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Land tenure--Religious aspects--Catholic Church

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Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Comerford

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Comerford

President Roosevelt thinks that William Comerford fails to understand the “bitter indignation” of the Catholic Filipinos and Philippine priests against the friars. After consulting with leading Filipino Catholics, it was decided to try and purchase the friars’ lands with the condition that the friars leave the islands. This seemed the best way to appease Filipino Catholics and do justice to the Catholic Church. If no agreement is reached, the government has no power to force the friars to leave the islands or force the parishes to accept the friars. The Roosevelt administration is doing its best “to safeguard all the rights of all religious people, clerical or lay, in the Philippines.” (Copy of this letter was marked “Void – not sent.)

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Comerford

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Comerford

President Roosevelt explains that the administration is seeking to purchase the friars’ lands in the Philippines in response to the hostility of the Filipino Catholics and parish priests towards the friars. The friars are not required to leave the Philippines, and religious freedom will be protected just as it is in the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-22

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt encloses letters he wrote to Josephine Shaw Lowell and to William Comerford. Roosevelt has been surprised at the negative reaction towards the negotiations to remove the friars from the Philippines and sell their lands. The friars are very unpopular in the Philippines, but the administration is finding it difficult to show that the negotiations are at the request of the Filipino Catholics. Roosevelt suggests that Secretary of War Root speak with Archbishop John Ireland on the issue and that Vice General of the Philippines Luke E. Wright collect statements from leading Catholics that support expelling the friars.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-16

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft has had news about probable majorities for the election in Maine. He has received an invitation to speak in Brooklyn, but cannot make this work, as he already has too many engagements lined up. Taft has read President Roosevelt’s letter of acceptance and approves of everything in it. The process of buying lands from the friars in the Philippines is running into some issues, as one of the companies is threatening to rescind a contract due to a new survey of the lands in question and a decrease in the price.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-14

Letter from Lyman Abbott to John Ireland

Letter from Lyman Abbott to John Ireland

Lyman Abbott affirms his support for Christianity and the work of the Catholic Church in the Philippines.  However, he believes that the hostility between the friars and Filipinos is impossible to overcome.  He sees no advantage for the church retaining the friars in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-02-10

Letter from Lyman Abbott to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Lyman Abbott to Theodore Roosevelt

Lyman Abbott reviews his interview with Archbishop Ireland concerning the friar and land controversy in the Philippines. Ireland hopes to use money from the land sales for religious and educational work in the Philippines. He would like the friars retained in the Philippines under the authority of the American Catholic Church.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-02-10