U.S. Purchase of Friar Holdings
THE House Committee on Insular Affairs was addressed by Secretary of War Root on January 18. He strongly urged that the United States Government purchase the holdings of the friars in the Philippines, and turn the holdings over to those who have heretofore been paying rent for them. The amount involved would be about $7,000,000; but the secretary thought this would be the quickest and most satisfactory way of settling this question, which was now giving so much trouble in the islands. He believed that such an arrangement would quiet the agitation against the American Government. Secretary Root declared that the power of the Catholic archbishop in the islands was practically as great as that of the governor-general.