The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-07
OUR DISPUTE With ROME.
COUNTER PROPOSALS IN FRIAR
LAND NEGOTIATIONS.
Both Sides WILING 10 Have the Price OF
the Land liked by Arbitration. but
the Vatican says Nothing about the
withdraw al Of the Rel gious Orders.

WAsHINoToN. Dec. Gov. TAFT has
advised the Secretary II War that the me-
gotia,ions for the settlement OF IN" friar
land ques, ion ia the Philippines. begun
a week ago at Manila, with the Pdpal dele
gate sent from Rome to represent the
Vatican, are proceeding satisfactorily.
There is little hope. however, OF speedy
adjustment Of the difficult les, owing TO the
attitude Of the Vatican toward the school
systems Of the Philippines.
The secret correspondence between Gov
Taft and the Vatican, which dscios"s very
fully the attitude Of the Church on the ques-
tions involved, has been made public by
the War Department.
Gov. Taft reports that the negotiations
were begun pract icalv where they were leit
of at Rome. the basis Of the negotiations
being a proposed agreement offered the
Va, lean last summer, which appears III
full in the correspondence now made pubic.
II IL in part ms follows:
This agreement between Cardinal Ram.
polll, Cardinal Secretary OF stat" TO us Holt
and William Howard Taft. Civil Governor
OF the Philippine Islands, representing ,ne
President Of the United stn'.1 ana no, the fhu
First The Philippine GoyernInep' agrees
70 buy all the agricultural land building:
iTrisaton giaG,s ana tho S'n rbipniine hTch
poago Of the Dominican. AuguNlnnu ana
kecoleto orders aisi TO pay therefor rea,
dollars bv a tribunal Of arbitration TO he com,
posed OF Ave members. two 70 be hrpolhteu
hy Ii, CnG the r1lG tho wH by "f I've ra az
pointed by the Governor-Gen"ral oil lhdli
second Inc fnlhprin" Government agrees
TO release by legislative act 20 the rcpresehih-
,iyas of M Roman CATHOLIC ttnrCh, uprlk-
mated hy his Holiness the loI" all lahds or
Enclosures upon which Roman SathohH
wnre never by deed or formal grant conveyed
by spain TO the Roman ,at'oic ,hurch. W.
same TO ,. he'd ny spch RI f rsri.h l"
IN when such churches and convcitos. re-
spoCtiyely, stand: without prejudice. hoNever'
TO b 9e dnr " .c6 any SEu qt 'H or
stand, TO such land to be asserted In ordinary
'' Third IL ii Philippine Government and the
Holy SEQ will hv ComproluiE". II foseinI''
reach An agreement IN respect to the cue It,a-
hl" "dncationai and Other trusts rrn,as
trustee. by determining which OF the trnsi
Il snv. shall he administered ny th.. .Nh
governments and which OF the trusts, II any,
shall br administered by tho Roman CATHOLIC
Church or its gents. and on iiiiut" 70 reach
an agreement said rrindpai- YIN Jl,IT 10y, ng
the fnding of tie tribunal oil arhrrhuoh
mentioned In the first Iaracraph :,
Fourth Tho reasonable rentals, AMI
which ought to b" paid for GonIrntos nnn
occupied by United states troops; dhl!hS
tho insurrcction, shall h" usC"TfAln'd, Tor IN"
information OF both parties, by the PERSONS
VIA c"nstitute the aforementioned tribunal
OF arbitration. The secretary oil war ihufI,
takes 10 present TO the Congress or the nll'n
States the results Of the inquiry herein pro,
yided for with request for authority and
means w pay the rentals 40 asoeitaihed 10 %
due. A. =.
The foregoing stpul1tions are mace on the
following CpNGitiHfS. =,
That III mcmhcr4 Of the four religious
orders of DorinicauS Au.u-tinian-. ESco-
pines shall Withdrew. on"-halI within mn.
months after TN" date Of IA" ur,' phynrn.
and one-h half within eighteen MONTHS .htrt-
after, and meantime th"y hail not Tea, n.
preach. do parish work, or work 81 insrec-
lion y ne raF,h 1i Of 'H% wo yan4 r the
first payment a sufficient number OF -uTh
members NAV remain TO conduct the :, hool-,
university and conventuol churches now
conducted hv them, withdrawing. howeyer
from the island AZ the close OF -uCh perlod
and "sce inIh'r tn2r Sms ut d.cHarsed
side OF Manila. from August. ls's 20 III" date
draw from the Islands. and that no spanish
members of said four orders shall hereafter
be sent TO the Islands. c,., 1880,
hcrl Of religious orders whose pre~enc" In
the parishes will not di-trub m" peace or
order thereof shall be appointed a. parish
IN this nara gram shall not include scCu-
iari1ed S anish members of religious orders.
The'counterproJect of the Vatican does
not contain any assurance as To the with
drawal Of the friars. II provides mainly
for tho transfer of the friars' lands and
saws that the equitable price for these lands
shall H.. fixed by a tribunal of arbitrar ion
composed of five members, of which two
shall he named bv the Holy Sec. two by
the Philippine Government. and the fifth
by the common accord of the other -four,
and n such accord cannot be reached
the Popc and the President of the United
States shall come to an understanding as
to the choice of the fifth arbiter.
The final article follows:
The Holy See. In that sphere OF action
which l. of Ia competence. shall use a. ts
InNurnce in the IA cidcation OF the archireh 20
and In favor OF adhesion 20 the este hlishod
government and shall prevent all POLITICAL
opposition on the part OF clergy. regular