Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1902-10-01
The PI0US
FUND
HISTORY OF. THE FAMOUS
CONTROVERSY
Senator Stewart Among the
krbji,a.Crs

The following will be of interest as
the 'Pious Fund" question IS in all of
the papers and the fact that Senator
Stewart is on the Board OF Arbitra- !
ton, makes it of especial interest to
Nevadans:
The Pious Fund originated more
than two hundred years ago. Three
Jesuit Fathers of Spain received PEI
mission by a decree Of Tic crown in
1897 to commence missnn work in
California. Contributions were made
at that time, by those persons plous-
" inclined. for the personal eNp-ns-s
OF these missionaries and also fos the
creation of a permanent fund to SUI
port the mission. By 1871 the con'rl- |!
buttons amounted to $ll0,0Gu. III 49,
the sum of $40S,000 was given for he i
purposes of the mission ny \ Spanish |
marquis and his wife, whose deeds Of |
trust were filed with the Mexican |
Claims Commission soon after its ere |
alton in 1928. Another bequest, alno- |
uniting to 100000, was MAJ, to the !
fund in 1865. Many mil = .contribu-
lions were made f,om time to tim. !
and the fund a little later came to |!
amount to over two millions of dol. |
lars.
In 1897 the Jesuits W IL expelled
from the Spanish doniniens, those IN
California leaving the next year, and
the crown seized all property possessed
by the order. Whatever funds were
held in trust for specific purposes, as
for colleges, ETC., were accepted by the
King as such. Among these was the
Pious Fund of California. A commiss-
len was named by the crown to admin
lister the fund for the purposes for
which it was given.
When Mexico became Independent
in 1921, the new government took over
all the possessions of the crown, among
them this mission trust fund. An ad
ministrative committee was appoint
ed to have charge of it. In 1886 the
Mexican Congress invited the pope to
make Upper and Lower California an
episcopal diocese, promising to turn
over the Pious Fund to the charge OF
the bishop who should be appointed.
The pope so acted and consecrated
the president of the missions as bis
hop, to whom the fund was turned
over to be administered for it's spe-
cial purposes. The bishop chose as
his agent for the management of the
fund resident OF the City of Mexico
of high position. 1t continued under
his management till 1912. In that
year General Santa Anna, then dicta
tor of Mexico annulled the previous
action OF the Mexican Congress, and
the government took charge OF the
fund. The agent in Mexico City Of
the California bishop protested again
st this action as breech of contract
Within a few months General SAINT;
Anna recognized the difficulty OF hav
ing the fund administered by the gov
eminent. and decided to sell the pre-
perties of the fund, cover the none
into the national treasury and there
after to pay interest upon it in pei
petuity, at the rae of six percent.
solemn decree to this effect was e1
acted.
When Upper California was cede
to the United States, after the Mex
can war; Mexico ceased to pay to tn
Catholic church of that territory it
portion of the interest Of the Piou
Fund When the MeXican--Claim
Mixed Commission was created
1868, to settle the various dispute
about property which had arisen 0,
of the annexation of Mexican teri
tory to the United States, the Cath
lie prelates brought before it a clai
for the interest which had not bee
paid them for many years. After tt
hearing of the case the Mexican ar
the United States Commissioners di
agreed, and the difference was refe
red by them to Sir Edward ThorntO
the British Ambassador at Washin
The decision of Sir Edward was
favor of the United States clail
though he expressed himself as strol
-.
of the troubles to which she had be-
for several years subjected. He ga
Judgment that the Mexican cover
ment should pay $43,OSO.99 annual +:
rears of interest for the twenty-o
years to May 30, 1869, or a total
$9O4,7OO.79. This amount was pa
by the Mexican government.
Since that time the case has re
ed without further attempt at adju
ment, Mexico claiming the payment
the award at that time to be co
plete ana final settlement of the ca
our government acting for the Ca
Ollie prelates, holding that the ju
ment involved the obligation to +
the annual interest in perpetuity. I
amount of interest accrued since Il
the year in which the award of
Edward Thornton was given, is O.
one million four hundred thouss
dollars, and tt is is the amount of
claim put forward by the Catht
prelates of California of CalifOr
and just now submitted by the COVE
ments of the Uined States and OF NJ
leo to The Hague Court.
There is, of course. involved in
case the question whether Me1
shall continue to pay the annual
tefest hereafter, or-which comes
the same thing-to return to the C;
Olic authorities of California an a
unit of money as principal. the in
est. of which at six percent would
$43,Voo.99 annually. This sum VIC
be little less than three-quarters
million dollars. It is probable
the case will be brought before