The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-12
THE NEGOTIATION AT ROME.


The negotiation now going on at Rome
relative TO the disposition OF the friars'
lands in the Philippines, and OF the friars
themselves shows that the Vatican has lost
none of it's old-time skill in diplomacy. It
il the first time in many years that it has
been directly approached and consulted by
a great power relative to the settlement of
a state question. and il probably reminds
the Pope of the time. now long past when
the Vatican had voice in the foreign and
domestic affairs Of nations TO an extent that
can never by any possibility be repeated
In the present case, however, II is consulted
not because of any temporal power pos
sessed by the Pope. but because the CO.
operation of the church IS desired in settling
some purely ecclesiastical questions.
Judge Taft's note, submitting the propo-
sition of the United States under instruc-
tons wired him by the secretary of war.
was submitted on July 3. The two main
features OF the proposition were the pur-
chase of the friars lands at a price to be
J determined by arbitrator and the removal
/ Of the friars themselves, their places to be
/ filled by other Catholic priests of the same
4 order, but no Spanish friars The note pro-
posed that the first payment of the pur-
chase money for the lands should be made
/ Immediately. and the other two-thirds in
nine and eighteen months, and continued:
All friars of the four orders shall with
draw within two years from the first pay
ment. small number are TO continue
during that time to look after the schools
and universities. but all of them must GO
half during nine months from the first pay
/ ment and half eighteen months later, not
including the friars who have not raised
the hostility OF the natives and who re-
mained In their parishes after the revolu-
ton of 1898 till now, except those in Manila
| No Spanish friars may be substituted for
those withdrawn.
II was further stated that the churches,
schools and universities may be directed by
Spanish clergy of orders other than those
Withdrawn, or by clergy of the same orders
who are not Spanish, lit being necessary to
convince the Filipnos that the ancient
regime of the Spanish friars is finished E"
This point was still further emphasized by
the statement in another part of the note
that Nothing will calm the people and
produce harmony between the church and
the government as the certainty given by
contract that the friars shall leave at a
fixed date. shall not return and shall not
exercise any influence from Manila over the
priests in the parishes" These expressions
made it plain that the one point on which
the United States insisted was the with
drawal of all friars now i'm the islands
within two years from the first payment on
%I,r a,
to details, but this was paramount.
In reply the Vatican accepts nearly all
the details but rejects the essential feature
1t agrees to the sale of the lands, to fixing
the price by arbitrators, to the time and
manner of payment, etc. but to the
withdrawal of the friars it says:
The Vatican cannot accept the PROPOSE
ton to recall the friars within the fixed
period. Such recall not being justified by
compelling reasons. il would be contrary
/ to the rights guaranteed by the treaty OF
Paris and would put the Holy See in con.
nict with Spain. IL asks: IF the United
States government cannot order the with
drawal of the friars, how can the Pope
do so, especially when it has been proved
that all the accusations made against then
we're partly false, partly exasgerated ano
promises that 1t will try to introduce int
the Philippines clergy OF other nationalities
especially Americans. gradually. as the,
are found ready or are adapted 10 the pur
pose.
This savors of quibbling The Pope hal
very different and much greater power owe
} the friars than the United States govern
ment has The latter cannot Danish then
from the islands by an arbitrary edct. blu
the Pope can withdraw every one of then
; by a simple word OF command. The appea
to the treaty with Spain is cunning but dis
ingenious. The treaty protects the churcl
and the friars in their property rights
and the United States does not propose 4
deprive them of these without fun com
pensation, but there is nothing i'm the treat,
binding the United States 10 continue a sys
TEN that is odious to the Filipinos an
. | opposed TO all ideas of American govern
. ment. II is possible the Vatican is simpl
, | trying TO escape the responsibility of order
, ing the withdrawal of the friars and tina
il will try i'm good faith to introduce priest
=, of other nationalities. especially Amer
leans" This would be slow process. bu
if the United States can be convinced tina
the Vatican wiz carry it out i'm good faith
a it means the withdrawal OF all the friars i
= the not distant future, it may be accepte
. as compromise Under his instruction,
a however. Judge Taft cannot accept any
. thing but an assurance That the friars vi
-? be withdrawn at or within fixed date
:. and it is doubtful if Secretary Root wi
modify his instructions. The reply of tn
Vatican is disappointing in that it reject
the essential feature OF Judge Taft's propC
y sition The negotiation is a very importaT
one. and its outcome will be regarded b
other powers test of American diplon
acy when matched against that of Rome
= NOT REPUBLICAN DOCTRINE.
Senator Burton, Of Kansas. has given
definition OF reciprocity which makes