The Washington times., 1902-07-22
CONTEMPT OF FRIARS
FOR The FILIPIA0S
Letter Discovered in Con-
gressional Library.
AN INTERESTING EPIsTLE
Bears on the Important Question Now
Being Discussed With the Church of
Rome-Franciscan Monk to Minister
for Colonies.

An important document bearing on the
Philippine friar question has been dis
covered in the Library of Congress. II
is letter from Father Gabriel Casano-
va, Franciscan, to Senor Moret, at one
time Spanish minister for the colonies
This letter was published in Madrid in
1897 by W. E. Retana, at that time q
member Of the Spanish Cortes, and at
the time of its publication Senior Moret
was trying to have reform measures in
augurated in the Philippines.
Father Cananova was held in high es-
TEEN by his religious superiors and was
subsequently named as a member of the
College OF Theology in Manila. His at
titude toward the Filipinos reflects
largely the opinion Of them held by the
members Of the four church orders.
In. official circles here 1t is said that
Father Casanova's letter explains fully
the methods used by Spain to conquer
and hold IN subjection the natives of the
islands. Casanova opposes the proposed
reforms and declares in substance that
they are bestial savages. He says:
who is our enemy here, Senor Mo-
ret? Doesn't L seem to you that 1t Is
Masonry and those debased Spaniards
who taught Rial, and with him many
other Italians, to hate the representa-
tives OF Catholicism, whose bene0ceAt
influence sustained the sovereignty OF
Spain in the Philippines? The only eha
he enemies of Spain They hate them
because they understand they are the
greatest obstacle to lie overcome before
attaining their desires"
Church and State.
This, 1t is claimed by certain officials,
confirms the declaration that the root
OF all the trouble in the Philippines has
been the hatred Of the natives for the
friars. and it is pointed out that
Father Casanova acknowledges the ex-
istence OF this hatred, and at the same
time admits the close relationship be-
tween the Spanish government and the
friar orders.
Father Casanova says that the weak
ening OF the moral authority Of the
friars in the archipelago is looked upon
as the beginning OF the end OF the Span
ish dominion in the Philippines.
Father Casanova then says:
.'The only liberty which the Indians
want is the liberty of savages. Leave
them to their fighting cocks and their
Incidence and they VIII thank you more
than II you load them down with old
and new rights
Father Casanova says that at the lit
erary exercises by which the University
of Manila celebrated the elevation Of
Padre Cerferino to the Cardinals purple.
the following verse quoted from Don
Vincente Barrantes, was recited by one
of the church dignitaries as descriptive
of the Filipino:
He sows his rice wherever there is a
chance of its growing;
He builds his nest like a bird In a tree:
He breeds with his mother and sister,
And dies without knowing how he has
lived"
Father Casanova acknowledges object
ing to this verse at the time but says:
Il must admit that they brilliantly re-
fleet the savage instincts and the bestial
inclinations of those faithful imitators
OF apes. But as neither Spain
nor the friars can change the ethnoiog-
ical character of that race, naturally SO
to desire to apply the same laws tc
them a5 to us
These observations rejecting as they
do the opinion of the friars of the M
tives are said to show the cause for the
opposition Of the Filipinos to the friars
and to be responsible for their expul-
sion from the parishes where they ruled
SO long as the representatives OF Spain.