Rock Island Argus., 1901-02-26
FAITHS IN ASTRUGGLE
Religion Playing an Important
Part in the Troubles of the
Philippines.
RoME AND THE FEDERALIsT PARTY
Opinions Differ as to What the Priests
Will Do-SeyeraI Small Fights
Reported.

Manila, Feb. 26.-Rev. Father Me-
kinnon. who was formerly private sec
retary to Mgr. Chappelle, and whs is
now pastor of the Ermita Roman Cath
olic church, informed representative
| of the Associated Press yesterday that
there would be upwards of 500 native
priests in the Philippines opposed to
the Federal party. and that these would
refuse to administer the sacrament to
! Federalists because they believed the
Federal party to be merely cloak for
Protestant attempts to weaken the
power of the church of Rome. He
referred to the Federal party as rest
, ing on an insecure foundationi and
destined to crumble Soon," and as
serted that the Methodist and Presby-
terian missionaries We're using unfair
means to induce Filipinos to leave the
Roman Catholic faith. He asSailed the
, character of Senior Buencamnio and
other evangelical leaders, and contend
ed that only by securing the co-opefa-
tion and good will of the padres could
the Americans make permanent prog
ressc in the Philippines.
TederaIist Leaders Remarks.
Senor Favera, president of the Fed
eral party, when the views of Father
tion, replied: so much the better. as
it will bring the matter to an issue"
When asked whether the members of
the party would not leave it if they
learned that membershipinvolvedt their
church standing. Senior Tavera replied:
They probably would if that We're
true: but l believe only small proper
ton of the priests would exclude peo-
pie from their church privileges for
such a reason. -FilipinOs- did not
make an issue of separation of church
and state. This was decreed by the
United States constitution Nothing
else is tolerated under American sover-
eighty. Whether Federalists approve
or not they cannot be loyalistS and
yet oppose that doctrine"
They Are Working on Their Friends.
Senor Favera asserted that the Fed
eralistS who had relatives and friends
among the prominent insurgent leaders
We're endeavoring by correspondence
to induce them to surrender. although
thus far without result Some en-
ployers of native labor allege that the
natives are gathered by the Federalists
wholesale, without any explanation of
the principles to which they are sub
scribing. Ordinarily the natives are
easily led by their accustomed leaders,
but the movement for peace with the
United States has authority and great
moment. and it is now generally un-
derstood and approved by the natives.
Natives Are Taking the Oath.
Chaplain Fitzgerald administeredth the
of allegiance to 200 IlocanOs at a
church in Nigan Feb. %. and a parish
priest at Santa Catalina administered
a similar oath to 700 natives Feb. "a.
Lieutenant West, with a detachment
of the crew of the gunboat Laguna
de Bay. attacked 200 insurgents under
Caballos, near Cavinta, province of
Laguna. After a hard fight of forty
minutes the insurgents were dis
persed. losing six killed and fourteen
captured. A detachment of the Forty
Seventh volunteer infantry encoun-
tered a body of insurgents in the prov.
ince of Albay. killing eighteen. and SUI
sequently another body. killing nine.
The Americans had no casualties.
squad of the Eighteenth United States
infantry surprised band of I.adrones
at Moosin, island of Panay, killing
six. The Americans captured FIVE
rifles