Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-13
Church and State Have Been In
separable in the Past.
PRIESTS PREACHED SPAIN.
Gospel Teaching. nj n Discount -
Father Thomas sherman Reports
on schools and Morals.

innuinr uNaifh. iutntf Ihoinub SntI-
mans Interesting and Instructive no
port to General Brooke OF his recent
tours through the island Of Porto Rico.
lie travelled alone ana unnrmcd. with.
out witnessing any disorder Father
Sherman says that he found the pco-
pie OF Porto Rico gentle. docilc and
kindiy. uud that the Spanlards living
there rejoice with their Porto Ricah
friends IN the change OF sovereignty.
The dinordcriy cicment IL n small irac-
ton IN the tecming population. There
~ some tlmldity expressed ON the
part ~ propcrty.holders but this II
partly due to the pntcrnai HyHlvm to
He said that liberal public outlay Oh
the roads would immensely add 10 the
commerce aud security Of the Island.
Father Sherman says u Is common
talk that the disorders OF the past Few
months have been caused By bands
composed partly OF prisoners released
By the Spnniards and OF spanish sol
diers discharged and remaining on the
island. tic was strongly impressed b.
tho fact that profound respect IN felt
Tor American nuthOfity.nnd the utmost
confidence In the courage OF all our
men.
AZ the same time, Father Sherman
size the needs Of an Island nj once
tropical and mountainous, where the
bandits finds myraid hooks FOR hiding
and easy aurtcnancc even ON the noun
tain top. whore passions are easily
heated and an oVorcrowdod popula
ton leaves large numbers out Of cm-
pioymcnt. an island whose needs can
only be met By the strong hand OF the
military arm, aided and uhottod BY "a
system OF civil police and rural guards.
composed, where possible, OF some of
the best classics of Porto ltlcnna. and
In holding all ciyii authorities person.
ally responsible FOR the good order OF
LOO distriots Al commanders, even
Of the smallest dctachmonta, should be
we'll advised Of all this. and should help
60 pmphunigc the responsibility OF the
commlsfnrlen. This being done. II
would seem that Porto Rico can be
IN many senses n vcritnblc paradise
The telephone can easily be used ~
Districts where danger exists 90 give
prompt warning TO tho authorities.
CHURCHES NEARLY EMPTY.
Father sherman says tina, the stats
OF religion N very unsatisfactory.
Though In every town OF any Hixe there
~ found large and handsome cdiilcc,
the services are poorly attended. All
the Inhabitants ~ the island. with few
exceptions, are numinally, at least, io-
man Catholics. Very few OF the mon
are more than Catholic IN name. They
are baptized. married and buried By the
priests. That IN the extent of their
Catholicism. Now that the priests are
deprived OF governmental aid. many
49, leaving the country and more IN
tend to depart before the winter IL
over. A moderate percentage OF the
clergy are OF native origin, and these
viii be more inclined 10 stay. The
a.. a
with the state ana Identified with " ~
the eyes OF the people. that II must
share the odium with which the Span
ish rule IL commonly regarded.
Complaint II made that the priests
were too much Interested In political
matters that they preached spain in-
stead OF the gospel, ana that many ais
played the mcrcennry spirit. There
are many excellent priests IN Porto
Rico. and the women and children are
Ia great part practically Catholics.
When the congregations have become
accustomed 10 sustain the church. the
Catholic religion viii flourish much
more IN Porto Rico than under Spanish
rule. The bishop recently appointed II
said 10 be unwilling TO serve, and there
IL need that our government should
show an active Interest IN the matter
II would seem that "a change In the &C.
clcslnaticnl system was too sudden.
causing "a cause OF paralysis and con-
rtcrnaiion among body OF men ac-
customcd 10 lean on the government
and ind II their normal means ~ sup
port. Whether religion can be revived
NJ a nying influence " highly prob
iemRilcal. There IL little or no observ-
nnce ~ the sanctity OF sunday.
SCHOOLS LACK PUPILS.
with regard TO education. Father
Sherman says he IN not prepared To
make anything like q full report
There arc many schools both In town
ana country. Those IN the country
are poorly and lrrcKularly attended.
The children are bright and quick, de-
velop earlier than ours, and many arr
capable OF learning To read and write
much sooner than the American child
rem. The prompt sending OF teachers
Of the lower grades, acquainted with
both Engliah aud spanish. would. he
thinks. be the best step 10 facilitate n
change In the system OF education ana
To- enable tho rising generation 10 be-
come Americanlzcd The Catholic
colleges. both In San Juan and Ponce.
have had such q falling on OF support
owing to the war, that he can form
no estimate OF tho work they ala nnd
tho work they are capable ~ doing.
The organized charities OF Porto Rico
are defective.
Father sherman says the system OF
burial In Porto llico has been barhar-
GUS. In some places corpses are thrown
into shallow graves. sometimes with
out box or canlSet, The cemeteries are
too small and frequently crowded.
MORALS AT 4 DISCOUNT
The state Of morality can be Inferred
from the fact that a number OF He
ultimate children exceed that Of the
legitimate. conoublnage IN said TO be
common and II not sufficiently dis
oountennnced either legally or socially
The problem In Porto Rico that II most
difficult N the eradication of this great
evil. owing to the mixture OF races
there. II " often asserted that the
catholic clergy are partly 10 blame
for this deplorahle state OF AFFAIRS he
cause marriage iH said 10 be expensive
In conclusion he says. "a million
people differing from US In language,
literature, tradition, customs and
manners welcome M by reason OF POI
litical sympathy and sentiment Of
confidence In desire t0 govern for
their good, 10 enlarge thclr liberties
and to Increase the substantial blosa-
ings they enjoy without Imposing on
them any new burdens Porto Rico
Is not 10 be Judged by the trimming
evcitetnent and manifold Tendencies 10
unrest due the vast political and
moral appeal nor by the acts az n few
cunning mnrnuders who avail them
selves OF exceptional circumstances 10
wreak private vengeance or To con.
tlnue In the barbarous instinct OF de-
struction, Nor nre we 10 argue their
political Incapacity from factlonal diff
ferenceF. but remember that TINY have
-'''-- towns. VILLAGES and are not