The Irish standard., 1901-12-14


manufacturing by immense cigar and
cigarette and rope factories"
The morals Of the people were in
keeping with their intellectual stand
ard. The natives were mild, submis-
sive and of respectful disposition;
their hospitality was remarkable. In
the country places in particular
crimes We're very rare. In Pany,
which has population of 100000,
there was scarcely a murder COM
mitted in year. Divorce, polygamy
and slavery were unheard of among
them. There was no police force and
highway robbery or deeds of violence
were practically unknown.
To what extent public morals were
guarded may be gathered from the
following extract from the report of
the Taft commission: Gle fhe parish
priesD was the censor of the plays,
comedies and dramas in the language
of the country, deciding whether
they were against the public peace or
the public morals.''
These are the results of the civili-
cation introduced by the much-malign-
ed religious orders of the Philippines.
The wonderful preservation and in
crease of the wild and barbarous peo-
pies with whom the missionaries had
to deal and their actual state of civ
ilization are in striking contrast with
the results achieved by our boosted
Anglo-Saxon Methods. The Spanish
friar entered the Philippines before
settlement was made at jamestown or
Plymouth; he found as many if not
fewer Filipinos than the English
found Indians, but where are the de-
scendents Of King Philip and Mas
sasoit?
The South Sea Islands have been the
scenes of the "new' missionary labors
for years. What is the result? In
every one, with scarcely an exception,
the native population has been almost
exterminated. New Zealand, Tahiti,
Samoa, Fiji, all tell the same tale of
Generalization and death.
We have yet to learn Of one nation
of people that has been reclaimed
from barbarism by the advanced
methods of modern proselytism.
Wherever they have prevailed the
races have either dwindled away or
still remain uncivilized, and are being
burned at the stake by their civilizers
for their crimes. And these are the
methods that have been imported to
the Philippines! A people, already
thoroughly Christian, is forced to re-
ceive a civilization that has been a
failure ut home and mockery
abroad. Already we see around us
the effects of Goddess system of edu-
cation in the increased number Of ju-
venile thieves, suicides and murder
ers; the refinement of crime in high
places and the wanton disregard of the
laws of truth, Justice and honesty.
The same system is now extended to
the islands of the Philippine archi-
pelago for the purpose of elevating a
people whose moral standard is al
ready higher than our own.
Have we not reason to doubt the
motives of the projectors of this
scheme? Ills sad, indeed, that we
Catholics should remain so cruelty in
different to the religious interests of
our brethren in the faith, and without
demur and protest permit the most
fragrant abuse Of what is near and
dear to every Catholic heart. If the
entire nation were thrown into a high
state of excitement through anxiety
of our Protestant brethren about the
lives and property of few mission
aries in China, why should not we
Catholics show some concern for the
religious interests Of millions of our
Catholic brethren.
We may recognize the separation of
church and state, we may repose the
fullest confidence in our chief repre-
sentative officials, but we should not
tolerate the policy of those who are
using the victory of Manila bay to
cloak an attack on our church.
When legislative measures are di-
rected against idolatry, polygamy and
slavery, a policy of liberation is con-
sidered the most prudent, but when n
body of Catholic Christians is in ques-
ton all are unanimous for their per-
version.
The development of recent events in
the Philippines has shown quite fully
the animus of the Taft commission
= towards the unfortunate Filipinos.
Upon receipt of an official copy of act
"a of the Philippine commission
which forbids any religious instruction
by the teacher, comprehensive order
was issued forbidding the practice of
religious devotions or their employ
ment as a means of punishment, the
discontinuance of all teaching OF the
catechism OF religious doctrine and
the removal from the school-house OF
all books containing such matter and
the removal from the schoolroom OF
crucitixes, religious cmblems, sacrcd
pictures, placards, etc
These orders were, in every case.
Immediately and exactly complied
with.
This Punishment of their religion
and it's emblems from the schools of