Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-09-28
MEXICO CHURCH
LANDS DEBATED
Rumored Attorney General
May National All
Protestant Holdings

4
that the attorney generals
office clans to take steps to nation
alize all Protestant church prop
erty IN Mexico. 90 per cent Of which
Is American owned or administered,
has revived the complicated legal
question as to the exact standing
Of foreign religious bodies IN re-
gard to property rights.
II Is a foregone conclusion tnat
eventually the courts viii have 70
decide whether church properties,
while acquired by right OF deed,
are or are not the property OF tne
government. To date, however
there has been no inclination on
the part OF any religious group 10
step forward and test the question
on the other hand the govern
r,ent has made no move. as Tar as
ii has been learned, 70 test us
right. which under the existing
laws appear TO give 1t ownership
az al church holdings which IN
turn were legally acquired by the
various denominations. 1t Is con-
ssdered likely sha. the Legal test
will not come unE.l such a time as
neoesss.a.es the disposal OF some
Protestant religious property.
Property Rights Questioned
In this c~o1rc:tscn, there S at
present an instance here where q
Protestant church stands directly
In the path OF q proposed plan 70
ler1then q city street. Under the
constitution o. 1877 and the exist
ing religious laws that church IS
the property CT the government, al
Though the trustees OF the church
can show a deed OF acquisition
uroyins they ped for the property
and acquired It legally. The ques-
ton to re settled viii be whether
OF not the government can take
over the church without COM
pensating the owners.
Several other Protestant and
Catholic churches are located where
city development may ~necessitate
their removal. There also Is the
possibility that private interests
may offer to purchase these pro-
perties. When this occurs several
questions will arise for settlement.
Can the church as owner by right
Of deed sell? Must the government
be consulted? Must the government
make the sale? Will the church
received the proceeds OF the sale
or will the proceeds go to the
government or will they split the
purchase profit? For instance, n
protestant church building vas
bought late last century for 10000
pesos. Today the property Is valued
at nearly half a million pesos.
TWO distinct aspects appear IN
the situation. First. that having &c
do with national ownership OF the
actual. land, the churches and such
buildings as schools, seminars. etc
built upon the land. Secondly. the
question OF observance Of the laws
regulating public worship by al
creeds.
The Catholics ike the Protest
ants have never raised the first
question. The Catholics clashed IN
1926 on the second qeustion and q
critical religious crisis arose, lasting
until 1929 when a truce was reach
ed.
.rouble I'm 1917
The constitution Of 1857 nation
allied church properties but Of
fered an opportunity for the "ac-
uuisition' Of church property pro-
riding it was found to be strictly
necessary" Much Protestant church
property was acquired at that
time. The churches bought and paid
for the property and were given
deeds.
The 1917 constitution is more
specific on the subject Of govern
ment ownership. declaring that all
churches built or 90 be built auto
maticzlly become the property OF
the Republic. Deeds showing the
rsgns o. ownership held by the
churches IS -1t mentioned. There
are 10 cases. however. OF the gov
ernmert taking over Protestant
churches without making corapen-
satlon. Several CatnCi!c churches
hare been taken ever b yths gov
cNnmsrt without payment. On the
cher hard. part or the cost % re-
ralriig r.sex.co's National Cathedral
before II Was turned back 20 the
church recently we're met by the
government
The case C. The Me.hodists. who
occupy the largest number OF
churcheE and schools among the
Protestant faiths, has attracted the
most attention. The establishment
OF the Methodist Church OF Mex
eco. az independent organization o.
the mother church N the United
States. again has brought up the
question % What property rights
the ncv church Will hold In the eyes
o. the .aw.
White government inspectors
have taken inventories OF church
property this has been the only
move made by the government.
Small Issue Starts Move
Another issue which looms ahead
and ya-ticularly viii affect the
American CONGREGATIONS IS the FRO
viso CT the Gales religious laws
enacted II 1895. giving American
and other foreign clergymen the
right to officiate in the language
of their congregation for six years.
nfoviding that during this period
native born MeXicans be trained tc
replace them az me expiration OF
the period. This proviso has been
looked upon as contradictory TO
Article "a Of the 1917 Constitr. ION
which grants full religious liberty
70 all creeds. AS in the other issue
the Protestants have preferred r.
reach the bridge before crossing r
Thn rrnnnnr that Ahn nAknrnnr.