. If a man was Imprisoned and he
was from another town, they would send
to that other town Tor his antecedents,
and the court would examine whether they
We're good or bad. They would not be re-
ceived, however, unless the parish priest,
had his wise on them. The priest also
certified as to the civil status of persons
Every year they drew lots for those who
We're to serve in the army, every fifth man
drawn being taken. The parish priest
would certify as to that mans condition
That develops a new fact that l have
not known BEFORE" remarked Judge Taft.
They raised the army here, then. by i'm
pressment; it was not cptional?"
All by ballot. Every year they would
go to what they call the sacramental books
and get the names of all those who were
twenty years of age. This list being certi-
placed in an urn and then drawn out.
Every fifth man was taken"
WAS the service disliked by those Sc
lected, or did they regard it as an oppor-
-tunity?"
They disiked it. Many of them would
take to the woods, and the civil guards
would have to go after them and bring
them back. They would be put in Jail
and guarded until they could be taken to
the capital city. There We're many cases
of desertion."
An Ecc1esiasticaI Poo-Bah.
Proceeding with the enumeration of the
priests political duties Father Villegas
said:
"By law he had to be present when there
were elections for municipal offices. Very
often the parish priest did not want to go,
but the people would come to him and say,
Come for there will be disturbances, and
you will settle many difficulties
HE was censor of the municipal budgets
before they were sent to the provincial gov
ernor.
HE was also counselor for the municipal
counsel when that body met They would
notify him that they were going to hold
meeting and invite him to be present.
'The priests were supervisors of the cleo
tion Of the police force. This also had to
be submitted to the provincial governor.
"He was examiner Of the scholars attend
ing the first and second grades in the pub
lie schools
He was censor of the plays, comedies
and dramas in the language Of the coun-
try, deciding whether they were against
the public peace or the public morals.
These plays were presented at the various
fiestas of the people.
HE was president Of the prison board
and inspector I'm turn) of the food provided
for the prisoners.
He was a member of the provincial
board. Besides the parish priest there were
two curateS who served on this board. Be
relating to public works and other cognate
matters. All estimates for public buildings
in the municipalities were submitted to this
board.
He was also member of the board for
partitioning crown lands. After the land
was surveyed and divided and a person
wanted to sell his land he would present
his certificate and the board would pass
upon the question whether or not he was
the owner. This would be vised by the
board for purposes of taxation When
private individual wanted to buy govern
nent land he would apply to the proper OF,
ficer pay his money and the board would
determine whether the transfer was ac-
cording to law.
capitals Of the provinces would act as au-
ditors In some of these places there would
be only the administrator, and then the
curate would come in and act as auditor.
small things which devolved upon the
priest 1t might be said that there were
times. however. when nothing OF moment
was done in the towns. ot course,
the only thing intrusted to them was the
spiritual welfare Of the people, but they
had to do this other work because asked
to do so by the government.
''They were the best educated men in the
town and men of force; indeed. the only
class who knew how to conduct matters"
suggested Judge Taft.
''The parish priest did not learn business
while studying theology. but after he en-
tered upon his charge it was forced upon,
him" answered Father Villegas.
The Friars' Lands.
It developed in the course Of the inquiry
that the great land holdings of the Do
minicans, Augustinians and Recoiietos had
passed, or were about to pass, into the
hands of corporations. evidently formed
for the purpose, in which the orders each
held q majority Of the stock. The Fran
ciscans are not allowed to own lands. Many
questions were asked to determine the
ownership OF the church property in the
various towns. It usually developed that
the churches and convents, or priests
houses, were built on public land and paid
for partly by the natives In labor and ma
terials The priestly witnesses declared
that the construction expenses were often
most heavily borne by the curates out Of
their own funds.
The commission sought to ascertain the