The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-08-26

SpeCtlHS SNatlOl1CS from the entnuSldSm
displayed by the literary gathering at
Cliff Haven, which was principally
composed OF emotional young ladies en-
gagged in pedagogical pursuits. Presi-
dent Mckinley, as the official head of
the nation, is entitled to every honor
due to the exalted position he occupies,
and as an invited guest it was proper
that his utterances about the glory OF
the American flag should be enthusiast
tically applauded. That fact, however,
is no warrant for the far-fetched conclu-
sion that the Catholics of the United
States endorse his Philippine policy.
Some of them undoubtedly do, but they
are like angels visits, few and far be-
tween.
The reception given the president at
the Catholic Summer School was cut
and-dried affair. Some days previously,
VIM. M. Byrne, United States district
attorney for Wilmington, Del, an
nounced the coming visit of President
Mckinley and said:
| ITO President Mckinley, we Catholics at
| Clif Haven can give assurance that our CO.
religionists throughout the Union will an
swer any demands made upon them by the
republic of which he is the honored head.
In the past every battlefield of the repub-
lie has been dyed with the blood of her
Catholic soldiers; and II at any time there
arises. either from the East or the West,
any danger to our beloved country, at that
point will be found the Catholic soldier,
dauntless, intrepid and invincible. The
sword of battle Is now unsheathed. We
pray God daily, that peace may be restored.
But 1t must be peace following the triumph
| OF the American arms A Catholic could
not conceive of peace with dishonor. Not
seeking the subjugation Of any people, not
departing from the immutable principles Of
our Constitution, but striving only to estab-
| llsh justice In territories for whose security
we are, through the fortunes of war, re-.
sponsible to the nations of the world, and
to our national conscience, in his task of
overcoming any opposition to this noble
purpose. President Mckinley can rely on
the earnest and unceasing support of Cath
Ollie Americans
That was the language used by a
Catholic oficeholder under McKinley's
administration, and Republican
who wants to hold his job.
The reader can form his own
opinion about the propriety OF intro
ducing politics into Catholic educa-
t;onal assembly, The president of the
school, Rev, DR.. Lavelle, introduced
Mr.. Mckinley in glowing terms and
said among. other things:
1--WE know what American victory means;
1t means not to Cypress; it means not to
tread upon the necks Of the fallen; it means
to lift them up to place them upon their
feet, and to do all that is in our power to
extend civilization and comfort and happi-
ness and prosperity to all mankind.
This war has brought under the domina-
ton and protectorate of the Stars and
Stripes many millions of our Catholic peo-
pie, far removed some of them from the
American continent, but we predict for
them unhesitatingly that they will make
American citizens as loyal, as sturdy and
as true as those that are here to-day, Mr..
President, and no man could ask more"
The New York Freeman's Journal,
edited by Father Lambert, calls this
Extraordinary language" in view of
what has been done in the Philippines,
and says it passes understanding how
any American Catholic can believe that
the Filipinos, whose religious and ma
tiona feelings have been ruthlessly
trampled upon, could ever become as
loyal to this country as American Cath
olics. Other representative Catholic
papers of the East are equally outspok-
en- in their comments on Father La
velle. The Catholic Standard and
Times, of Philadelphia, says that
grave mistake was made in leading Nc
Kinley into the belief that his war of
inhumanity, for which he is solely re-
sponsible, merits the appreciation OF
American Catholics. The Boston Re-
public doubts whether McKinley's pa
riotism is neither sectional nor Sec
tarian,' as he declared in his response
to Father Lavelle, and asks why it is
that no Catholic has ever been selected
by him as member of any commission
sent to deal with the Catholic residents
of Cuba, Porto Rico or the Philippines.
1t is the firm belief of The Irish
Standard that the managers OF the
Catholic Summer School at Cliff Haven
should eliminate politics from their pro-
ceedings and devote their time to the
discussion OF educational matters. Not
aword did the priest the president ut
ter OH the value of higher education ana
the benefits accruing therefrom. Their
speeches were entirely political. The
priest was dressed in his little brief
authority and imagined he could speak
for twelve millions OF his co-religion-
lists in this broad land. There is where
he made mistake. No obsequious
Catholic politician, whether he be priest
or lawyer, has any right or justifca-
ton to speak for anyone but himself on
question which divides the American
people at the present time. 1t is need
less for them to talk about the loyalty
OF Catholics to the flag. No one ques-
tons their loyalty, and hence it is I'M
necessary to crow about it, When Nc
Kinley said that wherever the flag
floats it is the hope OF the oppressed"
he knew in his heart that what he said
was untrue so far as his war in the
Philippines is concerned. 1t is to the
Filipinos the symbol of vandalism and
oppression. and the only president who