Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-22
TALKS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES
SECRETARY TAFT'S ADDRESS
BEFORE TENNESSEE BAR.
Relation of Church and State Dis
cussed-Roman Catholic influence
in the Islands Commended.

NASHVILLE. Tenn, May 22-Secretary
Taft, in an address last night before the
Bar Association of Tennessee. discussed
the taking over of the Philippines by the
American government. He said:
lone o. the most serious objections that
many of us felt to taking over the Phil
ippines was the differences which were
sure to arise in the transfer of severe gnty
from monarchy like Spain. in which the
church and the state seem to be in Their
interests and jurisdiction inextricably
united, to a sovereignty like that of the
United States. in which both by consti-
tuition and by tradition and custom the
state is entirely separated from the
church.
The Secretary then discussed at length
the relations between church and state.
the effect o. a restoration of Jesuits and
the ASuinado instruction.
Attitude of the Friars.
LAS soon as peace was restored he
continued. and the new government had
established a comprehensive judicial sys-
tenn, the quest on which thrust itself on
the authorities was the danger to the
peace of the community growing out of
the assertion by the friars. who owned
large tracts of agricultural lands. of their
tllle ana tllelT bringing SUITS 10 cOiieCl
rents past and present for their property
confiscated by Aguinaldo and captured by
the United States army.
Secretary Tia then told of the negotia-
lions between the church of Rome and
the agent of this government, and gave
history of the negotiations that resulted
| in the purchase of the friar lands, and
added:
1T is possible that the friar lands will
not prove to be worth what we paid for
m in
the islands l think we shall probably be
able to escape with slight loss.
Lands Disposed to Tenants.
Meantime the friar lands are slowly
disposed of to tenants. The rinderpest
carried off Is per cent of the cattle of the
islands and greatly interfered with agri-
culture. This affected the value of lands.
and affects the ease with which the friar
| lands may now be disposed of to tenants.
| The destruction of so many of the cattle
cannot be remedied under a decade. The
satisfactory disposition of the friar lands
now owned by the government will prob
ably be retarded for number of years
The Secretary closed as follows:
1.-The Roman Catholic Church in the
Philippines is in a deplorable condition
from property and financial standpoint.
Its losses during the revolutionary war
were heavy. The deprivation of its
priests by the circumstances which l have
referred to interfered greatly with its use
fulness and influence. This is a most I'M
fortunate matter for the islands. viewed
from purely governmental standpoint.
Catholic influence Invaluable.
THE Roman Catholic Church must al
| ways be the most important influence for
the uplifting OF the Filipino people. and
it's prosperity will always make for the
| good of the F'ilipinoes. Since the Ameri-
| can occupation other denominations have
gone into the islands, and have been do
| ing good there. both directly. and because
the spirit of Christian emulation. which
| their presence creates, does good to the
older church.
LAS non-Catholic. / sincerely believe
land l think that there are no Protestants
that know the conditions in the islands
who do not admit this) that it will be of
| much advantage to the islands at a whole
| to have the Roman Catholic Church re-
| stored to a condition of prosperity. This
| change for the better must be slow be-
cause of the change from payment of
| priests by the government to payment b.
contributions of the congregations"