The evening times., 1900-04-30
devotion and heroism Of the early Catholic
missionaries Father McQuaid said:

.sThe Philippine friars were the advance agents
OF Christianity and civilization They were men
Of fine breeding and Of splendid edneation They
voluntarily exiled themselves 10 work among saw
ages
They found slavery. murder robbery, and
idolatry in their horrors prevailing, yet so
thoroughly did the friars work that twenty-seven
years after their appearance there were bshGprics
and archbishOprics. and peace and happiness
reigned over all the islsnds those of the Suu
group The friarS brought the Philippines into
the light OF dsy.
1T Is easy enough for carping critics. who sit
at bone IN easy chairs. and blinded sometimes by
bigotry or woefully ignorant Of the pages of mis-
sionary experiences, 10 pick flaws in the work Of
the Philippine friars. IL Is the height of audacity
ter such as Worcester, whose tripping TO and from
the Philippines was more OF the nature OF pleas
ure jaunt- enhanced by the tat salary. and incl
dentals OF commissioner. and Bishop Potter.
who. accustomed New NOrk velvet, eadured
the heat OF Manila just four days. t. cast as
peTSons on the friars.
And speaking Of Bishop Potter let il e added
that II he Is correctly reported Is saying that
concubinlge is widespread in the Philippines. he
says what is not true And If he SAYS thai this
condition OF things Is the result 0f eNorbtaEt fees
charged at the marriage ritter. he says again what
is not true. My siN or seven months experience
Is worth much his four days
The Filipinos a civilized. religious honest.
and brave people. IN treating with them We can
well afford 10 he lnagnanm0Js. The spirit OF tb'.
Constitution which fired the courage OF the men
Of "a should guide yet: for Just soon as W.
decay
The bold defence of the much-maligned
friars by Father McQusid is a direct chai-
Ienge to men like Prof. Worcester and
Bishop Potter to prove their case. This
is not the first time that our Catholic
brethren have openly resented what they
believe to be a disposition to prejudice the
people of the United States against the
Philippine religious orders, and hence 10
make their position in the islands difficult
OF adjustment TO new conditions.
II is a wrong 10 all parties in interest
that the Mckinley Administration contin-
ues its policy Of suppressing all infOrma-
tion possible concerning its policy or cur
rent course with regard to a question upon
which seems TO hinge the future peace and
civilization of our greatest Eastern pos
session. The very fullest information
should be given by the Government that the
public may know the truth That the
truth is not easy TO reach at this distance
or perhaps anywhere. is shown in the di-
vergent statements Of emineutiy respeeta-
BILE citizens who have tried to find il
through personal investigation
II leading FilipinOs are to he believed,
/ the friars have taken possession Of large
4 part of the arabic land in LuzOn, without
4 just compensation. and under cClOr Of cor
/ rupt grants and concessions from Spanish
I Governors Whether it could make any
difference to Mr.. Mckinley whether these
holdings were justly acquired or not, is an
open question under the Treaty OF Paris
The wording OF that document appears to
have been designed TO secure TO religious
corporations whatever they claimed under
possession at the time OF cessiol. The Ad-
mInistTaJion has given the matter much
attention. bu. has acted as II afraid 20 let
the -ooaBtry know what il vas doing His
Grace. the Most Reverend Archbishop Cha
i. peile- who is a citizen enjoying general re-
spect and credit Is understood TO be at
Manila. as the joint represe ntative OF tie
PaQacy aud the President TO straighten
out the religious tangle which the rebel
lions and anarchy of the past have D. o.
dGced. But the Administration Te ewes
whatever 1t has learned from Mo-si sICr
. Chapelle IL is time that current Philip
pine conditions. religious as well as mill
tary were brought 10 the knowledge Of the
American people. The policy OF the desc
corporation at Manila sc long and success
fully carried out by Otis and DENLY. should
be changed. Let the pubic have all the
facts, whatever they may be.