Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-26
Our Prestige Involved.

expulsion or withdrawal There is no other
solution Of the question.
Our Prestige Involved.
While primarily a church problem, this
situation is one that affects vitality our gov
eminent in these islands and involves one
of the gravest questions of the many pre-
scented to the civil commission for solution
Our principle OF the absolute separation Of
the church and state is difficult OF appre-
citation by the churchmen OF these islands.
ana IS scarcely understood at all by the
people The church asks that the govern
ment protect its property and force the
parishes to accept Its priests, while the
people demand the unconditional expulsion
OF the friars and the confiscation OF their
property. Pledged as IL is to the support
OF personal and property rights, the govern
heht is placed In the attitude before the
people OF backing the church I'm its de-
mands. A number OF friars who have
sought to return to their parishes have
been hooted and stoned by the people. and
the authorities have been appealed 10 for
protection. The commission on the other
hand, is flooded with petitions from all
parts of the islands protesting against the
trlars and asking that their return to the
parishes be forbidden. The people cannot
be made to understand that the question OF
the return Of the friars is purely a matter
OF church policy, with which the commis-
sion has nothing whatever to do.
Attitude of Church Embarrassing.
There can be no question but that the att
titude of the church I'm this matter has em-
barrassed and is embarrassing the governs
ment seriously I'm it's work OF pacifcatiou
and In winning the good will of the people.
Aside from the complications resulting from
this effort of the orders to again force the
friars upon the people is the perplexing
question of friar lands.
The people living upon these large prop
critics claim that the land was acquired
from them through duress. through fraud
and through questionable methods and that
they should not be compelled to pay rental
therefor; that they and their fathers have
lived upon the land for generations and
that their rights therein are paramount to
those of the orders. During the military
regime the orders were prohibited as a
military measure from collecting rents upon
these lands With the establishment OF
civil government. however. and the organi-
cation Of civil courts. they are entitled to
enforce their demands against their So
called tenants, with a consequent bitter
feeling on the part Of the latter against tho
government which they believe is trampliug
upon their rights. As the solution Of this
latter problem the commission has RECON-
mended to Congress the purchase by tho
government of the friar haciendas and their
sale at a nominal figure TO the present
tenants. 1t is to be sincerely hoped that
this recommendation will prevail. as IL af-
fcrds the only practical solution OF tho
question. 1t is also believed that this Milan
will meet the wishes Of the orders The
handwriting on the wall Is slowly becon1-
Ing legible to them: they are beginning to
realize at last that the old order has chang
ed and that. even if restored to their for
mer parishes, it would be as ordinary indi-
Viduals, shorn Of all the perquisites and
privileges which made their position a sine
cure and a power in the former days. The
light of the twentieth century has broken
for the Philippine Islands, and old forms.
old practices, and old superstitions must
give way to the new life and the new
thought that quicllens the western world.