The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-24
PAY The FRIARS.
Conference on Ways and
Means to Raise the Cash.
ISSUE PHILIPPINE BONDS
They Can Easily Be Sold on
the Market.

Washington, Dec. 23.-President Roose-
velt and Secretaries Root and Shaw had
an extended conference today regarding
the issue CT bonds for the raising of
money with which to pay for the F'riar
lands in the Philippines.
Secretary Root is in receipt of cable
gram from Governor Taft announcing
that the contracts for the purchase of
the lands We're signed yesterday. The pro-
vision for payment, Governor Taft indi
Gates is that the government shall use
due diligence in the necessary surveys,
examinations of title and sale of bonds
and shah consummate the purchase with
in the period not exceeding six months
from the date of contract. Unless new
surveys shall differ materially fr3r1 the
Villegas survey, the exact amount OF the
purchase price of the lands is s. &c, 81.
The lands to be purchased aggregate
391, 900 acres. Governor Tafts cz9iegram
concludes as follows:
As soon as your recommendation is re-
ceiyed will post act reciting making g
contract and authorize you to Issue bonds
much the same in form as laws author
izing issue of certificates of Indebted
ness
At the conference today it was deter
mined to authorize the issue of s7.Cecc5J
of per cent Philippine bonds. redeemable
after ten and within thirty ye1rs. They
will be offered for sale early in January.
An act of the last congress provided for
the issue of such bonds They viii be
for the deposit of public money Some
details concerning the issue of the bonds
yet have to be worked out but 10 doup.
is expressed that a ready :nar6ct far
them Will be found in this country. Du,-
ing the past seven months an aggregate
of $6.000,0o0 of per cent Philippine bonds
have been issued and floated in the Cn;-
ted States in patches of s., 900 600 each
More than half of these bonds are on
deposit with the government as security
for public money. AS the bonts previ-
ously issued were sold on terms regarded
as favorable to the government, each
lot of $4,000 commanding a figure above
par, it is believed that the Forthcoming
issue also will be a good price.
Ireland received today under date of
December % a cablegram from Mgr. Gui-
oil, apostolic delegate to the Philippines
announcing that the last touch had just
been put on the contract between the
United States government and the church
regarding the friar lands in the Philip
pines.
Referring to the ablegram. Archbishop
Ireland said to a representative of the
Associated Press:
Il want to add to this my expression of
great pleasure at the termination of the
long drawn out negotiations for the sale
of these lands in the Philippines. All
praise must be awarded to Governor
Taft and Mgr Guidi, who have labored
hard to bring all parties interested in
this matter into final meeting. The dis
posal of the lands. together with the ar
rival of the American bishops in the
islands, puts an end to all political re-
ligious controversies In the Philippines
and inaugurates there an era of civil and
religious peace
The administration of President Roose-
welt is to be congratulated on the things
established. 1t was his wisdom and fore
thought that caused Governor Taft. some
eighteen months ago. to visit Rome and
talk direciy with the head of the church
about the friar land matters Pore Leo
and Governor Taft showed themselves 10
be Of one mind as to the main lines of
the policy TO be followed The negotia-
tions begun in Rome were afterward
transferred to the Philippines. where
Mgr. Guidi continued them. The Ameri-
cans now presiding over the Sees in the
islands Will Of course. do so with wis
dom and justice. and they will follow that
course All agitation and anxiety regard
ing church matters in the islands now
ceases and we are all glad that this is
The case"