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A Serious Problem

A Serious Problem image
Parent Issue
Day
11
Month
July
Year
1902
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The negotiations being carried on by the United States government with the vatican, through Governor Taft of the Philippines, for the removal of the friars from the Philippines, seems to be a pretty difficult problem. What the outcome will be is not altogether clear. In fact it is doubtful if the vatican ever consents to the banishment of the friars. And it is not plain to the ordinary citizen why this should be necessary. Under the Spanish regime the friars were agents of the government and as such the natives had many causes of complaint against them. Under the American government, of course, these causes of disturbance will be removed. It is essential that the estates owned by the monastic orders be restored to the public domain, of course, but it is not altogether clear why the friars should be banished from the islands. Undoubtedly it would be better for the peace and quiet of the islands if these people are banished, yet the accomplishment of this idea is difficult and it is repugnant in a sense also. Probably resort to negotiations with the vatican has been had with the view of laying a probable religious controversy over the matter, but it would seem that the ends of the government might have been accomplished in a more direct manner. Condemnation proceedings might have been resorted to to obtain possession of the lands of the friars, where the settlement could not be accomplished in any other way. In this manner possession could have been obtained of the friars, but of course this would not have secured the banishment of the friars from the islands. Resort to the vatican may not accomplish this either. If the vatican consents to the removal of the friars from the islands, however, the United States will be well rid of a troublesome question.

While there is a large amount of sentiment to the effect that Governor Bliss is a very weak executive, no one who knows the man will believe that he is personally dishonest or a boodler. He undoubtedly has resorted to the prevailing political methods of his party, for such a man as he is would have stood no chance -whatever of being governor of Michigan and of being renominated, but for his money and his close relationship with the great financial corporations. Of course the giving of one's money to be used in corrupting the primaries and buying delegates is bad enough, but it is the custom to look upon this in a very different light from personal dishonesty. Yet Bliss is not excusable for the means resorted to by those managing his campaign by any manner of means. His offending in this particular is sufficient ground for defeat. No man who will give of his wealth to aid in corrupting the primaries in his own interest, or in the interest of others, should be honored with high office. Then there are other things which stand against the governor and which justify his overthrow by the people. His record indicates that he favors vicious forms of legislation- such as ripperism and all that term implies. This means an invasion of the principles of home rule and the enactment of legislation vicious in its workings solely for partisan advantage. He has shown himself, also, too weak to withstand the corruptionists of his party in any matter. The worst element of his party is the element which he consorts with and gives his confidence to. When free from such influence he promises his action shall be such as would meet with general approval, but no sooner is he surrounded by the gang than he forgets these promises and does the will of corruptionist advisers. There are plenty of men of the strictest integrity who have had such experience with him in matters of the exercise of his prerogatives in legislative and executive matters. His executive actions, too, in various matters pertaining to corporations, in cases where the interests of corporations and public interests conflict, show him to be on the side of the corporations. These things make a bad governor, but they are not necessarily incompatible with personal integrity and dishonesty. But they make it necessary for the people, if they would conserve their own interests to defeat the governor for re-election.

The postmaster general, it is said, will soon issue an order throwing open the supplying of rural letter boxes to unlimited. competition. There will be certain requirements for all boxes which get the indorsement of the department, but aside from these requirements all the box makers will have an equal show. The action of the department heretofore has caused much criticism for the reason that out of its action grew what carne to be called the "fourteen box makers' trust."