The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-07
TRANSFERRING LANDS
FRIARS DISPosING OF THEIR
PROPERTY.
Done for the Purpose of Facilitating
the Collection of Rents and Mis-
leading the Public as to
Their Ownership.

Washington, August 6.-The War De-
partment has known for some time that
portions of the friar lands in the Philip
pines have been disposed of to companies
and all of the recent negotiations con-
Quoted by Secretary Root have carefully
taken into account any contingencies
which might arise through these trans
fers
The facts were fully communicated to
the government here by Governor Taft.
The latter also explained this matter of
alleged transfer to the Senat Committee
on the Philippines. In the course of his
evidence before the committee Governor
Taft said in answer to the question
whether the friars were in actual pos
session of the lands: Generally, in or
der to avoid hostilities. they have trans
ferred their titles to companies and re-
tained the majority of the stock"
Being asked as to these companies, Gov
ernor Taft explained their status as fol-
lows: Il wish to say that one of these
companies, or stakeholder of one of the
companies. has filed a protest with the
acting Governor, which l have with me-
against the condemnation of these lands
because of the interest some individual
owners have in them. But / want to add
that l do not think the protest has suffi-
cient weight to vary the truth of my
statement that the commission has rea-
sonable ground to believe that with the
authority which 1 ask to issue bonds, 1t
can at reasonable prices purchase this
land"
AS to the bona fide nature of the trans
fers to certain companies. Governor Taft
said that ne had cross examined the heads
of religious orders. He adds: II think
after you read the evidence it will be-
come obvious that while it is true that
transfers have bean made, they have
been made for the purpose of giving the
public the impression that the friars had
parted with their titles. thus facilitating
the collection OF rents. while in fact the
ownership is still retained. That is my
information as to the condition of the
titles now, in spite of a protest filed by
some stockholders with respect to the
ownership of some haciendas.'
Having in mind this information that
the friars had sold portions of their
lands to companies. Secretary Root said
in his last dispatch of instruction to
Governor Taft, sent to the latter at Rome,
that in case of a successful close of the
negotiations, lists must be furnished not
only of the land, but also of titles which
had been merged into the stock of cor
porations with the total stock Of such
corporations and the amount of stock
held by the religious orders. Aside from
this information given by Governor Taft
the War Department has been advised
from time TO time of certain individual
transfers made by religious institutions
in the Philippines to pers ons and organi-
cations in this country. One such transfer
is represented by a leading firm of at
torneys in New York and another is rep
resented by a Washington firm of attor-
neys. The negotiations have proceeded,
however, with the idea that these trans
fers We're not of d character to interrupt
the contamination of the main object of
secur'r~ transference of the lands as
an entirety.