New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-08-11
FRLARS IN THE ISLANDS.
VIEWS OF FATHER RODRIGUEZ. HEAD
OF THE AUGUSTINANS.

Rome Aug. 10.-Thomas Rodriguez. General
of the Augustinians and supreme head OF the
whole order, which is powerful at Rome VIII
leave here tomorrow for Naples where ne
will board the steamship Liguria. sailing next
Wednesday for New-York. Father Rodriguez
will pay his first visit TO the United States
AS il was known that his journey TO the
United States was attributed to intention
to send American Augustinians to replace the
Spanish members of the order now IN the
Philippines Father Rodriguez when asked
about the matter said that nothing definite
had been decided.
Father Rodriguez said
Nothing can be done while the negotiations
still pending between the Holy see ana me
init II TO be strange that while washington
cannot will not eXpel the Frlars from me
Philippine Archipelago. it should request inns tnIS
to be done by the Vatican, whose principal dulN
and interest is to protect the friars both mate
rally and morally
The truth is the friars are not hated by
majority of the Filipinos, but only by that rae
ton which wanted to get rid Of them IN ordeT
TO be left without curb or law. This verntd
myself when, in 1886, l visited the Islands from
end TO end, and have had confirmation OF ItlS
statement in recent reports, which say thal
friars have been called again to parishes out-
side Of Manila which they leIt aIlef me Olu
ton of 1898 this being partly due 10 their eN-
cellent work in the present cholera scourSe.
The result is that the Augustlmahs now
again occupy ten places outside Of Manila. They
would easily be able TO return to all the apaH-
doned interior districts where they formerly
administered religion to 2,3OOWo tlhplnos' II
the civil government Of the islands showed
more energy in depressing the rebellous ele-
ments which are against the Americans not
less than against the frlarS.
The experience Will convince Washington ol
the necessity of having the Philippines uhder
strict rule. the natives are entirely lacking IN
the natural qualities political education 10
govern themselves. If autonomy be granted 10
them one year Will be sufficient to reduce the
islands to anarchy. the most powerful tlIlplnoS
becoming the heads of so many tribes or tac-
lions.
With regard to the substitution Of Spanish by
American Augustinians in the islands, the dlt ?
fcuIry is that while the frars of our order in the
Philippines time numbered over 800 ana
even amount to $50 men, those IN the
United States. who are mostly at NilanoNa,
near Philadelphia number only about 100, and
of them scarcely ten could be spared.
Governor Taft shows great intelligence and
ability in bringing forward arguments and evi-
dence favorable 10 his plans, but he ignores the
other side. | intended contradict pamphlet
written by him. which translated into ltal-
ian. and which circulated in Rome but aban-
dOned the idea in view of the little interest in
this subject taken here by the public. How
ever. there is book written by Augustnian
which confutes the different publications by
Governor Taft gainSt the friars on arriving
in America / will see whether il is OppOrtune 10
have this book published in English.