Waterbury Democrat., 1902-07-12
GOV WEIGHTS STATEMENT.
Secretary Root Says the Law Will Be
 Observed in the Philippines.

IeOOL 4etS SloOlSSSGd dl ldGuIlGdl lCttCL to persons complaining that teachers in the Philippines have been proselyt- ing and attempting to convert Catho- lies to the Protestant faith. 1t is as follows:
 Il beg to advise you that on the 5th of July Vice Governor Wright, the act ing governor of the Philippines, was requested to report by cable the facts bearing upon the charge which has re- gently been extensively circulated that official positions in the public school service in the Philippines have been used for proselyting purposes, especial reference being made to an article which had just appeared in the Catho- lie Times.
 "The following dispatch has now been received from Governor Wright:
 Referring to telegram from your office Times unfounded in every essential par ticular. Untrue that nearly all American are test n o ana @ perintendent was preaching in the United States short time. then became "a teach hc, l among teachers. Bryan, head or Nornal school, was never clergyman and never occupied pulpit here or anywhere. There are now two American Catholic teachers in school of instruction (normal school teachers in city number 14O, all Catholic. Untrue that teachers of normal schools are proselyting and that school graduates only Protestants. Exceptional that any graduate is other than Catholic Untrue Filipino is taught that Protestantism ignorance and tyranny. No reason to sup pose that Stone, superintendent and tl,s ol- anti-Cathofic. Both deny it, as also the statement that graduates of CathoIc uni yersty 1 nane to peen @ rfLns rVafe i see cretary of Commissioner Moses Catholic, also private secretary Of ,Atklnson gen also three division superintendents. Have shown your cable to Rev. William D. Me advisory board general instruction, who confirms the statement of facts made ny school system forbids religious instruction .n schools or school buildings by teachers, but allows same three days per week in school buildings by priests or preachers put of school hours upon request of par ents (see section 16, act 74). This intended are about 3,400 native teachers employed in the islands, all of whom are Catholics .igion and not allowed to preach or teach Ireligion in schools. No discrimination against Catholic teachers.
 ..You will observe that the state ments of this dispatch were confirmed by Father McKinnon, a priest official ly connected with the public school system and having the most thorough familiarity with the existing condi- tions in the Philippines and who was formerly secretary to Archbishop Chappelle, the direct representative of the holy see in the Philippines. The statements of the dispatch appear to be further confirmed by remarks which are published in the newspapers this morning as made by Archbishop Ireland in a speech delivered at con- yention of the National Educational association at Minneapolis
 The secretary then quotes from the address of Archbishop Ireland and continues:
 None of the prelates of the Roman Catholic church whose duty it is to safeguard the interests of their church and who are familiar with the facts have made any such charges as are re- ferred to in the inquiry addressed to Governor Wright and in his answer rabove quoted. I am confident that they know better what the true facts are than the unknown and irresponsi- ble sources of these adverse state ments
 Ut is the purpose of the Philippine government to maintain in the archi- pelago the same kind of free nonsec- tartan instruction which exists in the United States and which has proved to be for the isterest of religion and all religions. The government means so far as it possibly can, to give educa- ton to the people of the islands, and It will do this without any discrimina ton for or against any church or sect. 1t does not mean that any officer or teacher of the public school system shall use his position to build up or pull down any church whatever, whether Catholic or Protestant
 "Conforlnity to the provision of the law already enacted in the spirit as well as in the letter will be strictly required. I think the government of the Philippines is entitled to ask that citizens of the United States shall not assume or believe upon mere rumor and improved statements that the gov ernment is not in good faith enforcing this law which it has made"