The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-23

dore Roosevelt. During his administration
Il IS unquaiihedly absurd 10 imagine tnat
governmental acts could be such as 10
leny or impair the religious rights OF any
people or tribe over whom floats the Amer
lean flag.
MR.. TAFT NOT \ BIGOT.
"As 20 Mr. Taft, 7 quote from letter
which / received from a Catholic priest
but yesterday. living in the archepiscopal
palace I'm Manila, the Rev. ". d. Mckin-
non. L can assure you, nothing could be
more unjust than the criticisms Of Gov
ernor Taft appearing in some Catholic pa
pers. Governor Taft has not a particle Of
bigotry in his makeup. In all his acts
here 1 defy any one 10 say he has shown
himself prejudiced in the least
"An this does not mean that here and
there, individuals connected in one way
or another with the government Of the
Islands did not say do things unfair to
Catholics: what / wish 10 emphasize IS
thai sach individuals. so far as men OF
the kind may have been found. did not in
what they were saving or doing, represent
the government and that II their wrong
doing had been duly reported 10 the gov
eminent IL would have been summary
TeprOved. What stronger PROOF OF ldlI
nindeiness in the settlement OF the re-
iigiOus question Of the Philippines could
the administration give than to respond
that a messenger from the American gov
eminent should go 10 Rome 10 discuss mat
tiers directly with the Pope and his ad-
visers2 American Catholics should be FOR
ever most grateful 10 Mr.. Roosevelt Tor MS
noble action and should see In IL the assur-
ance that. whatever may be done in the
Philippines, spirit Of high-mindedness ana
Justice Is sure 10 be the dominant lnsplra-
ton. other governments would nave gone
10 work I'm their own way without Word
being said 20 the head OF the church or
counsel asked from him
If the American government sincerely
believed that the four landlord renglOus
orders Of the Philippines, those that mad
been for centuries intimately linked IN
with the Spanish regime, its agents ana
representatives, were an obstacle TO the
pacificatiOn Of the islands, why see In this
opposition 10 the whole church, as II those
four orders were specifically the church
and the native priests, the Jesults, "a
puchians and LaZarists, whom the gov
eenment does not disturb, did not also rep
resent II. and if others, as well as the gov
eminent officials were not OF the opinion
that the peace Of the islands would be
much enhanced by the absence OF the land
lord orders.
And as TO schools in the Philippines.
why not, when the presence or nOn-Catho-
lie teachers is talked Of state that out OF
n total Of 5000 teachers, $500 are Filipino
Catholics Why not state that Father
McKinnOn is a member Of the school
board Of Manila? And why, when men
ton is made of nOn-Catholic teachers al
low the false impression TO go abroad
that many of these were ministers
and active proselytizers? And why
rot remember that by the law Of the islands
cIergymen who are ministers in any place
of organized congregations may three
times a week teach religion in the schools
of the place the condition that they be
ministers OF organized congregations vir-
tualy combining the privilege to the Cath
ollie priesthood? Perhaps, ideally, some
thing more might be desired, but the condi-
lions within which the government is con-
fined must be considered: and at least when
disadvantages 10 religion are quoted the
advantages that are allowed should also
be set forth.
But / repeat the agitation I am reprov-
ing only comes from the few-Amertcar
Catholics as a body trust the government
and in the present issues trust the Holy
See and hold their souls in peace"