The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-06-24

fasten the yoke OF slavery on a peopl
struggling for national independence
and sclf-government. As an American
we are ashamed OF the conduct of Nc
Kinley's warriors in the Orient, and a
Catholic we protest loudly agains
their acts of vandalism. Their officer
should be held responsible for thei
deeds of spoliation. How Catholic sol
diers can patiently endure the insults
offered to their faith by their irreligiou!
comrades in arms is more than we car
understand. The Turks in their fanati
cism could not possibly surpass youal
American Protestants in their contemp
for the religion OF Catholics. If the,
were guilty OF such PROCLAMATION o
sacred things here at home they would
be Immediately arrested, prosecuted and
punished for their deeds Of dissertation
Evidences of their vandalism may be
seen in all parts OF the Northwest. Here
in this city OF culture and refinement
may be found in the possession of sol.
diers' relatives and friends consecrated
articles belonging to Catholic churches
in Luzon. They are considered as curl
osities of conquest by the recipients. A
Lutheran family in North Minneapolis
has received from one of the Minnesota
boys cope and veil which were forcibly
taken from Filipino priest. In his let
ter the young man tells his parents that
the priest from whom they were taken
lest his life for offering any resistance to
his captors. He was bound hand and
foot and pitched into the Pasig river.
The articles taken from the murdered
man seem to be highly priced by the
proud parents Of the marauding soldier.
A few days ago the vestments of a
Catholic bishop were received here as
trophy from DR.. Beck OF the Minneso-
ia regiment. A description OF them ap-
pears in the Minneapolis Tribune of
June Goth. The happy possessor of the
confiscated robes is Bertrand T. Drake,
412 Nicollet avenue. The son OF Escu-
lapius found them in captured church
near Manila, and acting on the principle
that ito the victors belong the spoils"
he pilfered the sacred garments and sent
them home in care of Scandinavian
youth who was discharged because Of
physical disability. The episcopal robes
are estimated to be worth $500.
We are averse to finding fault with
the American soldiers in the Philip
pines. They are being used by our
plutocratic administration as instru-
ments OF despotism and rapacity, and we
believe that had they a choice they
would rather set the Filipinos free than
enslave them. In their ignorance of the
Catholic religion they see nothing
wrong in Decorating churches and ap-
propriating as mementoes the sacred
vestments OF the sanctuary. Knowing
all this, we prefer to let non-Catholic
paper comment on their actions. The
Des Moines Gazette recently voiced our
sentiments when it said:
In the Philippines it seems our SOL
diers have little reverence for the sacred
edihces. Many of the volunteers. writ
ing home have no hesitation in describ-
in the vandalism which seems to find
in the cathedrals of the islands the rich
est booty. Images and other sacred
adornments have been taken as memen-
toes without any apparent computations
Of conscience.
The war in the Philippines seems to
have debauched a good many OF the
honest boys of the country and devel-
oped in them spirit of vandalism
which is not a pleasing spectacle to
those who have some reverence for
houses OF worship. The poor Filipinos
worship the same God as we do, and
the beautiful churches they have erected
after years of toll and sacrifice should
have been spared such dissertation.
But we are emulating England's i'm
perialistic policy, and war OF conquest
of an alien people always results in such
outrages. We haven't quite reached the
British standard yet, as recently mani
tested in the Soudan, where the tomb Of
the Mahdi was invaded, the body of the
Mahdi taken out, the head cut off and
the trunk thrown into the Nile, but we
are learning fast and making progress.
The work of benevolent assimilation
goes bravely on, the cemeteries are
blooming in the Philippines, everywhere
in the islands Our Christian civilization
is being planted, thanks to the admins
tration of Our blood-washed "Metho-
dist President" as the temperance ora
tor, John G. Woolley, termed McKin-
ley.
OTIS IS UTTERLY INCOMPETENT.
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