The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-07-12
WRIGHT ANSWERS
ROOTS INQUIRY
Says Statement Published in
Paper Is Unfeunded.
NO RELIGION IN SCHOOLS
SEVERAL INSTRUCTORS IN ISL
AND SCHOOLS ARE CATHOLICS.

III ASHINGTON, July 11.-Secretary
w Root has addressed a letter to
persons complaining that teach
ers IN the Philippines have been pro-
seiyting and attempting to convert
Catholics to the Protestant faith The
letter says:
/ beg 10 advise you that OH the
Fourth of july Vice Governor Wright
acting governor of the Philippines, was
requested 10 report by cable the facts
bearing upon the charge which re-
ceAtiy mas been extensively circuls ted,
lnat ofnclalS In the positions of the
public school service in the PhiIiD-
pines have been used for PROSECUTING
purposes and with special reference to
an article which had Just appeared in
the Catholic Times.
The following dispatch has now
been received from Governor Wright:
Manila, July s.-Secretary of War,
WASHINGTON: Referring to the tele-
gram from your Office of the eth inst.
the charges made by the Catholic
Times are unfounded in every essential
particular Untrue that nearly all
american teachers are Protestant
preachers and proselyters. The fact
Is one division Superintendent was a
preacher in the United States a short
time, then he became a teacher. Pos
among the teachers. Bryan, the head
OF the normal school, as never a
clergyman and never occupied a pull
PIT here or anywhere. There are now
two American Catholic teachers in
the school of instruction (normal
SCHOOL,. and five in the Manila city
SCHOOLS. Native teachers in the city
numbering 40. al Catholics
1t is untrue that teachers of nor
school graduates only Protestanfs Ex-
cepuonal that any graduate is other
than Catholic. Untrue that the Fill
lpino IS taught that Professionalism
brings enlightenment and Catholicism
ignorance.
There is no reason to suppose
that Stone, superintendent, and Oliver.
principal of the Manila schools, is big
oted or anti-Catholic. Both deny it
as also statements that graduates of
the Catholic university have been re-
FUSED place in Manila and sent into
Inc wilderness The private secretary
OF Commissioner Moses is a Catholic.
also Private Secretary Atkinson. gen
eral superintendent of public instrue-
ton, also three division superintend-
ents.
Have shown your cable to Rev.
william d. McKinnon, Catholic priest,
instruction, who confirms the
statement of facts made by me above.
Law to fnaugurate public school sys-
TEN forbids religious instruction in
or school buildings by teach
erS, but allows same three days per
week in school buildings, by priests or
preachers, out OF school hours, on re-
quest Of parents. (See section 1s,
act 74.)
GThis Intended as ,,o,oase;o, -
Catholic sentiment. There are about
34,0e0 native teachers employed in the
islands, all of whom are Catholics.
teachers selected without reference to
religion, and not allowed to preach or
teach religion in school. No prejudice
against Catholic teachers. (Signed)
WRIGHT
1T is the purpose of the Philippine
government TO maintain in the archi-
peiago the same kind OF free non-sec-
tartan instruction which exists in the
United States, and which has proved
to be for the interest Of the Catholic
religions and all religions The gov
eminent means, so far as il possibly
can, 10 give education TO the people
OF the islands, and it will do this with
out discrimination for or against any
church or sect. 1t does not mean that
any officer or teachers of the public
school system shall use his person to
build up or pull down any church
whatever, whether Catholic or Prot
aStant"