Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1901-10-03

the CivE Governor and the Commits
sion and the trial of causes before the
Supreme Court, in which the govern
ment is interested together with some
administrative duties In the way Of
appointing subordinate officials in the
Courts of First Instance throughout
the islands.
In view of the fact that the country
has been in a state Of war for three
years and that an entirely new system
of government is being introduced,
there is much work both before the
Supreme Court and for the Commits
sion. We have $50 cases on the Su-
preme Court docket which accumulat-
ed during the war period. At the
present time the Civil Governor is del
uging us with inquiries from the
officials throughout the Archipelago
asking for opinions on the provisions
of the new laws which have been
passed by the Commission.
Prominent among the important
matters which are now pending In
| this office is the San Jose College case
This is contest between the United
States government and the Roman
lCathoic church for the control ane
administration of San Jose College
The contention of the United State'
government is that the title to tht
property OF that institution, which 1
valued at about one million dollars
passed to 1t by the treaty OF Paris
The Catholic church claims that th'
| property did not belong to the King o
Spain. but was administered by him a
! agent Of the Holy See; hence beinl
church property it did not pass to th'
! United States by the treaty OF Paris
The college is just 300 years old. Oh
: account OF the character of the liti
t gants, the nature Of the controversy
and the far-reaching effects OF its re
suits, tile case is attracting great Of
! tention in these islands. There ar
several other institutions here OF
similar character whose fate depend
upon the result In this case. If th
government wins 1t will go far toward
breaking the force of the Catholic ad
; ministration In the educational fiel'
In these islands.
While there is no disposition on tn
mart OF the government TO oppose th
Catholic church as such, and as it
administered in the United States
vet there is a deep feeling against tn
present administration Of the Cathe
!. lie church in these islands by all th
: elements Of the community.
The Filiplnos are very bitter agains
the various orders aud are anxious :
see their influence destroyed as rapid
as possible. It Is to be hoped that tn
present representatives Of the Catht
ile church now at Rome, will so In
press the Pope that the present reT
resentatives of the church in thes
islands viii be superseded at an earl
date by American priests who ar
+ patriots.
The mediaevallsm which character
lies the Spanish civil administratio
Il here is being rapidly supplante
n by liberal institutions and mcder
!. IeIvilIzatlon, and similar transformi
h tion will have 70 take place In the ae
y minlstration Of religious institution
= An agreed statement Of facts in tn
San Jose College case viii be filed Wit
e the Supreme Court on Sept. LIST, an
; the final Arguments made about nlnet
L days after. II IS probable that th
Y case will be appealed 10 the Suprem
= COURT Of the United States, II CoE
gress clothes that tribunal with tn
Jurisdiction to hear appeals from th