The times., 1899-09-17

October IL. The Archbishops will be asked
to satisfy themselves that there is good
ground for the protest made, and 10 this
end they viii be furnished through the
officers of the local branch of the Metro
politan Truth Society with bulky manu-
script, giving letters from soldiers both
in and out of the service in the Philippines,
the observations and experiences of civil
ians and much minute data gathered by
the Catholic clergy IN the islands When
they have satisfied themselves that the ac-
cusations are we'll founded the Board Of
Archbishops will be asked to take such
steps as in their judgment will be most
proper. One of the principal things to be
proposed to the Board of Archbishops will
be that they should use what influence
they have to bring some of the perpetrators
Of these alleged outrages to justice, either
before courts-martial, or il that be found
/ impossible or inexpedient, then by other
process.
A Letter to the President.
The present letter TO President McKin-
ley, dated from the Metropolitan Truth
Society, 225 Sixth Avenue, New York City,
is as follows:
/ To Mr. William Mckinley, President Of the
United States. Executive Mansion, Washing
ton, d. c.
Ny dear Sir:
As the president Of the Metropolitan Truth
| Society, an organization of Roman Catholics ex-
tending throughout the United States / have
been officially directed by the board OF said
society 10 call the attention Of the United States
authorities TO the alleged outrages perpetrated
| by American soldiers upon Catholic churches in
the Philippine Islands The said outrages have
excited widespread Indignation as is evidenced by
utterances in both Catholic and non-Cathoic
churches, and by reports of committees Of the
Metropolitan Truth Society coming from all parts
Of the country.
Such indignation is based first, upon newspa-
per reports and comments thereupon; second
upon private letters from soldiers who have served
or are serving now in the Philippines; third
from sacred vessels, sent by United States soldiers
to this country, and publicly exhibited in New
York and other cities; fourth, upon the accom-
! psnying copy of Golfers Weekly" giving I
| photograph Of the United States soldiers in TN,
very act Of desecrating an altar in a church b.
using it field telegraph station, one of whom
! is furthermore represented posing for tht
, photograph cigar in hand.
Catholics are usually prepared to allow, first
| for certain amount of looting, which is th
| usual accompania aent of military invasions; see
third, for the possibility OF Of the property
, having been purchased captured by troop
from Philippine warriors; fourth. for exaggerated
! reports.
However, allowing for all this, sufficient eyi
| dences Of outrages exist to excite the indigna
tion Of American Catholics and to convince then
| that the recent pubic ntterances OF Prof. Schur
man cannot be considered a correct report o
existing conditions. For example, Prof Schnr
man declares IL impossible TO produce eyidenc
proving the desecration Of Catholic churches b.
United States soldiers. The direct evidence
| supplied both by the above mentioned photograph
! and by the following extract from of tn
' many private letters from soldiers who are nov
serving in the Philippines, and which we be
lieye IS thoroughly reliable:
'sThe worst Of all Is in The ruins Of tn
I Guadel0upe Church, in the vaults where the dea
are buried The volunteers broke them open
pulled ont the bodies broke open the coifns an
! robbed the dead You the skull wher
the feet oug. 10 be, and the ribs al mike
, up. One body lies there half pulled out Of tn
vault snd just where tie hands crossed on tn
breast was all poked OYER looking for gold ring
and crSsses fSignrd Rol ert II. Knight, Con
] First Divis on Manila, p. ID
inasmuch as said ouiragese. as far as we know
= did not occur during the military occupation
Cuba and Porto Rico, where opportunities fo
J the same were as numerous as IN the Phiiippin
> Islands we are constrained 10 believe that the
spring from a depiorabIe lack OF military disc
pline. all the grave the impression
! abroad that these oufrages have been perpetrate
| by with the coHniyauce OF some officers OF I'll
I United States Army.
: We are confident that the President Of til
c United States would not countenance such abGst
I were be cognizant Of the same; we therefore trui
that upon tho receipt Of this communication 20
. do Won see best 10 correct them. and thereh
sliay the already widespread and daily inereasin
;. dissatisfaction Of American Catholics with III
y side Of the present occupation OF the Philippine
/, wM. +. McGTNNIs, D. D..
= President NJ. T. s.
y II was pointed out to one OF the prom
inent members of the Metropolitan Trut