New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-25
FRIAR QUESTIONS SETTLED
IMPORTANT POINTS CONCEDED BY THE
VATICAN.
SUCCESS OF HIS NEGOTIATIONS AN
NoUNcED BY GOVERNOR TAFT
AT MANILA.
AT MANILA.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.


Washington, Sept. z4-The first authoritative
and comprehensive statement regarding the
gratifying success of Governor Taft's negotla-
tions with the Vatican to be made public ap-
pears in address made by Governor Taft on
August %. after his arrival al Manila, copies OF
which reached the War Department to-day. The
two most veXing questions regarding the trlars
seem to have been settled satisfactorily. Their
vast land holdings are to be sold and the friars
themselves at least not TO return to the
fields Of activity where their presence is OBJ
jectionable. In his address Governor Taft said:
The many questions requiring settlement be-
tween the Philippine government and the
Church led the President and Secretary OF war
10 direct me to visit Rome for a conference WIN
the Pope. to see il basis of settlement might
not be reached The questions calling for
settlement were set out in a letter of Instruc-
tions given me by the Secretary. After an audi
ence with the Pope, the Instructions We're re-
ferred to a committee of Cardinals, and an an
swer was given agreeing generally with all
the purposes stated in the instructions. which
included among other things, the purchase or
the friars' lands by the government
This answer proposed that the further negoua-
myself in Manila With the hope of having less
to do in Manila. and by authority of the Secre-
tdry, I replied by suggesting to the rope the
form Of a contract to be signed in Rome SUP
hitting the questions at issue to a trlpulal OF
arbitration TO consist of two members appointed
by the Pope two by this government, and the
Flrst-The price to be paid for the friars'
lands
Second-The price to he paid for the occupa-
ton of parish churches and converts by Amerl-
ThrdIThe disposition Of educational and
charitable trusts including the San Jose Col
The contract included a covenant that the
members of the four great religious orders, who
were all Spaniards. should leave the lsIands IN
two years after the first payment was mace IoF
y,t--c Ia II
Spanish members of the regular clergy should
act as parish priests. ..
The Vatican agreed to sign such contrac9 I
excanting the last covenant, which it declined
70 sign first because 1t related TO the acmlhls-
tration of religious matters not the proper SUD
iect of a commercial contract; second because because
nv s1rnirc such a covenant it would give just
offence to Spain whose subjects tiese INA -
Iyara and az such were entitled to remain In
the islands under the Treaty OF Paris, ana oe-
cause the Vatican did not wish 70 give counte,
nance to what were regarded as the exaggerated
charges against them.
THE SPANISH FRIARs 10 GO.
Instead of this, however. the Pope said.
through Cardinal Rampolla. that ne lhtehoea e1 10
reorSanize the Church in the lSisu, 1t,;aI ~ in
the frjars now in the islands from polltlCdl III
termeddline to the institutes OF theT oiuef' "
provide ecclesiastical education TO nfi'INes 81
that the priesthood should ultimately be ehtlreIy
'In+iva nd now TO introduce priests Of other
than Spanish, chishS ~ 49,
United states into the slandS ne sdlu , , ma
the for the Janus NOuAH ..
for the benefit of the Church in the Phi!lpplnes;
ana not To the orders and he finally reltefateu
what had been said earlier in the cotre9poitte
ence that no priest would be sent 10 any I,
in the islands whom a majority ol tHe O"''i0
of the parish did not wish TO receive .,
In view of the unwillingnesS OF the HatIcaii
70 enter into a contract for the deunlte re-
moyal of the Spanish friars the 0eCle'"i "
War was unwilling to enter INTO coHIi con- a. a.
obliga ting the Philippine Government dilu tiio
Ar,erican Government to pay such INDEFINITE
Sums without further investigations. ana pre-
cerred to recur to the original method OF neso-
tiation proposed by the Vatican tnroush an
apOstolic delegate, who is to visit the lsldnuS
with authority to sell the lands to settle the
rentals due. and agree upon the question oL
charitable and ed .lca tional trusts TINS pasls
vasa agreed to, and negotiations are 10 oe CON
tinued here after all the 6ata necessary nave
been submitted by the representative OF the
Church to the government
upon many of the issues Only begun. though
the sale OF the lands has been approved ana
that upon the question Of the return OF the
friars to the parishes the matter is completely
in the hands of the people of each parish for a
by quiet peaceable and lawful ex-
preston of their desire to receive or not to re-
ceiVe any priest
The correspondence between Cardinal Ram
polla and myself upon these questions will
The Secretary of War holds the opinion in
which 1 concur, that the basis of agreement and
friendly cooperation reached in Rome is a
long step toward a solution of the difficult
questions presented which will in the end be
entirely satisfactory to the people of the Philip
pine Islands, and in whose interests solely the
mission to Rome was undertaken.