The San Francisco call., 1908-07-19

bringing them into more direct COM
munication with the holy father and
with the secretary of state.
Cardinal Merry del Val himself, OF
course, speaks English, and many OF
the prelates and other officials about
the Vatican are also in perfect COM
mand of the English language; quite a
number of them being from English
speaking countries
The details of the new arrangements
viii excite deep interest in this coun-
try, and will doubtless furnish one
more illustration of the far seeing
craftsmanship that has characterized
the reign of the peasant pope, PiuX x.
The question as to whether the
catholic church is a legal person.
while settled in actual practice in this
country, has recently been passed upon
for the first time by the supreme court
of the United States The decision
handed down is by Chief Justice Fuller.
1t is the case of the municipality of
Ponce. appellant versus the Roman
Catholic apostolic church in Porto
Rico. The decision makes clear the
complete right of the Catholic church
in the United States to acquire and
hold property the same as any COR
porate body.
---S NSA-A POAAlS Oul lIldl tie COTpOI-
ate existence of the Catholic church, as
well as the position occupied by the
papacy, has always been recognized
by the government of the United
states. At one time the United States
maintained diplomatic relations with
the papal states which continued up to
the time of the loss of the temporal
power of the holy see. The holy see
still occupied recognized position in
international law, of which," says the
supreme court, the courts must take
Judicial notice. The proposition that
the church had no corporate or jural
personality seems to be completely
answered by an examination of the
law and history of the Roman empire.
Of Spain and of Porto Rico. down to
the time of the cession, and by the
recognition accorded to it as an &C.
clesiastical body by the treaty of Paris
and by the law of nations"
Chief Justice Fuller refers to the re-
cent decision of the supreme court in
the Philippines, concerning questions
of church property, as IAN interesting
and satisfactory opinion" The sug-
gestion made in the Philippines case
that the church was not a legal per-
son entitled to maintain its property
rights in the courts was answered by
saying that it did not require serious
consideration, when made with refer
ence TO an institution which antedates
by almost thousand years any other
personality in Europe" This case is
also expected to reach the supreme
court Of the United States.
In view of the recent declaration of
the Philippine assembly that the people
are READY for immediate independence,
as reported in the news columns of the
press, and of their demand for just
treatment in trading with this country,
the following opinion of the Filipinos
expressed by Archbishop Harty after
close personal observation, is clothed
with special interest for American
readers. The archbishop says:
The more 1 know of the Philippine
people the more 1 love them; and the
more I know of their past history the
greater is my wonder and admiration,
now at the heroic labors of the an
cient missionaries, now at the wonder
rul correspondence of the people with
these labors, and their extraordinary
advance from savagery and even can
nibalism TO a civilization as widespread
the islands as ours throughout
our country. Hence 1T is that the more
convinced I am that, in the future
when the effects of these demoralizing
influences shall have passed away, this
people, united by faith, will be found
TO have fitted themselves to stand alone
on a very high plane of civilization
Even now many of their churches and
other public edifices would honor anv
American city. The standard Of the
learned professions, manned by natives
mostly, is very high. The University
of Manila, now, in spite of the upheavaI
of the revolution and the civil war.
Is ofhcered mainly by natives, and has
goo students Of law, medicine, pharmacy
and all the university branches.
The people are as good as they
are bright and clever The women are
remarkably pure. The men, young and
old. possess remarkable self-control.
only those who have lived in the east
can realize what this means. Such of
The church edifices as we have priests
Tor cannot hold the people who wish
to attend divine service. This is why
we need outside clergy and must con-
tinue to need them until the native
clergy whom we are preparing are
ready