The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-07-22
NEGOTIATIONS RELATIVE To The
PHILIPPINE FRIAR LANDS
INSTRUCTIONS To TAFT
Philippine Government Desires
Social ResuIts-United states Pro-
poses to Pay for the Lands Out of
the Public Funds IL the Friars Will
Retire-What Frfce is to be Paid
Will be Decided by Philippine Gov
ernment-Matter viii be Disposed
of by Friendly Agreement.

Washington, July 1.-THE war de-
partment today made public the last
note of Secretary Root to Governor
Taft, dated last Monday, relative TO
the negotiations for the Friars lands.
1t formed the basis OF the note which
Governor Taft yesterday communicat-
ed 10 the Vatican. the essential points
of which were cabled from Rome by
the Associated Press last evening. In
addition TO portions already published
the note says:
Regarding the withdrawal of the
members of the religious orders from
the Philippines, the Philippine govern
ment desires social results which it
deems of great Importance to the well
fare of the Philippine people and which
can be accomplished only by the with
drawal of this class of persons who
have f~ortuitiousiy been thrown into
special antagonistic political relations
with the people. That government has
proposed al arrangement which it sup
posed to be very advantageous to the
church.
Recognizing the intensity and prac-
teal unanimity of his feeling among
the Filipinos and at the same time de-
string to avoid causing loss to the
church, the United States government
representatives proposed to pay for the
lands out of the public funds if the
F'riars would retire from the island
and give place to other religious orders
of their own faith who might be able
to accomplish for their religion what
they themselves had so signally failed
to accomplish. 1t is the desire to &C
complish the removal of this cause of
disturbance and disorder that has led
me TO approve that clause of your pro-
posal which would involve the govern
ment of the Philippines in a large and
underlined obligation for the purchase
of lands in advance of a specific aScer-
tainment of their values and of the
estimated prices which we can reason
ably expect to receive from them when
we in turn offer them for sale, and to
the clauses which would anticipate the
authority of congress in regard to the
entertainment of rentals and damages
in the course of occupation and the
conveyance of church lands provided
for in your proposal
If this object is not to be assured
then the arrangements should more
closely follow the suggestions of Car
dinal Rampolla that a just estimate
of the value of the lands is a compli-
Gated question requiring special study.
His memorandum declares the DISPOSE
ton of the Holy See to instruct the
new apostolic delegate to the Philip
pines to amicably treat this affair in
an understanding with the American
| government and to secure a just set
Element of all the matters touched up
on in the memorandum. 1t will be the
duty of the Philippine government to
determine for itself the price it is will
ing to pay for the various parcels of
property in which the religious orders
are interested and which they are will
ing to sell. Via price will, of course,
be largely affected by the practical
benefits from the purchase in view of
all the facts then existing and by the
fact that the real and substantial title
70 the lands in a great measure has
passed out of the religious orders and
is vested in corporations which they
cannot entirely control and which hold
the lands for the purpose of lawful
gain and are alone incompetent to sell
them.
1t may we'll De that the prices which
you will feel justified in offering fol
matter may thus be disposed OF by
friendly agreement, in conformity to
the ordinary understanding which has
been reached between o and the
ecclesiastical authorities in Rome can
not fail to do away with the probability
of friction or difficulty"