The Irish standard., 1899-07-01

they will find many Americans on their
return home who will esteem them for
appropriating the property of the insur-
gents. We have been proud of the Min
nesota soldiers and have thought them
superior in many ways to those of other
states. When we read the letter of a
Washington volunteer in the Spokane
Review, in which he told the public that
some of his comrades made good hauls
OF jewelry and clothing and had enough
furniture and "other plumber" to load a
steamer, we never supposed that two
doctors in the Minnesota regiment
would follow their example in the slight
est degree. We are happy to say that We
have seen no mention of any fighting
members OF the Thirteenth taking any
articles from deserted houses and
churches in the Philippines.
A correspondent OF the Minneapolis
Journal, writing from camp near NAL
olos, refers to the sacking Of the church.
es as follows:
"In this day of refinement and cul-
ture, one would hardly expect to behold
the results of desecrating vandalism in
the most app owed form. Nevertheless to
the observer travelling through the coun-
try, it is quite apparent that the vandal
is with the American army, either in the
shape of pig-tailed Chinaman or those
among Our own soldiefs who hold moth
ing sacred. General McArthur's orders
against looting were emphatic and the
culprits afterwards caught in the act
have Jared none too we'll; still, churches
have been ransacked by the score and
stripped OF their decorations. Even to
the most callous and hardened man, the
sight of the plundered church must be
somewhat repulsive. To walk up the
aisle and stumble over detached head
of the dying Christ does not strike one
as particularly humorous. To see the
rich robings of the priests scattered
about over the polished stone floor, with
empty and broken wine bottles and de-
molished sacred images, takes one back
to the days OF Alaric and the sack Of
Rome. Nevertheless, such things have
been done here by soldiers, camp fol-
lowers or Cinnamon, and to the return
ing Filipinos such evidences will only
tend to increase the native hate of us
and ours"
What the young soldier says about the
demolition of sacred images is corrobo-
rated by Boston business man who
has recently returned from the Orient.
In an interview he said to a representa-
tive of the Springfield Republican,:
"Still another course of our soldiers
increases the bitterness between the
races and will make lasting enmity. This
is the disregard of our men for the re-
ligious feelings of the Filipinos. While
was there one soldier came in with a
halo which he had torn from above the
head of the Virgin Mary in one of the
Filipino churches. Another had crown
of thorns which he had torn from the
head of the image of Christ, while a
third had picture which he had from
one of the frames on the wall. Churches
are thus desecrated and the effect is very
bad upon the Filipino mind. 1t seems
as if Our soldiers acted like barbarians
and the consequence is to intensity the
hostility felt for them by the Filipinos."
1t will be seen from the correspondent
of the Journal that General Macarthur
has issued orders forbidding looting, and
that he has punished the culprits after
wards caught in the act That informa-
ton is a source of qualification to every
true American. We never want our SOL
diers to come to the low level of the
British soldiers in India and Ireland
The boys who enlisted in war of hui
mainly must not tarnish their names
by acts unbecoming the soldiers Of
Washington's republic. We are glad
that the Journal correspondent was
shocked at the scenes he witnessed in
the edifces dedicated to the service of
God. He was evidently scandalized at
the irreverence shown to the figure of
the dying Christ" to the rich robings
of the priests and the sacred adorn-
ments of the temples. Doubtless there
were many other soldiers, both Catholic
and Protestant, whose moral sensibilities
were shocked at the sight. 1t is painful
to dwell on this subject The press Of
the country should condemn the out
RACES and call upon President Mckinley
to instruct General Otis and his sub
ordinate commanders to put stop to
such dissertation and vandalism.
In his letter to the Peace Commits