The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-04
REPORT TO HOUSE
ON FRIAR LANDS
Officers Of Philippine Govern
ment Exonerated OF All
Innproprictics.
PRESENT LAWS INADEQUATE.
Martin Charges Resulted in
Investigation Of Admins
tration.
PRESENT LAWS INADEQUATE

washington, q. c.. March s.--Com-
plcte exoneration OF the officers OF the5fs
ihiiippine Islands government OF ,J,}l
charges OF irregularities or improprie.
ties iii connection with the admins
tratlon, sales or leases of lands In the
rhlilppines; yet, on the other hand35
pointed criticisms OF the inadenuscy,}.
OF the present laws to prevent No.
nopolies in what are known as 1.-The
1riar lands are expressed In both tne$
majority and minority reports of the
Rouse Committee on Insular Affairs.
submitted TO the House to-day. 1,
me charge made on the floor OF
the House year ago by Representa- =
tive Martin OF Colorado that the so "
called sugar 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 S 'friar lands &
Both reports concur in the opinion
that the organic act OF 1902 In limit
ing individuals to forty acres. and
corporations to $500 acres in the
amount of public land that may be
ACQUIRED. does not impose the same re =
strictions on the disposition OF thu
'friar lands" The majority report
argues that as a practical cxpedient
the "friar lands should be disposed.
OF in larger quantities, to attract buy
ers. while the minority claim that the
sale OF the "friar lands" in large tracta.
may develop system of absentee land !.
lordism, as obnoxious to the Filipinos
as that of the friars against whom
they once rebelled. a{6i
fi Court Proceeding SuEEestcd.
The latter also suggests that a
friendly proceeding be begun in the
courts, by the officers OF the Philip
pine government to determine the ex-
act legal status OF the "friar lands.i'
with respect to public lands regula =
lions. AS to- the acquisition by Ell
Poole OF $4,000 acres OF tho ''friarj
lands" on behalf OF Horace Have
meyer, Charles ), Welch and Charles
II. Sonff, both reports declare the pub
lie officers involved We're not culpa-
bic, being guided by the best avail
able interpretations OF tho law. The
majority. members, however, deny that
the land was obtained by the sugar
trust, and did not acquire it; the
next door neighbour to the sugar trust
did. and that there is apparent"a COM
munity OF interest evidencing a hold
ine by one person Of upwards OF oe,-e
600 acres OF land. The minority ac-S
cepts the situation as unavoidable, but
holds the incident up as warning
against further exploitation OF tha.
lands by American capitalists. and.
suggests that no more sales OF large
tracts OF the "friar lands be consum y
mated pending the action Of Con-
gress or the outcome Of court pro-
reedings that might be Instituted by
the philippine officers
The majority report was signed by
Repres cntativa Olmstcd, Of PennsSf-a
vauia. chairman Of tho committee, and
Representatives Crumpacker Of IN
diana: Hamilton, Of Mchi San; Fuller
of Illinois; Graham. Of Pennsylvania.
:. -. Ny.,T-; ,J.a,, ttlr,t
California;: Douglas, of Ohio, and
Fornes,t Of New York. The minority;
report was submitted BY Representa-
tives Madison, of kansas: Hubbard OF
Iowa, and Davis, OF Minnesota
There will be a third report Of this
Investigation emhodying the views OF
the Democrats on the committee, pre-
pared BY Representative Jones, of Mir
ginia. but it is not yet ready Chair
man Olmsted, in presenting the two
reports to day, obtained permission OF
the House TO have the third report filed
at any time before the adjournment Of
Congress II is understood that the
Jones report. like the others, ahSolves
the Philippine officials Of wron gdoing.4
and comedies 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'll pursuance of /. mis-
taken policy. sis understood to be tie
position OF these members Of the COM
mittees that the .triar lands" should
have hecn administered as public lands
under the provisions of tho organic
law Of the islands. and that even IL
this view OF their legal status be not
sustained by the law It is nevertheless
"a mistaken policy to sell the 3"friars
lands IN larger tracts than under the
Limitations affecting the public domain
AS to the latter, the organic act puts
n limitatio OF sixteen hectares upon
the amount sold to any one purchaser
eScept as 10 M actual settler. The
Democrats who are expected to sigE3
the report With Air. Jones are Repre-
sentatlvcs Robert y. Page, North Caro-
lima; Ennis i. Garrett, Tennessee; Matt
Il. Denver, Ohio; Harvey Helm. * en- 3
lucky, and ~ w, Rucker Colorado
Thus far tho Democrats have not
signed any report. IA IA
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