The Indianapolis journal., 1902-08-11
FRIAR HAS A GRIEVANCE
HEAD OF THE AUGUSTINIANs EN-
CEPTs TO AMERICAN CLAIMS.
Says the Friars Are Not Hated by the
FilipinOs-Strictures on Gov. Taft
Late News from Manila.

ROME, Aug. 1O.-Thomas Rodriguez, gee-
eraI of the Augustinians and supreme head
of the whole order. which is very powerful
at Rome. will leave here tomorrow for
Naples, where he will board the steamship
Liguria. sailing next Wednesday for New
York. Father Rodriguez will pay his first
visit to the United States.
The general of the Augustinians received
a representative of the Associated Press
here to-day with great cordiality. AS it
was known that his journey TO the United
States was attributed TO an intention to
send American Augustinians to replace the
Spanish members of the order now In the
Philippines. Father Rodriguez. when ques-
toned on this matter, said nothing definite
had been decided.
Nothing can be DONE" said Father
Rodriguez. while the negotiations are still
pending between the Holy See and the
United States. Whoever is impartial must
admit it TO be strange that, while Wash
ingtOn cannot or Will not eXpel the friars
from the Philippine archipelago, 1t should
request this to be done by the Vatican,
whose principal duty and interest is to pro-
tect the friars both materially and morally.
THE truth is that the friars are not
hated by a majority of the Fflipinos, but
only by that faction which wanted to get
rid of them in order to be left without curb
or law. This l verified myself when, in
1896 1 visited the islands from end to end
and l have had confirmation of this state
ment in recent reports, which says that
friarS have been called again to parishes
outside of Manila, which they left after the
revolution of 1898, this being partly due
to their excellent work in the present
cholera scourge. The result is that the
Augustinians now again occupy ten places
outside of Manila. They would easily be
able to return to all the abandoned interior
districts, where they formerly admins
tered religion TO 100000 Filipinos, II the
civil government of the islands showed
more energy In suppressing the rebellious
elements which are against the Americans
not less than against the friars.
The experience will convince Washing
ton" continued the head OF the Augustin-
ians, "of the necessity of having the Phil
ippines under strict rule, as the natives
are entirely lacking In the natural quail
ties or political education to govern them
selves. If autonomy is granted them one
year will be sufficient to reduce the islands
to anarchy, the most powerful Filipinos
becoming the heads of so many tribes or
factions.
ish by American Augustinians in the
islands, the difficulty is that while the friars
of our order in the Philippines at one time
numbered over 300. and even now amount
to l30 men, those in the United States. who
are mostly at Villanova. near Philadelphia
number only about 100, and of them scarce
ly ten could be spared.
Governor Taft shows great intelligence
and ability in bringing forward arguments
and evidence favorable 10 his plans, but
he ignores the other side. l intended Il
contradict a pamphlet, written by him
which was translated into Italian and
which circulated in Rome but abandoned
the idea, in view of the little interest on
this subject taken there by the generality
of the public. However, there is a book
written by an AUgustinian which refutes
the different publications by Governor Taft
against the friars. On arriving In America
/ will see whether it is opportune to have
this book published in English"