The sun., 1908-11-15
TAFT TO THE CATHOLICS
DEFINES HIS ATTITUDE TOW
ARD THEIR CHURCH.
explains Ills Action In the Philippines In
the Purchase OF the Friars' AgricuIs
tural Lands and Denies That Ss 900. :.
600 was Taken From q. n. Treasury.

900 was Taken From q. n. Treasury.
81. PAUL. Nov. IA letter by William
n Taft, defining his attitude toward the
catholic Church in the Philippines, was
made public here to-day by the Rev.
Magnus arson. pastor of the First Swed-
sh BAPTIST Church The letter was writ
fen BY Mr. Taft in reply TO a series Of
questions put TO him by MIR larson
The letter was written by Mr. Taft on
October and the minister says he with
held II until after election fearing that
il might become a campaign document
either for or against Mr. Taft. One Of
the questions contained in Mr.. Larson q
letter to MIR. Taft was this:
is not your conviction and policy that
Catholic dignitaries and the Catholic Church
should have greater corside ra ton from a
pubu Official. and especially from the Chief
Executive of our nation. than any other
regularly recognized religious body?
Here is the reply Mr. Taft made.
do not think that Catholic dignitaries
IN the Catholic Church should have greater
consideration from public official than
any other regularly organized religious
hody IL has happened ny reason OF the
fact that the Philippine Government under
snain was inextricab!y united with the
Catholic Church and that that union had
TO he severed ana property and other in
tere~ts had to be assigned to the Church
or to the state ] had much to do with
the hierarchy Of the Catholic Church and
visited Rome In order to bring about
settlement. The settlement has been
brought about. and In my judgment It is
fair ard Just to all parties.
am not Catholic and have not been
affiliated in any way with the Catholic
Church All have attempted to do was
to do Justice to that Church and to the
Filipino people. | have treated that Church
exactly as ! would have treated any other
church had IL been in similar position
to that OF the Catholic Church.
Here are three other questions asked
by the BAPTIST minister
Was it on your recommendations that
5000 900 was paid 10 the Catholic Church
out Of the United States Treasury and that
the Fore vas oorSulted regarding this deal?
Did such deal voice the sentiment of
the Philippines?
Was the uprising in the Philippines
mostly AGAINST the Spanish Government
or against the Catholic friars'
Mr.. Taft replied as follows
You ask me whether 81 .ooO 900 were paid
10 the Catholic Church out Of the United
states treasury or my recommendation.
reply that il was not. The friars agri-
cultural lands in the Philippines. - 900
acres or about that amount. were pur-
chased from the corporations formed by
the three orders of friars in the Philippines
upon my recommendation, and the money
wac nad from bonds issued by the Philip.
rine Government under the authority OF
ongress and is charge upon the Philip
tine Islands The purchase was approved
~ th' iIpinos.
The uprising in the ihlippines was against
lie >partsh Government and the Spanish
.uI-s whom the Government used as po-
.,e "n. in atten pting 10 stamp out the
,"..'.1u and political discussion among the
.GpIIUs.
The Eev. Mr.. Larsen wanted to know
il as true that half the population of
ne Philippines, or 3,O0O.Oo0. are not
athol.cs. Mr.. Taft replied that it was
OF true.
Understand" wrote the Baptist min
ster that the present Governor is a
Catholic. Are you aware Of the attitude
he IS taking against Protestants. espe-
cialiy the teachers in the public schools,
who are forbidden to take any interest
in any Protestant work. such as teaching
in Sunday school or taking part in re-
liglous services?'
The present Governor" replied Mr. |
Taft, is a Roman Catholic but he is one
Of the most careful men in maintaining |
an impartial attitude between Protestants |
and Catholics that we could possibly have. |
He does not forbid teachers to take an |
interest in Protestant Sunday school work |
or to attend Protestant churches. Only |
by law there is enjoined upon teachers |
the non-teaching Of religious matters
in the public Schools
Have not thousands Of dollars been
paid to friars for libraries they have
claimed to have been burned?' asked Mr..
Larson.
Mr.. Taft said aNo," so far as he could
recollect He added;
The sum Of money paid was for rent
and damages to converts or rectories by
the United States soldiers
! may add" wrote Mr.. Taft, with re-
spect to the .riars' lands. that the pur-
chase was a political one and agrarian
one rather than commercial one. There
we're 90. 900 tenants on the friars' lands
who, because Of the confscatory measure
passed by the so-called Malolos Aguinaldo
refused to recognize the title
Of the friars This title was as good title
as there was in the Philippines, and 1t
authorized the friars to go into our courts
% 900 eviction suits This would have led
10 a second revolution. and 1t was an abso-
lutte political necessity that we should buy
The lands and then attempt to dispose OF
them. as we are now doing. to the tenants
% long and easy terms OF purchase