to the civil
power exclusively"; also "suitable provisions for religious teaching
in the public schools, especially the primary."

Governor Taft, in his reply to the Holy See, dated July 3, expressed
regret at the suggested appointment of a new Apostolic Delegate,
and sought to bring the Holy See to a definite contract. For the
settlement of the friars' land question he proposed "a tribunal
of arbitration to be composed of five members--two to be appointed
by His Holiness, two to be appointed by the Philippine Government,
and one, the fifth, to be selected by an indifferent person, like
the Governor-General of India"; the expenses to be defrayed wholly
by the Philippine Government, and the tribunal to meet in the City
of Manila not later than January 1, 1903. He further proposed that
the lands should be valued in Mexican dollars, and be paid for in
three cash instalments of three, six, and nine months after the
report of the award and the delivery of the deeds. Furthermore, that
"the payments ought to be made to the person designated by the Holy
See to receive the same," on the condition that "no money shall be
paid for the lands to be purchased until proper conveyances for the
land shall have been made to the Philippine Government." Another
condition was "that all the members of the four Religious Orders
of Dominicans, Agustinians, Recoletos, and Franciscans now in the
Islands shall withdraw therefrom after two years from the date of
the first payment. An exception is made in favour of any member of
those Orders who has been able to avoid hostility of the people and
to carry on his duties as parish priest, in his parish outside Manila,
from August, 1898, to date of this agreement," because "it is certain
that such a priest is popular with the people." Governor Taft adds:
"Nothing will calm the fears of the people.... except the definite
knowledge ... that the Spanish friars of the four Orders are to leave
the Islands at a definite time, and are not to return to the parishes."

Cardinal Rampolla replied on July 9 to Governor Taft's communication
of July 3, which covered his proposed contract and enclosed a counter
project of convention, explaining as follows:--"The Holy See cannot
accept the proposition of the Philippine Government to recall from the
Archipelago in a fixed time all the religious of Spanish nationality
... and to prevent their return in the future. In effect, such a
measure ... would be contrary to the