The Irish standard., 1906-03-17

in the school of militant anti-clergi-
calism, and had becn-whether friendly
with Spain or opposed to Spain.
whether friendly with America or op-
posed to America-consistent haters Of
! the religious ORDERS showed its hand in
this question at the first opportunity.
1t is due to this party that the friars
are not back in their parishes; it is
due to this party,that the majority. of
them have left the islands. The key
note Of its policy is furnished by a
speech made by Don Jose Albert, on
September 9Th, 1902. at a banquet given
to Mr.. Taft.
| This political social problem (the
I so-called friar question: has the priv
ilege of being a palpitating, living
! reality to more advanced countries
than ours, Such as Republican Franc.
1t is admitted by all great statesmen
that the road Of decadence where the
| religious communities flourish is to be
traced to the absorption by such COM
munities Of teaching and education.
| Realizing all its gravity, the Federal
Party has requested the United States
for prompt solution. The mission of
the religious orders in the Philippines
had all the Temperatures Of things hu-
man. If in times long past they were
of any utility whatever, at present they
suffer the perniciousness Of bodies with
anti-social ends and with tendency
to immovability. These societies, liv-
ing and growing in an atmosphere ex-
clusively fanatical, become prejudical
to every people needing social me-
diun Of progress and anxious to live
a modern life.''
The difficulty that confronted Mr..
Taft was how to please this powerful
party, ready at any moment to get out
Of hand, by keeping the friars out Of
the parishes, and yet not offend against
the principles Of liberty guaranteed to
all under the American flag. The diff
ftculty was met by having recourse to
the Pope, and coming to an agreement
that the friars were not to be allowed
by the representatives of the Holy See
to go back to the parishes unless they
were petitioned for by the people, q
most equitable arrangement on the
face of 1t, but which did not work out
| we'll in practice. The Federal Party
l-whichf had Its ramifications every
where, was secretly allied with the
Katipunan, had all the appointments
| to provincial governorships in its
| hands. and exercised the closest super-
vision over oil the provinces-effect-
ually prevented the petitions which
poured III from all parts from taking
effect. The people wanted the friars
| back, and when they were not watched
sent in petitions in large numbers. But
sometimes the provincial governor in
sisted on petitions passing through his
hands. and in that case they never
reached Manila. Or, when petition
did reach Manila delay was made,
and in the meantime the Federal Party
Through its agents in the provinces
got up a counter petition. which num-
bers Of people were made to sign
through terrorism. Accordingly, in
face Of what was considered divided
opinion. the friar petitioned for was
not allowed to go. Several cases there
were in which. all preliminary difficult
ties having been surmounted, the friar
proceeded to his destination, only to be
driven out of the parish again by the
President armed with a loaded revol-
yer. Many of these instances have
been reported in the Manila papers,
and myself came across friars who
had been treated in this outrageous
manner.
Is it any wonder that under these
untoward circumstances, the majority
Of the friars left a country which
seemed to offer no longer any field for
their labors?
Crowded up in Manila, chatting in
inaction while Mr.. Taft was coquetting
with their inveterate enemies, large
numbers took their departure, firmly
persuaded that they would never be
allowed to return to their parishes
Who can blame them? The whole
world seemed to have turned against
them. making them responsible for all
the evils that were adiicting the
Philippines. Americans. Spaniards and
t Filipfnos Joined in denouncing them;
there were even ru1nors in the air that
the Holy See was bent on gradually
eliminating them. Was it not time for
them to put into practice the words OF
our Lord. IF they will not receive you
in one city, fly to anot1aer?" Monsig-
nor Chapelle stopped the exodus for q
time and begged them to wait for bet
ter times. 1t was evident. however
that Monsignor Guidi. his successor as
II Apostolic Delegate, took the same
hopeless view Of things as they did
for he gave full permission to all who
desired TO leave the islands.
During my stay in the Philippines
found the same hopeless situation fol