The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-07-17
United States Declines the Latest Proposition Be- cause It Would Not
 Solve Question.
FRIARS MUST WITHDRAW
RAMPOLLA'S FIRST METHOD OF
 SETTLEMENT ACCEPTED.

This Calls for an Investigation by Both
 Sides of Liabilities and Claims and the
 Settlement of Them by nn Apostolic
 Delegate and Governor Taft at Manila
 -Regret Expressed That All Questions
 Have Not Been Decided Definitely.
 Rome, July 16.-At noon to-day Major Porter personally delivered to Cardinal Ranlpolla, the papal secretary of state, the latest note of Governor Taft, of the Philippine Islands, on the subject of the withdrawal of the friars from the is lands, which will presumably end the governors negotiations here, as Major Porter simultaneously presented let ter from Governor Taft asking for a farewell audience with the pope.
 The vatican is buzzing with comments on the last American note, the contents of which were somewhat unexpected, as it was thought that Washington would make counter-propositions A majority here represent the result as a success for papal diplomacy, while others ex- press the opinion that the friars will not get in Manila better terms than those offered here, and that the affair may end in their being obliged to leave the archipelago with less money, as it would be impossible to bring before the courts the sixty thousand tenants who occupy their lands, paying no rent therefor.
 This and the partial failure of the visit to Rome of Judge Taft would be the last straw for the religious orders, as it would justify the governments of France, Spain, etc, which took meas ures against them without having re- course to the vatican.
 The following is, in part, Judge Taft's note to the vatican:
 "In reply to the two notes of your eminence of June q and July g, have just received a communication from the secretary of war, in precise and exhaus- tive terms, which are here reproduced integrally Secretary Root says he is glad to see, by the two notes received from the vatican. that the Holy See is animated by the best intentions to come to an understanding with Washington about the relations between church and state in the Philippines; that his emil hence has declared the vatican to be disposed to give clear and precise in- structions to the friars to occupy them- selves with religion only, abstaining en- tirely from politics, and that the Holy See proposes to introduce, little by lit- AIa sp1ksp of nf1 not o especially American. Secretary Root adds that he cannot do less than ac- knowledge the wisdom of these propo- sitions, but that he must observe that they would not solve the question.
 "The United States has no desire to violate the treaty of Paris and seeks, not a forcible, but voluntary, with drawal of certain persons, who happen to be Spaniards and whose previous ex- periences in the islands had fortuitous- ly thrown them into antagonistic rela- tions with the people and with the Catholic laity and native clergy, many of whom have left their parishes and can only be reinstated by using mate rial force, which the United States can- not permit. The government of the Philippines has no intention to propose measures contrary to the interests of the vatican and, in fact, it's interest in the church. If the question of with drawal be unsettled, now that the Washington government has persuaded the ecclesiastical authorities to see the necessity of carrying out this step, the later withdrawal of the friars, under order of the religious superior, could not be regarded as anything but volun- tary and would not violate the treaty of Paris Nor could such order be re- garded as affirming or admitting any accusations against the friars, because the American government made no such accusations The United States did not desire the withdrawal for itself-it was indifferent to the presence of the friars but in the interest of the whole people of the Philippines. who were bitterly opposed to their presence.
 Tt was thought, by the general pro- posal of a contract which would bind the Philippine government to certain financial and other obligations, to se- cure the longed-for desire of the Philippine people in the withdrawal of the friars. Now that the vatican does UOt see US way CledI tO Hldhe d uGHIllle withdrawal. the American government has deemed it wiser to recur to the methods of settlement of the various questions at issue suggested by Cardi- nal Rampolla's first communication of June 21. namely:
 First, an investigation by both sides into the possible and probable liabilities and claims and the settlement of them by an accredited apostolic delegate and by the governor in Manila. after the conditions with respect to the titles of the friars to the land and the amount of claims for rental have been presented by the representative of the church to the representatives of the Philippine government in Manila.
 "As to the indemnity for the friars lands, his eminence has pointed out the difficulty of computing so preciritately the exact value, but this might be done by examining the title deeds. The | Washington government will immedi- | ately order the general commandine the 1 forces in the Philippines to furnish all |, indications necessary to ascertain what !