The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-13
CAPTAIN LEARY AND THE FRIARs

L
Attacks have already been made upon
Captain Leary, Naval Governor of
Guam, for expelling the friars who
were plotting against the Government
and grinding the natives of the isle be-
meath their heels. 1t Is asserted that
the Captain has no right to expel these
holy men, no more than this Govern
ment would to order Protestant Epis-
copal dignitary' into exile and to con-
fiscate the property of his church.
This is disingenuous. If any clergy,
Protestant, Jewish or Catholic, became
conspirator against the Government
and plotted against the laws and the
lawful authority here, he would be and
should be expelled, or worse. When a
clergyman becomes a criminal, he must
expect the treat accorded to Grim
mails. In Guam a military Governor
is in charge until a stable form of free
Government can be established, and
Congress so provides. During his COM
mand he would be a coward and an
idiot If he permitted his authority to be
overthrown or defied, and the people he
is sent to protect to be oppressed and
persecutd by clericals.
did not expel all the friars-less than a
Dozen He elected those who were Of
( tenders. Finding one of them to be just,
and to confine himself to his ecclesi-
astical duties, no decree of Punishment
was issued against him. nor is there
any account of his interfering with the
priests who were law abiding. 1t was
there matter of individual offenders,
and their cloth was not permitted to
protect them in base practices.
In Guam under Spanish rule it was
the same with the friars as with that
class in the Philippines. There is no
conflict of the authorities as to the
conduct of the 1iars, not ALL but the
| overwhelmingly greater number in
those islands. 1t was because of their
cruelties, extortions and vices protect
ed and winked at by Spain, whose Gov
ernors General they cowed, and one of
whom they overthrow and ruined who
sought to check their abuses, that the
Filipino instruction began, first
against the friars, prior to our occupa-
ton.
1t Is against such men who hide the
devils hoof beneath the saints cloak
that Aguinaldo, himself a devout son
of the church, is most incensed. 1t is
the friar whom he fortunes and exc
cutes when be catches him to this day.
The very first of all the insurgent de-
mands made was an exaction that
Spain should curb the friars, require
them to adhere to things ecclesiastical,
leave things secular alone, and cease
extorting taxes, beating, enslaving and
cowing the people
We have not far to go to ascertain
the. truth about the friars who offend
Any one so minded may consult 1.-The
Philippine Islands," by Foreman, F. r.
G. s.: 1.-THE: Philippines and Their Peo-
ple," by Worcester; Yesterdays in the
Philippines" by Stevens, himself a
Catholic; THE Philippines and Round
About" by Younghusband; THE Phil
ippine Islands," by Ramon Reys Lala,
a Filipino and a Catholic: Austria
lasia," by DR.. Guillemard, and Les
lies Philippines, Bulletin Societe
d'Etudes Coloniales," by Leval a Cath
Ollie: and for that matter a score of
other works by Catholic, native and
dissenting writer's. We may take the
testimony of Aguinaldo, Agoncello and
any of the insurgent leaders, as well as
several high dignitaries of the Catholic
Church itself. and Of all travellers who
! have investigated.
The subject our readers will find
ably and fairly treated in the Light of
the evidence, in.the Quarterly Review
of a couple Of months ago. Mr.. Lala, a
Filipino, an educated man, devout
/ Catholic, an original insurgent, is es-
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