The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-22
SAD STORIES


OF the Moral Condition Of the Island
Of Puerto Rico = Poor Married
Free.
CHICAGO, ILL.,. May 21.-The follow
ing letter was given out for publication
to-day:
I'm recent article on Puerto Rico,
signed by H. B. Whlpple, the Protest.
ant Episcopal bishop Of Minnesota. the
following paragraph occurs:
"'Of the moral condition OF the island
1 need not speak at length. Father
Sherman and others have told me SAD
stories OF the immortality Of the priest-
hood and people. The marriage fees
exacted by the Roman Catholic priests
have prevented multltudes from Chris
tian marriage. and this has led to much
Of the awful decentralization which exc
lists on the island
I'm this connection. would like to
remark that as have never met the
right reverend gentleman, as far as
remember, It is, to say the least. mis-
leading to state that have told him
any sad stories about anything AS for
the clergy Of Puerto Rico, not fey
Of them are so enthusiastic and so zeal-
GUS, and such dear friends Of mine;
that hasten to repudlate any such
inslnuatlon In their regard. FIR. Ber-
rios, Of Areclbo, Fir. Serbia, Of Utuado,
FIR. Passalagua, OF CoamO, may be
mentioned among model pastors, and
men OF blameless integrity. All Of,
the fathers Of the congregation Of st.
Vincent de Paulu, all the Aesculapian
priests, and the canons Of the cathedral
are men Of holy life and fervent zeal.
to say nothing Of others scattered
about the island. II criticised some
of the s-anlsh clergy who have depart
ed It was because 1 thought religion
and politics were too closely connected
In their minds, and because I felt that
they left their posts Of duty when their
presence was most needed, This makes
the conduct Of those who remained In
spite OF the loss Of their salaries the
political revolution, the war and other
difficulties. doubly creditable and hon
orable. These are the men who now
constitute the clergy Of Puerto RICO.
and OF those I have never spoken OF
except In praise. In this connection,
repudlate that part Of q newspaper
interview published on my return TO-
the United States from which the con-
trary might be inferred. The reporter
told me afterwards he wished to rouse
the ministry. and used scare lines; he
was not aiming to tell what ] said to
him.
GAS for the charge that the marriage
fees exacted by priests have prevented
marriage. I know this to be calumny
and am surprised that Bishop Whip
pie could voice 30 false charge.
am convinced that he must have been
misled. as he would not Intentionally
make n statement capable Of such easy
REPUTATION. The poor are married free
everywhere, in Puerto Rico as In the
rest Of the world.
1.-THE want Of religious fervor IN
Puerto Rico is quite sufficiently ex-
planned by climatic and racial condl-
lions, fully discussed by the bishop IN
his article.
at is, Of course. possible that have
met the bishop, and forgotten the fact,
but the paragraph Is none the less mis-
leading, and is substantially incorrect.
"The clergy of Puerto Rico of 1900
and Bishop whlpple writes from San
Juan in 1900. are Jealous, plous. estlm-
able body of men. many of them loved
and revered with the utmost devotion
by their people, and I am sure they
are well able to withstand the attacks
OF the sects, and maintain the cause OF
truth among all who are willing to hear
and heed. Protestant missionaries In
puerto Rico will waste their time and
money"