The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-03-06
IMPERIALISM IN THE AIR


So Says DIR. Munger In Speaking of tn,
Philippines and Questions Involved
Some Parallels In History Referred To
Alliance with a Kindred Nation
May be Involvcd-Praise for Presiden,
McKinley,s Boston Speech.
Rev. Il. T. Munger, d. D., pastor OF
United church, spoke at the church
last night under the auspices of the
Mems club on 1.-THE Philippines and the
Questions Involved" Rev. DR.. Munger
announced that next Sunday morning
Rev. DR.. Beard, secretary of the
American Missionary society, would
speak at United church on Porto Rico
and the Condition of the People
There" In opening his address Rev.
Dr. Munger told of how the Philippine
Islands came under the rule of Spain
by the right Of discovery. Speaking OF
Spain, he said it was the policy of her
church, as of her government, to lay all
the taxes that priestcraft and tyranny
could devise. Referring to the fact
that for 300 years the Philippines had
been under Spanish rule, he said that
our armies to-day have to contend not
with the Filipinos alone, but with the
heritage of these centuries of Spanish
nisrule. He said: THE people don't
know what justice, kindness and good
intentions are. Their sense of these
things has been educated out of them
Prof. Wooster says that the Jesu1ts
are distinctly an agency of good; they
educate the people for practical work
in commerce, science and the arts, and
the curriculum of their colleges in Ma
Mia is adapted to produce good citi-
zens. But the Jesuits We're expelled
for hundred years, and only allowed
to return on condition that they would
conflne themselves to educatiorNand the
establishment of missions. In the three
islands where they are allowed to work
Mr.. Wooster found conditions much
better than in the other islands. If
DIR. Beard can tell us the same of Por-
to Rico, l am opposed to establishing
schools there and say to American Pro-
testants, hands off.
Spanish priests are one thing, and
Spanish friars are another thing. While
there. is an Italian Roman church there
is also an American Roman church,
and Americanism cannot be driven out
of the Roman church of America. The
rule that friars shall not hold benefices
has not been carried out in the Philip
pines, and parish there means sim
ply means of extortion. I wish it
understood that I make a distinction
between the Catholic church there and
the Catholic church as we know it here.
The worst thing that calls itself relig-
ion is found in the parishes of the friars
of the Philippine islands, and whether
it is constitutional or not it is TO be
hoped that our army will stay there
long enough to clear the islands of the
friars. These friars own vast tracts of
land in the islands and rent it at enor-
nous rates under cunningly construct
ed contracts Enormous wealth is thus
acquired, and the friars are given enor-
nous power. The effect on the inhabi-
tants is utter Decentralization. of entire
towns and villages due to the friars,
and the insurrection of the last few
years in the islands may be traced to
them. If we remain there, the friars
will be taken care of according to
American ideas; if we do not stay there
the people will take care of them in
their own way, unless the friars buy
Aguinaldo and his army
The secular rule of Spain is not as
bad as is her religious rule, but only be-
cause it has not so wide field. All Of
ffcers steal alike AS to the amount of
points could be given to Tam
many and the devil. Mr.. Wooster sums
up by saying that the whole financial
administration is corrupt. With such re-
ligion and such government, what bht
the faults and vices of barbarism with
the most corrupt forms of civilization
can be expected Of the population. one
half is composed of civilized Malays,
but they are so overlaid with Spanish
education that they lie and steal and
every moral sense Is overawed Mr..
says that the civilized Filipino
Is kind father, a dutiful son and cares
for aged relatives. but all this came to
him in natural ways and not from the
friar
"a few among the Filipinos are edu-
Gated, some in Europe and GONE by the
Jesuits, and they can draw up protests
and plans of government, but what does
that mean, oligarchy, and what that
means in regard to popular liberty it is
not difficult to imagine The people of
the islands are admirable and fit sub
ects for an olfgarchy. We, free and in
dependent Americans, are not apt to
wait for the report of the commissioners
before forming our opinions and most of
is are very sure as to what ought to
1e done with the Philippine islands and
hat those who differ with us in these
opinions are false to the constitution. |
# the question were a different one, it |
would be humorous. Absolute conf
lence as to question is always humor-
JUS and hence very positive persons are |
lever to be taken seriously. I am in
,lined to think that in year or two we
will look back on the opinions Of the
present with quiet amusement because
he question shall have turned out so
differently from what we had expected.
The presence of our army and
lavy waging war with the Fill J
limos is a tremendous subject, but ,
he question of the disposal of the
stands is not yet question in the sense
f being an issue that has a real exist
nee. / grant that tendencies should be
but they should be measured
nd analysed and compared with other
endencies A Tendency NAV become too |