Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-08-11
A GRAVE RELIGIOUS PROBLEM.
New York Evening POSI-.

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New York Evening Post.
The appeal, or demand. of the Vatican
that the lives Of Catholics w and about
Manila be protected By The United States
pr,se to President McKiney, but e Il should
not have been. Some have protested to see
in it a recognition by tire Catholic Church
of our sovereignty over the Philippines.
That does not follow. It is, however, a
recognition of the serious and solemn obii-
cations we have taken upon ourselves by
our conduct in Manila Bay. Tho moment
the President ordered Admiral Dewey to
stay there after executing his original in
strictions to destroy the Spanish fleet the
moment he gave orders to cooperate with
the Insurgents, by furnishing them arms
and ammunition. IN order TO weaken and III
timately to overthrow the Spanish military
power in the Islands, that moment. con-
sciously or unconscionsly, Mr.. Mckinley
assumed for this country the duty OF at
least preserving the lives and property of
non conbatants in and about Manila, The
Vatican is perfectly right in notifying our
government that we shall be held respon-
sible, morally at any rate. If there are mas
sacres of nuns aud frIars on the shores nj
Manila Bay. and If the property Of the re-
ligious orders and the Catholic population is
destroyed. tsi3Ht.,
The administration has already. our
Washington correspondent informs Us. heed
ed this grave standardization from the Vati-
can. 1t has cabled Instructions to Dewey and
Merritt to suppress the insurgents without
mercy II riot and massacre threaten This was
the least thnt could be done. We cannot feed
and fan an insurrection in d foreign land
and then wash our hands of the RESPONSE
biiity. We cannot call in savage allies in
warfare without shouiderlhg the conse-
quenoes of their asts. Agulnaldo is re.
ported to 30 behaving badly" That means
that lie wants to fire the rifles we have given
him as he pleases. not as we please, and that,
with fine assiriilatioh OF American political
ideas, he is impudertly asking what there is
''in" all this for him. But that Dc es not
alter our duty in the premises. We have
is. and we must lay him by the heels IL he
proposes. Within sight Of our forces, to run
amuck with torch and sword.
But this particular complication is only a
part OF the large and puzziing religious
problem with which we are certain to he
confronted ii we retain one island or the
whole group Of the Philippines. Our
Protestant missionary societies. which have
alrt adv had conferences III order to parcel
out the work between them, have taken il
for granted that the field WAS one Of virgin
paganism, SO to speak. They did not seem
to be aware that there was such thing a.
Catholicism in the Philippines. The fervent
Methodists, at the beginning Of the war re-
solved that it was going to be righteous
and holy war because II would destroy
"Romish superstition" in the Spanish Yves
| Indies, Not even with such doubtful com
| plihent do the missionary societies speai
\ Of the existing religion in the Philippines
They think Of those islands only MS q
hitherto unoccupled mission field, now. in
| the wonderful Providence OF God Twill
some aid from SUCH humble instruments a
Dewey and Mckinley, thrown open t.
them. I.
But what are the facts2 powerful
\ Christian church Is powerfully established
in the Philippines. According to the Etude
| OF Elisee Reclus of July 9th 1898 QUOTED il
the Catholic World for August, the spiritna
charges of the various religious comniuni
ties and the secular clergy are as follows:
-Augustinians. ,............. 2.oS2, 1sl soul
1S92-Recollecrs. ...-..-.-......-.. l,lio,Ioo SOU
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. .-.......... i,0l0, 75s soul
1 1S92-Domintcnns..!. .............. nya,ool sou
| Is95-Jesuits. ....t....,f....,...t.. 2lSpoo sou
lSyB-Secuiar clergy. 9b9.2sa sou
| In other words. here are some 100000
out of S000.0OD or 9,000,000 souls in til
islands under nominaily Christian ii
struction.
We say nominaIly Christian. for we al
not set for the defence OF the frairs in IT,
Philippines. There is no doubt that thei
political influence, there and i'll Spain, h;
been mIschieyous. There is no doubt thu
| In TOO many cases, the natives regard thei
as hatred oppressors, Nor have we anythin
| to say. as to the merits of their religion
tenets and teachings as compared with tho
of the Protestant societies which intend I
supplant them. That Catholicism in Il
Philippines is not all TINT 1T should be, eve
from the standpoint of an America
Catholic, is admitted by q writer in Il
| Catholic World. But that IL not the poin
1t is not primarily d religious but a polite
| problem that n0nfrpnts us In the Phil
pines. We have to consider the religion
element only as it complicates the polite
problem. And that it does complicate
terribly is beyond question. How are q
Catholics in this country going TO stomas
the practical destruction of the Cathol
Church i'll the Philippines? Are,we goiI
!, to get rid of the Irish vote (thanks TO u
English entente) only to put in its place
Catholic vote The Pope has already show
that he will not sit idly by end see Phil
! pine Catholicism endangered. Thousant
of voters in this country pay Peters Pen
AS we'll as war taxes, and they will not
pleased to see one eat up the other. Ho'
ever we look at it, the religious problem
the Philippines,i we take them, will
most grave, and will affect the polite
, problem there and at home mischieyousl
/, In view of this powerful deterrent, added
NIL the others. against holding the Phil
fsnes a day longer than necessary, II dc
seem as if our rulers might learn wisdo
from the little girl who said that pins saw
the lives of thousands of people-by n
| swallowing them.