The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-07-23
THE PHILIPPINE FRIARS.

In the course of an engrossing local |
canvass for the governorship or any |
other matter of large Importance in |
the State, it is easy to overlook the
fact that events of great moment or
questions of lively interest are trans
piring or are being considered in 9th
err parts of this world. Among these
matters is the effort of the United
States to buy the lands in the posses
sion of the church orders in the Phil
ippines, and to have the owners, the
friars depart from the islands. The
facts of the matter are concisely stated
in an editorial article in the New
York Sun, which is here republished:
In certain quarters, both political
and religious, an attempt Is made TO
stir up mischief by misrepresentlng
the negotiations now going on at
Rome for the purchase of the property
of the Philippine friars and to bring
about their withdrawal from those
islands.
In the first place, Judge Taft's con-
ferences with the Vatican authorities
are represented as a formal diplomatic
recognition of the Vatican, which in
PRODUCES into our policy new and
| dangerous precedent contradictory of
| the constitutional separation between
church and state in this republic.
The truth is, however, that a business
transaction purely, entirely apart
from strictly diplomatic interco arse,
! has been proceeding at Rome.
Our government is precluded by the
express terms of treaty of peace with
! Spain, to say nothing of the Constitu
tion and the whole principle upon
which this republic is based, from any
forcible expulsion of the Spanish
friars from the Philippines, on its
own motion. If they are to withdraw
they must go voluntarily under the
operation of ecclesiastical authority.
A letter we published few days
ago from a Roman Catholic priest of
| this country explained the situation
very clearly and very fairly. No in
reference with religion in the Phil
! ippines is even remotely suggested by
| the United States. The Vatican is
simply invited to exercise its author
ity to withdraw the Spanish friars
voluntarily, not because of their re-
/
religious opinions they hold and prop
agate, or of any accusations aginst
| them of immoral conduct, but simply
because, as this distinguished Ameri-
can priest explained, "they are OPP
posed to US and are postponiug indeti-
nitely the consummation of our peace
ful purposes.
That being the situation, it seems
to this government that it is obvious
ly for the interest of the Roman Cath
Ole Church that the vexatious OBJ
stacle should be removed. Or, as Sec
rotary Root explains in his last letter
of instructions to Judge Taft, the
reasons making the withdrawal desir-
able are not religious or racial, but
arise from the political and social re-
lations which existed under the former
government and have created person
al antipathies menacing to the peace
and order of the community. The
suggestion of withdrawal is made to
the Vatican, also, on the ground that
the existing conditions ARE prevent
ing these particular agents from serv-
ing the church in the stations to which
they were assigned. " They are now
congregated at Manila, in great part,
and so bitter is the Filipino antipathy
to them that they could not be restor-
ed to their parishes except by force,
which, under the Constitution, the
government could not use Accord
ingly, in the interests of the Catholic
Church itself, other religious instru-
ments should be substituted "who, !"
as Mr.. Root says, without passing
judgment on the merits of the Filipi-
no accusations against the friars,
might be able to accomplish for
their religion what they themselves
had so signally failed to accomplish. :"
No confscation of church property
in the islands is proposed or is posi-
BILE. The proposal of Mr.. Root is to
buy the lands of the friars at a liberal
valuation, on the condition that the
friars retire fro"a the islands to give
place to other religious agents of the
church. No restraint is put on the
church, moral or physical, to compel
acquiescence i'll our terms; and,
financially, these terms are obviously of
advantage to the church especially,
for the lands are unproductive and
are held i'll adverse possession by the
natives, who refuse to pay rent for
them and to receive back the objection
able friars in the parishes.
In order that both Catholics and
Protestants may understand exactly
our purpose of absolute religious i'm
Partially, Judge Taft, uuder instruc-
tions from Secretary Root, has stated
the case very frankly to the authorita-
tive Vatican, without diplomatic eva
sion, but with business directness.