The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1902-09-19
The Vatican Negotiations.
tContinued from LIST page.)


has come none too soon. The fact
is, the Curia wholly misunderstood
the position of our government. 1t
would not deport the friars. but
would try to give them residential If
not other rights. But the Washington
Government and the people of the
country say "The friars must go!"
and go they certainly will. No com.
promise is possible here.
Then the Vatican wanted to discuss
the question of sectarian instruction
in the public schools. Governor Taft
properly declined to consider the
matter. The fact is. the policy of this
country upon this subject is fixed and
involves the absolute secularization
of the state That policy stands; it
could not be departed from without a
political revolution. Here again no
possibility of any compromise is in
evidence.
Thirdly, the Vatican wishes to es-
tablish diplomatic relations with this
country. Our diplomatic relations are
with the King of Italy-ont with the
Pope or the Greek Metropolitan or
any other head of religious body
Congress would not allow the estab-
iishment of such relations, nor would
the country; there is no possibility of
any compromise here.
What is to be gained, let us ask,
by the transfer of negotiations to Ma
the better for all concerned.-Ch
Ian Work presbyterian, New York.
Mia? We DO not know, and we can
nor see that any good can result from
the multiplication of epistles. We
have acted most liberally-some
think too liberally-toward the Ro.
will deport the friars, but we offer
to pay them most literally for the
vast territories claimed by them as
their lands. Really, the lands, ex-
cepting the grounds occupied By
church buildings, rectories, and CEN.
eteries, did not and do not belong
to the friars, but were held in usuf-
ruct from the Spanish Grown, and be.
came the property of the United
states by conquest and treaty; but
for political reasons. and out of def
erence to the Catholic element the
lands have been regarded as having
been the property of the friars, and
therefore an equity was most liberal.
ly conceded them.
1t Will seem to many. we think.
that We have had enough negotia.
t1ons, and that it Is time for our Gov
eminent to act; or, if any negotia-
lions are admissible let the value of
the lands be determined by arbitra.
'tion. AS for the rest, action lies with
our Government exclusively. 1t can
give the friars reasonable time for
Quitting the country-that is all that
is necessary. When France woulj
have an accounting of the religious
orders, she did not confer with thu
Tope UT SEND commissioner to
Rome. The French Parliament passed
q law requiring an accounting. and
the government is now enforcing It
Perhaps we might profitably take a
lesson from France. Anyway, our
government can do nothing that will
better satisfy the people than end
this whole matter of the friars as
soon as possible. The sooner all neeo.
tiatlons over the subject are ended
me question of the friars in the
philippines turns out to be- more
complicated and difficult than was ar
nrst supposed. 1t Is very remarka-
Die coincidence that the two greatest
republicans in the world, the United
states and France, are at the presepr
moment facing an identical difficult,
with regard to the religious orders.
we say that in France the religious
oraers were Immensely wealthy: ex.
actiy how wealthy we are unwilling
10 guess at, as their refusal to rend,
er an account of their possessions TO,
purposes of taxation is one of the
causes that have brought them into
colilslon with the French government
In the Philippines it is exactly the
same story: in Manila also the friars
OF the four orders-Franciscan NJ.
minlcans, Augustinians, and Carmel.
ltes-owh property to the extent no
o,0OO,OO0 dollars Mexican.
Governor Tafts hope thar a wav
would be found to compel the with
dfaWal of the friars seems likely r.
meet with disappointment. II
is now late in July1 seen that tbe
right of the friars to remain IN the o
nhiiipplne Islands is guaranteed by
t rue treaty or Paris, in which the
g oni.eu states expressly agreed thai
in paha'h representatives of the pen