The San Francisco call., 1899-11-26

FATHER lCKINN0N REPLIES TO THE STATEMENTS OF E MONl0R


ippines and to cast doubt and discreelt
upon the words of the Catholic chaplains
navy. had the interests OF the church at
heart
Even admitting that the editor OF the
Monitor could show that there were a few
cases of loOting. what would this prove?
Would IL prove that the American Gov
ernment failed In It's duty? BY no means
Every reasonable man knows that In wer
many things occur that are lamentah.a
and disastrous. Hence IL might easily
happen that an exceptional case Of loOting
might occur even in the best disciplined
armies and under the strictest rules. TC
deny this the editor OF the Monitor wOu.f
make himself as ridiculous In his nethof.
of reasoning as he has made himself no.
torious for accepting the testimony OF low
characters.
v. When one wishes TO misunderstood n,
can do so. Apparently the editor of ths
Monitor wishes 20 misunderstood me-
That were or little consequence did he NOT
undertake 20 misrepresent me % M
Catholic people by stating that ] justified
men In keeping stolen goods merely be-
cause they got them from Chinese I0ltr-H
Calm readers will judge such statemeuts
for themselves and Will judge the Mont
tor, too. What l did say was that ths
soldiers could come In possessi0r rf a
great many ecclesiastical article without
having looted churches 20 get them V--
the instruction OF the people let me af4
that while some OF the towns were bum
ing stores I'm which church supplies were
sold were often among the buildings de-
stroyed. Men could find here quantities ~
every article used in Catholic worship
and therefore we are not % conclude from
the presence OF articles or this kind that
the ioOting OF churches was either whole
sale or general as the agitators represent
II 10 be.
why Father McKinnon made no effort 20
exercise the power he claims 20 have had
10 take church property wherever found
WHY he did not exercise 10 on the soldiers
who were bringing 20 many stolen vest
ments and chalices 20 San Francisco
Simply because he did not know OF auv
such articles in their possession. never
saw any. and the agitation concerning
them was started after my departure Tor
the East. / never even heard about this
agitation till the editors OF some of the
Eastern Catholic papers told me how ths
article written on the authority OF Fox
that subsequently, appeared In DonOhoe's
Magazine had been peddled about among
the editors Of Eastern Catholic journals
looking for buyer.
The editor OF the Monitor speaks Of
InconsistencIes and contradictions in my
lecture We are not surprised 20 hear him
making such an assertion after witnessing
all the Inconsistencies and contradiction
in his recent editorial. We have seen how
he denied that in previous edltlor no
made or sanctioned the assertion that
some Catholic priests were hireling5 ~
little authority he had for asserting that
I told Mrs. Funston she might accept
robe stolen from one OF the churches. We
have seen how weak was his contention
when ne said was not justified IN deny
ing the charges made against General
Metcalf We have seen how untrust-
worthy and unreliable were the state
ments he made concerning the respOn-
sibility OF the American Government for
the looting and desecratiOn OF churches.
We have seen how he forgot 20 tell tho
truth when he asserted that justified tho
soldiers I'm taking and keeping articles be-
cause they got them from Chinese loot
ers. We have seen all the contradiction
inconsistencies and false statements. and
now all fair-mlnded readers can draw
their own conclusions.
One word more 20 the editor. As q
Christian gentleman. as editor OF the San
Francisco Monitor. especially as successor
Of a great and learned and true man, ths
public expect more from you than from
the ordinary individual. While trying 70
recall a little bit OF advice. cannot think
OF any more appropriate 10 the man or
the occasion than that contained IN the
first words OF the moral I'm the fable Of
the donkey and the lion. which appears
in your last issue. Read these words and
make them the subject Of your next medi-
tation. Respectfully yours.
W. d. McKINNON.