diced b Jos e S. Arc a, - non

demanded by the conservative newspaper, and presenting Coria's Memoriaas a reference document, precisely to disprove it. Because of the importanceof Arriaga's writings and their repercussions in the press, especially the onecontrolled by Federico Lerena, Manuel Regidor, and Rafael Maria de Labra,we are quoting the entire paragraph which in some way sums up, in Arriaga'sopinion, the true situation of the clergy in the Philippines, and particularlythat of the Franciscans:The correspondent of El Debate will see also that the cure of Santa Cruz isadministered by Fray Agustin de Con.suegra, recently. Visitor General andPresident of the Provincial Chapter of his Order, and today Vicar Forane ofLaguna province.Now that we are asked to confum with facts the moral and material anarchyreigning among the religious in the Philippines—we wanted to use logic only—we agree but reluctantly to the wish of El Debate which of a certainty will notreturn to qualify our accusation as gratuitous.Right away we recommend reading the main paragraphs of an exposition wehave recently received from our Mends—some good friars in Leyte—and whichhad been submitted to the Superior's office by all the principales of the town ofPalo, their parish priest being the grave coram vobis (heavy) Fray Agustin:We want, Sir, our parish priest removed from this town because we cannotendure what he is doing to us, treating us not like men, not even our Cabezas deBarangay (barrio heads). For a slight fault he punishes us in front of our ownsacop (town followers). He broke the gobemadorcillo's staff of authority whenhe used it to punish a Cabeza de Barangay whom, after this beating, he hadflattened and scourged with the staff of a third deputy magistrate. And it is notjust this Cabeza who has been punished by him. He has beaten also with the chiefdeputy's staff another man, and still another one with the second deputy's staffwhich he broke. Besides, he has whipped and kept in the town hall several otherCabezas, his blows reaching the count of fifty. And he punished not only theCabezas, but also the subordinate officials. Besides, many sick people carried inhammocks to the church in order to make their confession he has castigated in thehammocks themselves. There was one who, hardly brought out of the church,died as a result of the blows, besides the verbal abuse inflicted in a voice muchlouder than when he preaches. With the healthy who come to make theirconfession and are slightly careless in the manner and form of confessing heraises his voice publicizing the sins of the penitents after he has abused themverbally. In the case of the sick who remain in their farms or are in town butcannot be brought to the church, he obliges the relatives to call the parish priests,but with great fear, because if the sick is careless about his confession, the priestberates and punishes the one who came to summon him. It is impossible to makea single request from him. And when we compile the list of our recruits for theweek when it is our turn for the public works, he exacts four reales (half a duro)for the .entire week for each one who cannot report personally because he is truly77