The Elbert County tribune., 1902-08-28
PROSELYTINd DENIED
ISLAND SCHOOLS nonsEcrARIAN
Charges Against School System Of the
Philippine Islands Refuted by the
Superintendent's Report.

Washington, Aug 25.-The bureau OF
insular affnirs of the War Department
has made public the report OF Frank
ii. Bowen. acting general superintend-
ent OF public instruction for the Phil
ippine islands, upon charges made in
the United States against the school
system OF the Islands. alleging that it
was used as proselytIng agency
against Catholics and generally used
to the prejudice of Catholicism. The
charges were forwarded to Manila,
and the reply was made TO Acting Gov
ernor Wright. The report OF superin-
tendent Bowen is dated July Tth, and
is a general and specific denial of the
charges.
He says that OF twenty persons who
have been division superintendents,
only one has ever been a clergyman.
Three division superintendents were
appointed from list submitted by
leaders of the Roman Catholic Church
in the United States. In this connec-
ton the report says:
THE question of the religious belief
Of applicants and appointces was new
er considered until late in 1901. AT
that time special lot of applicants,
gathered by the authorities of the Ro-
man Catholic Church In the United
States, was sent to the civil govern
ment OF the island and transmitted To
the general superintendents. From
these special lists three superlntend-
ents and twenty-three teachers were
appointed. In reporting these mp.
pointments to the civil government the
general superintendent stated: Il have
had much difficulty in finding people in
this lot OF applications who are pos
sesscd of the educational preparation
and teaching experience which is re-
quired of other appOintees in this de-
partment. Those who have not been
selected seem to be wholly unsuitable
"The only departure from strict non
scctarianism in the conduct of the
schools was a provision of the Philip
pine Commission which made II lawful
for priest or minister of any estab-
lished church in pueblo where pub
lie school Is connected TO teach relig-
ion for one-half hour three times
week In the school building TO pupils
whose parents have expressed wish
for such instruction"
Concerning proselyting, the report
says:
Not only is no proselyting allowed
or attempted in any of the public
schools. but inquiry of the leaders of
the four principal Protestant denomi-
nations here brings out the fact that,
so far as is known by these leaders,
there is not one Protestant Sunday
school teacher in the entire archipel-
ago. The statement that not one-third
of the Protestant teachers ever
taught n day before going to the Phil
ippines and the Catholic teachers are
sent to the distant provinces is en-
phatically denied"
The assertion is made that the edu-
cational department has no knowledge
of the distribution of Bibles in n pri-
vate church school by missionaries. 1t
is also stated that the conditions of the
public schools in the Philippines do not
warrant the statement that they are
worse in the islands, as viewed from n
Catholic standpoint, than in the Unit
ed States.
The report closes with the following:
"The venomous attack on the Philip
pine Commission, especially the Fill
pino members thereof. who are termed
traitors and rascals, serves to show the
degree of bitterness and recklessness
which characterizes the whole article.
The negotiations at present under way
in Rome in regard TO the church lands
In these islands is sufficient refutation
of the last wild statement of this ex-
traordlnary production, in which not
one material statement is true"