The times., 1897-04-28
A CHAPEL FOR CATHOLICS
Protests Against the Construction of
One at West Peint.
Secretary Alger Declines to Revoke
the License For 1t Granted by
Mr.. Lamont.

For more than year there has been much
controversy over the proposition TO buiid
a Roman Catholic church at West Point
for the use of the officers, cadets, aud
others there who desired To worship in it.
The SUM of $4,000 has been raised for
the purpose, ana letter, which Secretary
Alger directed the War Department 10
issue yesterday, practically indoIses the
project and makes the proposed church
an assured fact The authorization was
first given by Secretary Lamont, who
issued .'revocable" license for its con
struction. Many petitions from Protest
ants have been sent to Secretary Aiger
asking him to use his power and revoke
the license, bot he has declined to do so.
one of his reasons for not interfering is
that Roman Catholics have like privileges
at other military reservations, notably
at Fort Monroe, Va, and Fort Leaven-
worth, Kan.
Rev Father c. G. O'Keefe, rector of the
Catholic church at Highland Falls. n. Y,
wrote to Secretary of War Daniel Lamont,
under date OF December 16, 1896, submit
ting a proposition TO build Catholic
chapel at the West Point military reser
that Catholic services had been held in
one Of the two chapels at West Point for
forty years. and that no innovation was
contemplated. Tire reason alleged for de
string to build was that the soldiers
chapel Is inadequate and "too small for
the congregation and is most incunven-
iently situated for the Roman Catholic
officers and cadets The Roman Cath
olicG actually residing within the limits
OF the West Point military reservation dzs.
more than 500 in number, good third
OF the entire command
There are five Roman Catholic officers
and their families, and the family Of an
other officer, who is himself not a Roman
Catholic There are thirt y-eght Catholic
cadets More than two-thirds Of the en-
listed men are Catholics. There are, be-
sides, the families OF enlisted men, civil
employees, domestics, etc"
When this application became known TO
members OF Congress, Hon. John a. t.
Hull wrote Secretary Lamont concerning
the matter. and the Secretary replied at
length, saving in conclusion: II am dis
posed to approve the application, with GER
tain restrictions, unless Congress shall order
to the contrary"
Congressman Fenton, after learning Mr..
LaIaoBt's views, introduced, February 8,
q Joial resolution to this effect:
THAT il shall hereafter be unlawful for
the Secretary of War, or any other officer
OF the Government, to issue q license or
permit 70 any religious denomination or
sect to erect or to exclusively occupy
church edifice or chapel for sectarian pur-
poses on any military reservation Of the
United States. y
This Joint resolution failed to pass the
Senate anfi house. and on March / Seere-
tary Lamont issued the necessary permit
to erect the Catholic Church at West Point.
Yesterday, by order of Secretary Alger.
tie following was issued:
.'Much has been said about the building
Of a Catholic chapel on the grounds of the
United States Military Academy at West
Point This was privilege accorded these
people by my predecessor who said that
similar privileges would be accorded to
others. You can state that any other de-
nominations wishing To build chapel on
the grounds upon the same conditions will
be given an equally advantageous site for
the building. No favori tisn will be shown
to any denomination, and others will be
accorded a site equally as good as that
of the Catholic chapel"
A Philadelphia church congregation has
entered "a formal protest against the erec-
ton of this Catholic church