The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-09
Religious Orders in the Philippines
Have Money to Loan and own
Much Property.
TOKEN COIN A NECESSITY
USE OF UNITED STATES MONEY
WOULD UNSETTLE VALUES.
Various Features of the Administra-
ton of the Philippines Ex-
planned to Senator's.

WASHINGTON. Feb. S.-Continuing his
narrative before the Senate N on
the Philippines, Governor Taft to-day re-
verted to his testimony of yesterday for
the purpose of introducing a cablegram he
had received from acting Governor Wright
urging a revision in the tariff on Philippine
articles imported into the United States
from the Philippines. He said this cable
gram was in response to an inquiry from
himself as to the effect Of a reduction of 80
per cent The reply Of acting Governor
Wright is as follows:
Manila, Feb. 4.
The public session of sugar and tobacco
interests favor a reduction OF 70 per cent.
at least. A reduction Of so per cent. leaves
tariff almost prohibitive. Sugar prices now
very low. European market very dull on
account of overprOduction and low prices.
Beet-sugar planters here have lost heavily
by caraboas, machinery and otherwise.
Sugar cultivation is in a bad condition. Me-
MORALS received from sugar growers as
ISOLATION OF Negroes and Panay ask for free
trade for this reason. Think a reduction Of
70 per cent. on sugar and tobacco would be
a measure of relief and have excellent po-
litical effect"
Senator Rawlins questioned Governor
Taft concerning the holdings OF the friars.
The Governor said he thought the general
opinion as to the wealth and holdings of
the friars had been greatly exaggerated.
He did not believe, for instance, that they
had three-fourths OF the property owned in
the cities. That, however, the religious or
ders have ready cash was true, as was evil
denced by the fact that they make loans
He instaneed a case in which the friars had
advanced money to promote a corner in
hemp which had afterward failed because
OF Irregularities on the part of the man
ager. Governor Tart said the Phlllppine
government is DESTROYS OF purchasing the
Manila property held by the friars and that
it also would be desirable to secure their
holdings Of agricultural lands.
In connection with the loaning OF money
by the friars Senator Lodge asked about
the necessity for a banking law and the
witness replied that such a law is badly
needed. There are now, he said, two Eng
lish banks, in addition to the Spanish-Fili-
pino bank, the latter being controlled large
ly by the church and being the only bank
Of issue. He said there had been some
grants of land to the church orders, but
that, as a rule, they had acquired their
holdings by purchase. The charge had
been made, he said, that much Of their land
had come TO them by death-bed convey
ances, but this charge is not borne out by a
tracing of the title. The truth is, the friarS
have the best titles in the island, and, even
where there have been Irregularities, the
statute OF limitations would protect the
title. He said that. according to the
charges. one method Of extending the hold
TX u AAE JUL AA%L 0E1AA ~
their irrigation systems over adjoining
lands.
Something after our own method of
watering stock" said Senator Proctor, re-
ferring to irrigation, Entertainments. Sen
atOr Proctor also asked where the friars
had secured money with which to purchase
their lands, and this inquiry led Governor
Taft to say that the fees for marriages,
funerals, christenings. etc, had been so
high as to be complained OF. Those charges
for marriages had, he said, led many
couples TO live together illicitly, but that
in most cases the obligations thus taken
were observed.
FINANCIAL CONDITIONS.
Again referring to the financial interests
Of the Philippine archipelago Governor
Taft said that interest rates are as high
as from 20 to 40 per cent. and that it Is
very necessary there should be authority
for granting franchises to financial con-
Germs which would reduce the interest
charges. AS to the coinage Governor Taft
said that it is desirable that the gold
dollar should be established as a basis.
He also advocated a token coin which
should be exchangeable for gold and the
parity assured by the United states. This,
he said. is the plan Of the commission and
he believed it wise. The plan embraced the
coinage of a Philippine peso and the cir
~culation of this coin he thought should be
confined to, the islands. He thought until
the commission was authorized to make
good the. token money there would be
trouble, as 1t must be borne in mind that
the Philippine administration is not as
strong as that of an established nation.
Regarding the suggestion that United
| States money should be adopted Governor
Taft said If this were done ii would have
the effect Of increasing the value OF the
peso TO the extent of 30 per cent, and this
would unsettle transactions. This plan
also would have the effect OF raising the
price of wages and disturbing business
relations.
Taking up another point Of administration
Governor Taft advocated the right Of APP
peal in certain cases 10 the Supreme Court
of the United States, especially such cases
as would involve the relationship of church
lands to the government. This he thought
necessary because of the probability Of pref
udice. He urged the granting of power
to the commission TO give franchises for
steam and electric railways and light plants
and also made an argument for authority
to create a bonded debt Of $4,000, 900 for local
improvements in Manila. 1t is, he said,
especially desirable there should be electric
lines in that country because of the diff
hculty Of getting about in a tropical eli
mate. He thought no franchise should be
perpetual. He would also have a wider
margin given in the matter Of editing tim
Der. There is magnificent timber through
the islands, he said, and il would be bene-
fetal TO the forests to take much of it out.
The quantity which can be taken out now
by one concern is limited to 1000 cubic
feet. He suggested that there had been
some public sensitiveness on this point be-
cause of the interests .nere of the Philip
pine Lumber and Development Company.
In reply to Senator ,Culberson Governor
Taft said he would not advocate grants of
land that could be used for speculative puT-
poses, but he felt that it would be neces-
sary to allow persons to acquire large
bodies of land In order to secure the devel-
opment of the country. The conditions
there are, he said, entirely different from
what they are in the United States and il
would be found that the people would not
be so prompt in taking advantage Of a
homestead law as in the United States.