Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-26
Judge Taft at Rome.

Judge Iaft VIII reach Rome IN a lew
days. Some curious interpretations have
been put upon his mission. One is that it
establishes diplomatic relations between
this government and the Vatican, which
time will extend to the affairs of the Ro-
man Catholic Church in this country in
the Philippines. A more mistaken view of
simple matter of business it would be
impossible to imagine.
The Rome correspondent of the New York
Sun--on terms of intimacy at the Vatican
writes as follows under date of the 9th in
slant:
THE negotiations will cover the following
points: The United States government
asks the pope to define the objects of the
ecclesiastical property that has passed from
Spain to the United States and to make a
distinction between the property that came
from Spanish sources and that obtained
from the natives 1t is probable that this
property will be turned to the use of the
dioceses and the parishes, as was done in
the case of Prussia with the diocesan fund
created out of the salaries confiscated dur
ing the kulturkampf
AS concerns the property of the monastic
orders, the government leaves them con-
vents and their houses. but in order to
Americanize the new order of things it
wishes to buy at a fair price their great
feudal landed estates.
In the third place the government de-
mands the gradual substitution of native,
American or other priests for the Spanish
monk curates. Up to the time of the war
the Spanish monks were curates in all
parishes, the Filipinos being merely their
Wears
Finally, the question of arranging for
the nomination of future bishops will have
to be settled. The Spanish archbishop of
Manila has already resigned: he Is now at
Rome to help iii the negotiations. 1t will
be necessary. too. to define the character
and office of the future apostolic delegate
in the islands,
The question in which this government
is interested is the enormous land holdings
in the archipelago of the Spanish friars.
II desires to purchase them and throw
them open to settlement. 1t is willing to
pay a good price. When that question has
been settled the government has been led
to believe. the friars who yet remain will
withdraw from the scene, and open the way
for the appointment of pastors and their
assistants acceptable to the people of the
islands.
But this government, in the very nature
of things. aspires to no voice into the selec-
ton of the new pastors or new bishops.
The feeling in the United States is that as
far as possible they should be of American
birth or education. and consequently with
experience in church government as entirely
apart from civil government. This, how
ever. is but an opinion. This government
would not formally suggest names to the
Vatican in matters having to do strictly
with church affairs. 1t assumes that the
Vatican, advised as it is of the feeling
among the Filipinos against the Spanish
frIars. will in appointing their successors
proceed with due regard to all the interests
involved.
Nor is it to be believed that the apostolic
delegate to the islands will have any Off
cial connection with the civil authorities.
Such delegate will stand there as Delegate
Satolli and Delegate Martinelli stood here,
absolutely unknown officially to any de-
partment Of this government, and busy
alone with affairs of the church and an
swerable alone to the authorities at Rome