Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-09

of dollars for the benefit of agriculture
there 1t also gave us currency based
upon the gold dollar as standard. All of
that legislation has been of great beneht to
the people in the Philippines.
There is one thing in relation to the pro-
duction that Congress will find it wise to
look into at the earliest opportunity. The
Filipino act passed July l last restricts the
ownership of land alienated from the pub
lie domain to $500 acres. The erect or tnat
restriction has been to prevent the estao-
lishment Of any large sugar industries. 1T
IL impossible to put in the great plant nee
essary If only $500 acres can be made tr1b-
utary to it. We are hoping that Congress
will modify that restriction so as to enable
capitalists to acquire sufficient land to war
rant them in putting in the necessary plant
for the conduct of a plantation on pay
ing scale. / think that IL 25,OOO acres We're
made the limit of the restriction 1T would
not be too large an area for the cultivation
of sugar on the most advantageous basis
The amount of the public domain in the
Philippine Islands is enormous, and 1t can
serve no good purpose unless 1t can be
cultivated"
''What is the general condition of the
people of the islands compared with the
past?" Mr.. Ide was asked.
"They have had especial hardships during
the last year or two that have referred to.
But the general condition of the Islands is
improving. We can see that in any period
of six months compared with the period
preceding"
The Er1ar question.
"What is now the relation of the friars
with the Filipinos?"
1.-THE friar question is being dealt with.
The purpose of the insular government is
to acquire the land belonging to the friars.
and then to sell it to the present occupants
on long terms of payment. The friars are
in a sense nonresident owners very much
as are the landlords of Ireland, so that the
difficulties are quite like those existing in
tod I,,,
the fact that the friars have exercised po-
Htfcal power.
THE negotiations attending the acquisi-
ton of the lands are progressing as rapidly
as might be expected. Governor Taft is
conducting them In behalf of the insular
government and Mgr. Guidi in behalf of the
religious orders.
'"To what extent has the establishment of
an independent Catholic Church in the
Philippines progressed" Mr.. Ide was asked.
1T is impossible for en- outsider to deter
mine just how extensive that movement Is.
On the surface the Schfsm would seem to
be quite important, but, the Catholic Church
is an institution that time counts very little
with. The insular government takes no
part in these controversies and has no views
except to maintain order. 1t is possible
that had the Vatican been able to meet
Governor Taft'S advances for the sale of
the frairs lands and for the withdrawal of
the friars from the islands this schism
might have been avoided.
This Independent movement cOnteln-
plates the establishment of an Independent
Philippine church, with the creed Of the
Catholic Church with the same system of
church organization, except that they re-
ject the control of any foreign potentate,
religious or civil This movement is headed
by Aglipai, who has had himself conse
Grated as an archbishop and has conse
Grated several bishops. He has consider
able following In the different provinces.
While the promoters of the new movement
are in secession from the church, the civil
government undertakes to protect them in
their cession until some court determines
the matter The civil government Is in
terested In the movement only so far as it
is necessary to maintain good order. The
ownership of the property brought into
question by this cession will be determined
In due course of time by the courts
This controversy is raging more or less
throughout the islands
Mr.. Ide expressed his confidence that the
condition of the islands would improve
more and more and that the outcome of the
Philippine question would be a satisfac-
tory one.
He said, in reply to question, that the
commission has the earnest corporation of
the best people of the islands. The sub
.ject of independence is receiving very little
and almost no attention from the Filipinos
They are rather looking to the immediate
need for an improvement in conditions on
the islands, and In doing that they assist
the commission in all of its work.
Mr.. Ide called on Secretary Root yester-
day afternoon and paid his repects. When
the Secretary returns from New York Com
missioner Ide will have conference with