p. 21 | Treating With Rome

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 29, 1908

Treating With Rome

In an address delivered at the dedication of the Y. M. C. A. building at St. Paul, Minn., Sunday, September 27, Mr. Taft, the present Republican nominee for president of the United States, while speaking of the growth of the spirit of “religious tolerance,” took occasion to make the following explanation as to why, in adjusting matters in the Philippines a few years ago, the United States government had dealings with the pope of Rome, and the part he (Mr. Taft) took in the matter:—

“I have in mind an instance of the growth of this religious tolerance, which I venture to bring to your attention. In the reorganization of the government in the Philippines it became necessary to transfer the sovereignty of Spain, inextricably bound up with the Roman Catholic Church in charities, in schools, in business, and otherwise, to a subordinate government of the United States, in which, under our system, the church must be entirely separate from the state. It seemed impossible to find any one with sufficient authority in the islands to effect a proper settlement of these matters, and it was proposed to send an agent of the government to the head of the Roman Catholic Church to secure some authoritative action and agency by which the result desired could be obtained.

“The President and Mr. Root were anxious to bring this about, but they hesitated, reluctant to arouse any sectional feeling against a course which seemed to recognize the head of the Roman Catholic Church as one with whom we could have diplomatic relations, something contrary to the precedents in our government since its beginning. Accordingly, they consulted the ministers of the leading Protestant churches, explained the differences arising, and the necessity for the action proposed, and procured from them assurances that they would stand by the government in taking the very commonsense course—the American course—of dealing with the man who had the authority to act; and I was designated as the agent of the government.

“I went to Rome, and effected a general understanding as to what was to be done, and was prepared, when the apostolic delegate came to the Philippines, to close with him, after a great deal of negotiation, the contracts of the settlement, which I do not think it too much to say brought about a result which was just both to the church and the people of the islands and to the government of the United States in jurisdiction.

“I venture to think that but for the spirit of tolerance, both in the Protestant denominations and in the Roman Catholic Church, which now prevails in this country, such a result could not have been obtained. It is due to the spirit of Christian tolerance, and it is a condition in which we should all rejoice.”—Washington Post, Sept. 28, 1908.