The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-07

ernor general was confronted with a
situation which required for its ad-
justment the highest grade of diplo-
matte ability.
A large proportion of the lands in
the islands were in the undisputed
possession of certain religious orders,
which had a title dating back for
hundreds of years, and backed UP by
the royal patents of Spain. The con-
ditiOnS In the islands were such that
the continued occupation of these
lands by the religious orders would
surely have provoked continuous in
Surrectionc.
1t was absolutely indispensable that
these lands should be withdrawn from
their religious ownership and distrib-
uted among the people. it being evil
dent that popular ownership in the
Philippines, as elsewhere would be
the surest guaranty of peace.
Friars' Land Problem Difficult.
The point of view of the religious
orders and of the people was dia-
metrically opposite. Our government
had no machinery for dealing with
such a question. 1t was necessary to
pacify the people, but the legal titles
to the lands were undeniably good.
In this emergency, Secretary Taft
was dispatched direct to the pope of
Rome. 1t was an extraordinary mis-
sion.
He was called upon to negotiate
with religious prince with whom we
had and could have no diplomatic re-
lations. The question at issue was a
dangerous one. because it involved the
creation of relations between church
and state which are absolutely foreign
to our form of government. We had
taken the islands from a loyal son of
the church and we were assuming to
build up new civilization there in
which the church was to be divorced
once and for all from the govern
ment.
Taft's Conference With the Pope.
This historic conference between
the holy father and the governor gen
eral of the Philippines is almost
unique in diplomacy. The results OBJ
tween these two honest men were al
most stupendous. 1t was necessary to
eliminate the religious orders as ag-
ricultural landlords and at the same
time this had to be done without in
fringing in any way upon the rights
of the Roman Catholic church, whose
great influence for good in the islands
no ono denied.
a basis of agreement was found.
the United States agreed to pay a
sum considerably in excess of what it
believed the lands were worth, but 1t
did so because prompt action was
necessary to prevent continuous rev.
olutions.
The visit to the pope and the per-
sonal intercession of the governor
general resulted in the holy father
sending an apostolic delegate TO the
! islands with adequate powers, as a
result of which the lands were turned
over to the insular government for
| s7,000.0O0 and the hierarchy agreed
to send no friars as parish priests in
any case where the governor general
makes final objection.
The acquisition of these lands by
the government and the adjustment
of differences as to the employment of
friars as parish priests brought peace
to the islands. and it was done in such
a way that the strongest supporter
and admirer of the American govern
ment in the Philippines today is the
church of Rome.
Cuba as Another Problem.
Another and totally different phase of
| International politics is presented in the
+, case of Cuba. Here. too Taft. the man
| of action. was called upon to represent
! the government of the United States in
unfamiliar conditions, and to create for
| an alien people a temporary governnle nt
l to succeed the unfortunate republic which