Evening star., 1915-03-27
Former President Lectures
Before National Geographic
Society.
TELLS OF SECULARIZATI0N
OF Philippine FRIAR LANDS
Deprecates Organization of Parties
on Religious Lines, Believing They
Do Not Benefit Republic.

Former President Taft lectured on
the subject of His Visit in the Spring
o. 1902 to the Vatican when he
brought about the Secula riZation of the
friar lands in the Philippines. before
members of the National Geographic
Society ut New Masonic Temple last
night. lie told in detail OF the long
and delicate negotiations between this
Government and the Catholic see at
Rome. by which was finally untangled
The problem of separating church and
tate i'll our far island possessions,
which problem was one of the most
dfficlult that confronted the United
states upon taking over the Philip
pines.
Mr.. Taft said that he found Leo XIII,
although the Pope had reached the ad-
vanced age of ninety-two years, a man
OF keenly active intelligence. The
Pope. Mr.. Taft said. followed every
poiut of the American address with
close attention, and showed a deep de-
sire that the negotiations might be
successful speedily as possible
.Ns the Pope did not understand the
English tongue. AIR. Taft explained
the address. which he had drafted in
English, had to be translated into
French. Mr.. Taft gave an amusing, in
innate description of the way this
translation was effected by two of the
members of his mission, Bishop O'Gor-
man and Mai Porter:
Different Views of Good French.
81 found that Bishop O'Gorman and
Ma. Porter had different views as to
what was good French and what was
not. Half of the document I would
colnmit to one of them for translation
and half of IL to the other, and then
would submit the half translated by
zach to the other for such suggestion
and criticism as he might make. | was
iuuch amused at the Struggling of
fhoulders that each manifested az read
ing the other half of the translation
But in spite of this, my address to the
Pope was finally translated, and Maj.
i'crter read it,.
Mr.. Taft said that he found the Pope
possessed of true sense of humor.
which he showed in numerous playful
INQUIRIES at the conclusion of the read
ns of the address. The pontiff told
ur. Taft that from all the evidence of
ne American envoyS general appear
>nce f,e unable to credit runlors
"f his Illness. He expressed, at the con-
rIusion OF the hearing, the wish that
Ne Philippine Islands under the con-
trol of the United States might be q
4ource of great benefit to their people
One OF the interesting phases of this
'iission which MIR. Taft pointed out was
hat the spirit of religious tolerance had
lade such a genuine advance among
he American people that there were
ew protests made against its under
'aking. A few protests, however, were
made upon the ground that an Ameri-
can government mission to Rome was
iantamount to the recognition by this
overnment of a temporal power In the
''atholfc see beyond that of other de-
aoninations.
Brings About Settlement.
Mr.. Taft's mission brought about a
reneral understanding with the holy
see concerning the points in question,
and in further negotiations everything
as settled satisfactorily to both par
ties. The friar lands were finally pur-
ehased for $4,000 which Mr. Taft
aid he considered to have been about
) per cent In excess of their value
These friar lands included some 425 900
..cres. Now church and state in the
'hilippines are separate.
1t is not likely" Mr.. Taft concluded,
that any American offlcial. on behalf
Of his government. will ever be called
tpon again to hold such conference
With the head of the Roman Catholic
Church. To me 1t was full of interest
and IL is pleasant reminiscence that
that exceptional function and duty
were mine"
Discusses Church in Politics.
Speaking Of the church Of today in
connection with political questions, Mr..
Taft said:
The churches today are not wasting
their efforts in a discussion of differ
ence in creed. but they are standing
shoulder to shoulder in a struggle to
help society and its members to better
lives
From time TO time a revival Of re-
rgious prejudice occurs and an effort
~ made to inject into political contro-
versies this odium theologicum ]
greatly deprecate the organizations of
parties on religious lines. because /
think IT bodes no good for the repub-
lie. No church is SO strong that it's
Intervention in politics will not ulti-
nasely defeat Its purpose therein. and
no reason for voting against man is
diners from the voter in religious be-
lief. The formation of societies or par
ties 70 give effect to a movement in
favor OF the members Of any church
TO the church should be frowned on by
every friend Of democracy and every
friend Of religious liberty. Such move
nents usually are conducted under the
ssiVnh VI ocCEeCy ana are almost always
by reason Of this perverted into an in
strusnent for somebody's ambition or to
achieve some political revenge"
Mr. Taft compared Leo XIII with
Gladstone. saying:
He was one Of the great dRurea in
the latter part Of the nineteenth and
the beginning of the twentieth centur-
les Like Gladstone, much Of the most
important work OF his life was done
after he had reached the age of the
na2fUfat and hy his achfavAnApf. no
earned q place among the great Popes
with the foresight Of a statesman he
enabled US to settle substantially all
the questions pending between the
church and the Philippine govern
ment."
NFW puR1YOATI0nc