ROME HAS VIOLATED HER AGREEMENT AND SEEKS FURTHER CONCESSIONS.
By John D. Bradley
ALL is not perfect harmony between the United States Government and the Roman Catholic Church, in their rather intimate relation in the matter of the affairs of that church in the Philippines, and the church is not content with the recognition and concessions which have already been accorded her by the government. And of course this was to have been expected. A despatch from Rome, under date of October 29, reported that the Vatican authorities had just received reports from the Philippines "dealing especially with the recent visit of Secretary of War Taft, and his attitude toward Catholic interests in the islands." According to these reports, when Secretary Taft was in the Philippines on his recent visit, "Mgr. Ambrose Agius, the papal delegate, called a meeting of bishops to discuss these interests with the secretary," and at that meeting Secretary Taft "complained particularly that the money which had already been paid for the friars' lands had been taken out of the islands, and recalled the fact that Pope Leo and Cardinal Rampolla had promised him, during his visit to Rome in 1902, that the money for the lands would go to the benefit of the church in the Philippines, and not to the religious orders." In their turn, "the bishops complained of the delay in allowing them to retake their property," and "complained that after asking one member of the Philippine Commission to specially devote himself to the protection of Catholic interests, it had not been done," "even by Judge James F. Smith, altho a Catholic." Further, "the bishops urged the payment by the Washington government of what was due to the Catholics for the occupation of church properties by American troops during the war, and finally set forth the need of financial assistance from the state for parochial schools." In reply, Secretary Taft said that "the property and rights of the church must be observed and protected by the government," but that "those rights, when in dispute, unless settled by agreement, must be determined by the courts of justice." He "advised the Catholics to go to the Supreme Court for the purpose of regaining the property which they claim from Archbishop Aglipay, head of the Independent Filipino Catholic Church." But while he "showed an intention to totally or partially satisfy the other requests, Secretary Taft declared that it was impossible to comply with the last one, which was against the spirit of the separation of church and state, a fundamental principle of the United States Constitution." The reports to the Vatican from its Philippine representatives "expressed the hope that there will be a change in the situation, and the question of justice to the schools be settled." The parochial schools are attended by the majority of the children in the islands, say the reports on this matter, and "their continuance will mean economy for the state, which will thus require fewer government schools." It remains to be seen whether the government, to please Rome, which has already given the government an example of her duplicity and untrustworthiness by violating her agreement to keep the money for the friars' lands in the Philippines, will further depart from the spirit of the principle of separation of church and state in its dealings with the church respecting Roman Catholic "interests" in the Philippines. It is certain that it will be no fault of Rome's if it does not. And as to such a thing being against a fundamental principle of the United States Constitution, Rome is not likely to forget, nor to let the government forget, that the United States Constitution is not the constitution of the Philippines, according to the government's own determination. JOHN D. BRADLEY.
Takoma Park, Washington, D. C.