Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-03

Complete exoneratiOn of the officers of
the Philippine Islands government of all
charges of irregularities or improprietieS
in connection with the administration,
sales or leases of lands in the Philip
pines; yet, on the other hand, pointed
criticisms of the inadequacy of the pres
ent laws to prevent monopolies in what
are known as 1.-The friar lands" are eX-
pressed In both the majority and minority
reports of the House committee on in
sular affairs, submitted to the House
today.
The charge made on the floor of the
House year ago by Representative Mar
tin of Colorado that the so-called su-ar
trust had acquired $4,000 acres Of the
friar lands led to an investigation of the
entire question of the administration Of
public lands as we'll as "friar lands"
Doesn't Apply to Friar Lands.
Both reports concur in the opinion that
the organic act of 1902 in limiting in
dividuals to forty acres and corporations
to 800 acres in the amount of pubic
lands that may be acquired does not i'm
pose the same restrictions on the dispo-
stion of the ''friar lands.''
The majority report argues that as a
practical expedient the -friar lands
should be disposed of in larger quantities
to attract buyers, while the minority
claim that the sale of the friar lands in
large tracts may develop a system of
absentee landioruiSm as obnoxious to- the
Filipinos as that of the friars, against
whom they once rebelled. The latter also
suggest that a friendly proceeding be
begun in the courts by the officers OF the
Philippine government TO determine the
exact legal status of the friar lands with
respect to public lands regulations.
AS to the acquisition by E. L. Peele of
$4,000 acres of the friar lands on behalf
of Horace Havemeyer, Charles J. WEIGH
and Charles II. Senff, both reports de-
clare the public officers involved were not
culpable, beng guided by the best avail
able Interpretation of the law. The ma
JoTity members, however. deny that the
land was obtained by the sugar trust
while the minority assert that If the
sugar trust did not acquire 1t, 1.-The next
door neighbor to the sugar trust did,
and that there is apparent "a community
OF interest evidencing a holding by one
person Of upward of 5000 acres of land
Held to Be a Warning.
The minority accepts the situation as
unavoidable, but held the incident up as
q warning against further exploita lion
Of the lands by American capitalists" :"
and suggests that no more sales of large
tracts of the friar- lands be consum-
mated pending the action OF Congress
or the outcome of court proceedings that
might be instituted by the Fh.l.pplne
officers
Tne majority report was signed by Rep
resentative Olmsted of Pennsylvania,
chairman of the committee, and Repre-
sentatives Crumpacker of Indiana Ham,
ilton of Michigan. Fuller of Illinois. Gra-
ham of Pennsylvania. Parsons Of New
YORK. McKinlay of California. Douglas of
Ohio and Fornes of New York.
The minority report was submitted by
Representatives Madison OF Kansas. Hub
bard of Iowa and Davis of Minnesota
Third Report by Democrats.
There will be a third report OF the in
vestigation. embodying the views of the
democrats on the committee. prepared
by Representative Jones of Virginia, but
II is not yet ready. Chairman Omsted,
in presenting the. two reports today OBJ
tanned permission OF the House to have
the third report filed at any time before
the adjournment of Congress.
IL is understood that the Jones report
like the others. absolves the Philippine
officials OF wrongdoing, and conceded
that they acted within the Interpretation
OF law laid down by the law officers. by
whose opinion they were bound to be
guided, but holds that their action was
I'm pursuance of a mistaken policy
1t is understood to be the position OF
these members of the committee that the
friar lands should have been administered
as public lands under the provisions OF
the organic law" of the islands, and that
even IL this view of their legal status be
not sustained by the law il is nevertheless
mistaken policy to sell the friar lands
in larger tracts than under the limitations
affecting the public domain. AS to the
latter. the organic act puts a limitation
he u
any one purchaser, except as to an actua
settler.
The democrats who are expected to sigy
the report with Mr.. Jones are Representa-
tlves Robert N. Page. North CaroI.na
Ffnis j. Garrett. Tennessee: Matt r. Den
Yer, Ohio: Harvey Helm, Kentucky. anc
A. w. Rucker. Colorado. Thus far tn,
democrats have not signed any report.