The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-29
REPLY TO FATHER SHERMAN.
BISHOP wHIPPLE DID NOT MAKE
ALLEGED STATEMENT.

sc simpIy Quoted an Interview
which Was Ascribed to Father
sherman with Reference to Porto
R;co-Says nc Is Glad to Know
Conditions IN the Island Are Such
as Father sherman Claims in His
Recent Letter.
Maitland, Fla, May 2s.-Wherever Bish-
on Whipple and Father Sherman are well
known a question of veracity, however
unimportant in itself, becomes a very Sc
rious matter in connection with their high
and pure Christian characters.
Bishop Whipple is venerable in years
OF faithful service, and even the once
savage Indians of the frontier called him
"suaight Tongue" because he never &C.
ceived them. Father Sherman, on the 9TH
err hand, is a young man, comparatively,
vet his devotion and untiring services in
the priesthood of the Roman Catholic
Church have made him a marked figure
In the religious world, unaided by the
military fame of his father, Gen. William
T. Sherman or the eminent religious po-
siticn of his devoted mother in the highest
circles of that church.
The public at large were therefore
greatly surprised when Father Shennan's
letter appeared in print and seemed TO
raise a question of veracity betw zen Bish-
Oh Whipple and himself The friends of
each party were prompt to believe mat a
serious mistake had been made some
where and that its discovery would clear
away the apparent conflict of statements.
Bishop Whipple, by the death of his
co-adjutor, has devolved upon him the
entire care of the large diocese of Min
nesota and in the exercise of his man
fold duties he was not able to give more
prompt denial to the false rumor referred
20 At his earliest opportunity, how
ever. he sends me the following letter,
which completely removes all traces of
a question of veracity between him and
Father Sherman:
Faribault, Mimi, May %, 19O0-My Dear
Mai Herbert In the Pioneer Press of
today is a letter by Father Sherman of
the Roman Catholic Church, in which he
tells the public that in my recent report
on Porto Rico I said: Father Sherman
and others have told me sad stories of
the immortality of the priesthood and peo-
pie" l have never made this state
ment I have never had the pleasure of
meeting the son of my old and dear
friend, Gen. Sherman.
Some months ago the leading papers of
The country published an interview with
Father Sherman and it was to this inter-
view which I referred (and which have
not seen denied by Father Sherman ill
now, when l said Father Sherman and
others have already told the sad story;
and prominent residents of Porto Rico
have more than confirmed the statements
of that published interview.
The fact that mulutudes of people are
living together without Christian mar
rage owing to the poverty of the people
and their inability to pay the marriage
fees, was told me by one who knows bet
ter than any one else the social condition
of the island of Porto Rico.
If the moral condition of the island, and
the Christian faithfulness of the Roman
Catholic priests have been what Father
Sherman's letter would imply, no one will
rejoice more heartily than myself. Those
who know me know that l have never in
my EDiscopate made an attack upon any
who love the Lord Jesus Christ. alluded
To the religious condition of Porto Rico
in order to show the grave responsibility
which rests upon all Christian people of
the United States to do all in they power
for the uplifting of this people who in the
Providence of God have been placed under
our care.
At the recent election the condition Of
suffrage was that any male adult could
vote who mad paid a dollar tax the pre-
vious year, or could read and write Gen
eral Davis informed me that fifty thous-
and votes were cast, of which one-half
belonged to each class. He estimated that
neither read nor write.
Yours faithfully,
H. B. Whipple,
Bishpo of Minnesota.
! cannot allow this opportunity to pass
without bearing testimony to the unvary-
ing practice Of Bishop Whipple, in all his
long and distinguished career, to never
speak uncharitable word in regard TO
any sect or denomination whose mission.
like that of his own church, was to lead
sinners to Christ Since 1879 this place
Maiuand-has been his winter home. and
here he is equally beloved by all deuomna-
tons. Out of his abundant charity, and
that of his noble wife, all classes receive
share, and in his ministerial ,abors he
besses all alike with his prayers and SER
mons and advice. And for forty years,
IN the diocese of Minnesota, his record has
been the same.
OF such a man. In the declining years
Of his life. it cannot be said that it is
possible that he could turn his back upon
his lifelong record for Christian fellow
ship and wantonly attack even the Ro-
man Catholic Church Bishop Whipple
visited Porto Rico simply to find out how
pest our new citizens could be religiously
and morally and intellectually benefited.
His relations to the new Catholic bishop
sent from the United States were most
Pleasant, but he heard there as others
nave heard in Cuba and the Philippines, of
the misconduct and oppression of the
spanish friars in the past. These abuses
4 ana evils, as understand the matter, are
Delng remedied by the new authorities of
the Roman Catholic Church.
Sidney Herbert
-s<e-e-
DIR. THOMPSON HAS RESIGNED