The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-11-12
JUSTIN FULTON IN HAVANA.

JUSTIN FULTON IN HAVANA.
Some three weeks ago Rev. Justin
Fulton, the notorious Baptist minister,
held a Sunday meeting in Havana for
the purpose of attacking the religion of
the Spaniards, and among those invited
to be present was Admiral Sampson.
While on his way to the meeting the
admiral ascertained It's true character
and prudently turned back. Some
Catholic papers are disposed to praise
him for his discretion and tact, but the
Boston Republic is not among them.
Commenting on the episode it says:
For our own part we see nothing to
praise and much to condemn in his con-
duct on that occasion; He accepted an
invitation to speak at the meeting, and
it was only because somebody wiser
and more discreet than he informed him
while he was driving. to the square in
which it was held, of the nature of the
crusade that he concluded to break his
appointment. Ill an interview he eX-
plains his action by saying that he
understood that the gathering was 10 be
patriotic and not anti-catholic.
Now, Admiral SIMPSONS blunder con-
sisted in his acceptance of the invita-
ton to make a speech at religious
meeting on Sunday in a Catholic city
without first ascertaiping the precise
nature of the exercises, the character of
the men conducting them and the tenor
of the addresses to be delivered. Ife is
in Havana in a representative capacity.
He is a high commissioner of the Unit
ed States to arrange for the Spanish
evacuation of Cuba. Commissioners
holding plenary powers from the gov
eminent of the United Statese are sup
posed to be men of tact and prudence.
They are expected to abstain from par
ticipation in any meetings or functions
which might provoke friction or wound
the feelings of the people to whom they
are accredited.
Any public meeting conducted in Ha-
vana by gang of Protestant ministers
during the negotiations for peace and
for a change of sovereignty could not
be other than offensive to the people OF
Havana, whether the purport of them
was patriotism or proselytism. Adj
miral SIMPSONS participation in any
such meeting would impart to it, owing
tn tot
fetal or governmental sanction. If he
had the needed discretion he would have
known this. If he had not he was con-
spicuously unfit to hold a semi-diplo-
If the admiral had taken the pains
to inquire into the affair he would have
learned that Fulton, the principal pro.
moter of the public meeting in Havana,
form wherever his character has been
disclosed He would have found that
this foul-mouthed ranter is the author
of a scandalous and unclean book which
no publisher in the United States would
put on his counters. He would have
also found that this outcast from the
realms of Christianity has devoted all
his energies and all his time to malien-
ing the Catholic church; that he has be-
longed to every secret society organized
In his life time to defame Catholics and
deprive them Of their civil and religious
rights. Moreover, he would have dis
covered that Fulton is in Havana with
the notorious Diaz anduother renegades
and bigots to stir up strife in Cuba. to
insult the religion Of the people and to
foster spirit of revolt against att
thority. Because he did not make the
inquiries necessary to he made Admiral
Sampson writes himSelf'tlown as an un-
safe man to entrust with delicate ne
gotiations. Ir d
Contrast his conduct with that of Adj
miral Dewey in the far east. This splen-
did specimen of an American naval Of
ticer has been in control of Manila bay
since May /. He has had dealings with
Catholics and Professionals, with cranks
and bigots. But he has never overstep-
ped the bounds of propricty in his Of
fetal relations. He has not turned
preacher or politician. With magnih-
cent equipoise he has held the scales
evenly between all races and all nation
alities and all religions. lie has taught
the world the lesson of American fair
ness. justice and liberality. He has had
the intelligence to realize that he is not
there as an advance agent for mission
airy societies or anti-Catholic bigots, but
as the representative Of his country's