The Irish standard., 1900-08-25
OF the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
His Selection of Commissions
Grossly Insulting.
MADE UP ENTIRELY OF PRoTEsTANTs
Catholic Subjects in the Orient
Brutally Treated.

The endorsement of President Nc
Kinley's administration, and his unan-
imous denomination for a second term
by one of the leading, political parties,
should be a matter of grave concern
and especial consideration to every
American Catholic. The attitude of
Mr.. Mckinley toward Catholics and
the Church during the past two years
is very singular to say the least. 1t
seems to be unmistakable and clear.
His course in that regard is a matter
Of record, says James Il. Wright i'll the
August number of Donahoe's Maga-
zine.
Let us note how the record runs.
At the end of the war with Spain the
people of the Philippine Islands and
of Porto Rico were transferred, as we'll
as a treaty could transfer them, to the
jurisdiction of the United States, while
over the people of Cuba temporary
trustecship was assumed. The popu-
lation of Cuba and Porto Rico and the
civilized inhabitants of the Philip,
pines are almost exclusively Catholic
Mr.. Mckinley, as president of the
United States. ostcnsibly dcsirous of
acquiring ncedful and correct informa-
tion respecting these new territories
and the condition of their people with
view to the adoption of such govern
mental measures as might be condu-
Give to their welfare, selected commits
sioncrs to investigate the condition and
to report their findings to him. But,
singular to relate, in selecting these
commissioners he failed to appoint
solitary Catholic out of the 12,OOOOOO
in the United States to serve upon
any of the commissions. In other
words, the fact is worthy of repetition,
he selected only non Catholics to eX-
anime into the wants and require
mcnts of an exclusively Catholic pco-
pie, born and reared Catholics under n
system of rule Which recognized a pc
| cular union of church and state, with
all the intricate and complex problems
which must necessarily arise during
the period of transition to the COM
plete separation Of these Institutions
Under such requirements the prcsi-
dents selection was unique. An aver
age business man in the prosecution OF
an ordinary business enterprise would
have acted differently in the selection
of his agents. The executive authority
of the United States in the past has
acted differently. The congress of the
United States in the revolutionary
! days appointed Rev. John Carroll with
his cousin, Charles Carroll, as COM
missoners along with Benjamin
| Franklin and Samuel Chase to treat
with the Catholic people Of Canada.
Abraham Lincoln during the pcrilolls
days of the Civil War selected Arch
bishop Hughes with Thurlow Weed as
his commissioners to the government
of Catholic France and its people.
But MIR. Mckinley appointed men,
not only of n different race, language,
modes of thought and customs to the
people to whom they were sent, but
even without the tie of n common re-
ligiOlls faith to serve as an introduce
ton. The insular commissioners who
were assigned to the work Of throwing
light on the needs Of Porto Rico set
forth in their luminous report to Mr..
Mckinley that among some Of the
most pressing needs Of that subject
people the enactment of laws was re-
quired to permit Catholic priests to
marry, and the establishment of an
authority to grant divorces to such
persons as required them. Truly sa-
picnt recommendations. Had one
Catholic been member of that dis
tinguishcd body Of Investigators and
recommcnders we would have been
spared the in1iction of a report which
exhibited ignorance, or stupidity, or
bigotry-probably all three elements
entered into it's makeup. Certainly
the report Of the insular commission
was an insult to American Catholics,
an insult, too, for which the president
is chiefly responsible.
The Philippine commission-the first
one-of which Mr.. Schurman was
chairman, was not in position to