Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-09-25
FREE TRADE WITH
THE PHILIPPINES.
Only a Year or Two Until It is
Practically Established.
SUCH GOV. TAFT'S PROMISE.
In Speech al Manila DweiIs on Friars
Lands Question, Telling Of Neso-
tiations with The Vatican.

Washington, Sept. 25,-The bureau
OF insular affairs has furnished to the
press copies Of the speech made by
Gov Taft on the occasion OF the re-
ception rendered him when he arrived
In the Philippines. In the course OF
the speech Gov. Taft said.
"You can be very sure that It will
only be matter Of year or TWO
before the American duty on Philippine
products will be reduced to SO small
figure as to make 1t practically free
trade. Delays in congressional action
on the tariff and postponement Of the
time for a popular assembly are only
the outgrowth of conservatism due
TO a doubt on the part of the many as
TO the real conditions in the islands, a
doubt. ! may say, which nothing VII
so quickly dispell as a quiet prosecution
OF agricultural and other pursuits ana
an avoiding of useless political agita-
ton for the next year.
THE many questions requiring set
tlement between the Philippine govern
ment and the church led the president
and secretary of war TO direct me TO
visit Rome for a conference with the
rope, TO see If q basis OF settlement.
might not be reached. After an audi
ence with the pope, the instructions
were referred to a committee OF car
dinals. and an answe. was given me
pgreeing generally with all the pul-
poses stated In the instructions, which
included among other things the pur-
chase Of the frlars' lands by the gov
eminent,
''rhis answer proposed that further
negotiations be had between an apostol-
&c delegate and myself in Manila. with
tile hope OF having less 10 do In Manila,
and by authority of the secretary | re-
plied by suggesting to the pope the
form Of contract TO be signed IN
Rome. submitting the questions at is
she 10 a tribunal Of arbitration 90
consist of two members appointed by
The pope, two by this government, anu
the fifth to be appointed by the yiceroy
Of India,
1.-THE questions WERE
First the price to be paid for the
friars' lands. second, the price to he
paid for the occupation OF parish
churches and converts by American
troops third, the disposition of educa-
tional and charitable trusts including
the San Jose college case. The contract
included covenant that the members
of the four great religious orders, whc
were all Spaniards, should leave the
islands In two years after the first pay
ment was made for the lands, and that
only secular priests or non-Spanish
members of the regular clergy should
act as parish priests.
1.-THE vatican agreed to sign such
contract, excepting the last covenant
which II declined to sign, first because
Il related TO the administration Of re-
ligious matters, not the proper sub
ject of a commercial contract, second
because the signing Of such covenant
as that would give just offence TO Spain,
whose subjects the friars were and as
such were entitled TO remain in the
islands under the treaty OF Paris, ana
because the vatican did not wish 70
give countenance to what were re-
garded as the exaggerated charges
against them.
"Instead OF this, however the pope
said. through Cardinal Rampolla, that
he intended TO Teorganize the church
in the islands 10 recall the friars now
In the islands from political intermed-
ding 10 the Institutes of their order, TO
provide ecclesiastical education TO the
natives so that the priesthood ultimate
" should be entirely native, and 10 IN
troduce priests Of other nationalities
than Spanish, chiefly from the United
states into the islands. He said that
the money for the land would go 70
ihe church for the benefit Of the church
in the Philippines, and not to the order
and he finally reiterated what had been
slid earlier In the correspondence, that
no priests would be sent to any parish
IA the islands whom a majority of the
Catholics of the parish did not wish to
receive.
In view Of the unwllingness of the
vatican to enter into contract Tor the
definite removal Of the Spanish frlars
the secretary OF war was unwilling TO
enter into a contract obligating the
Philippine government and the Amerl-
can government 10 pay such indefinite
SIMS without further investigation and
nreferred TO recur to the original meth
od of negotiation proposed by the yati-
can, through an apostolic delegate, who
e 10 visit the islands with authority
ia sell the lands, TO settle the rentals
oue and TO agree upon the question OF
charitable and educational trusts rms
basis was agreed TO and negotiations
nre To be continued hereafter All the
data necessary have been submitted
with the approval of the church,
1T will thus be seen that negotiations
mon many issues are only begun
though the sale of the lands has been
approved and that on the question oil
he return of the friars TO the parishes
the matter is completely In the hahds
Of the people Of each parish Tor SET
Element by a quiet, peaceahie ana Jaw
mi exnression of their desire to receive
mr. not receive any priest