| Show GOVERNOR TAFT IS questioned BY SENATOR RAWLINS OF UTAH inquiry was in regard to the property holdings of the friars in the philippines and taft said a good word for the friars r K ft washington feb 8 continuing T ia narrative before the senate committee on the philippines governor Taft today reverted to his testimony of yesterday for the purpose of introducing a cablegram he had received from acting gov wright urging a redaction in the farih on philippine articles imported into alie united states from the philippines he said this cablegram was in response to an inquiry from himself as to alie effect of a reduction of fifty per cent the reply of acting gov wright is as follows manila february 4 1902 the public session of sugar and tobacco interests favor n reduction of 75 per cent at least A reduction of 00 per cent leaves tariff almost prohibitive sugar prices very low european market very dull on account of overproduction over production and low price beet sugar planters here have lost heavily by aos machinery and otherwise sugar cultivation in a bad condition memorials received from Sugar Growers association anay lanay l ask for free trade for this reason think a reduction of 75 per cent on sugar and tobacco would bo measure of relief and have excellent political effect senator kawlins taft concerning the holdings of the friars the governor aard he general opinion as to the wealth and holdings of the fkiara had been greatly 0 ng ire did not believe for instance that they had three fourths of the property owned in the cities that however the religious orders have ready cash was true as was evidenced by alie fact that they make loans he instanced a case in which the friars had advanced money to promote a corner in hemp which had afterward failed because of irregularities on the part of the manager governor taft said tha philippine government is desirous of purchasing the manila property held by the fkiara and that it also would be desirable to secure their holdings of agricultural lands in connection with the loaning of money by tho friars senator lodge ask eil about the necessity for a banking law and the bitne i s replied that such n law is badly needed there are now he said two anglish banks in addition to the istanish filipino bank the latter be ing controlled largely by the church and being the only bank of issue lie said there had been some grants of land to the church orders but that as a rule hey had acquired their holdings by purchase the charge has been made he ad that much of their land has come to them by deathbed death bed conveyances but this charge ia not borno out by a tracing of the title the truth ia that the friars have alie best titles in the ulanda and even w here there have been irregularities the statute of limitation wound protect abo title lie said that according to the charges one method of extending alie holdings of tha orders had been by extending their irrigation systems over adjoining land landt t something after our own method of ato lc said senator referring to irrigation senator proctor also aaker where abe had secured money with which to purchase and and this inquiry led governor taft to ay that for marriages christenings christen ings etc had been so high as to be T these charges for marriages had 1 he said led many couples to live together illicitly but that in most cases the ob libations ligat ions thus taken were observed |
