The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-23

highly the course pursued by President
Roosevelt in sending Governor Taft to
Rome to negotiate with the pope; COM
plments the governor for his fairness and
lack of religious prejudice; predicts
satisfactory settlement of the problem;
and severely criticises those CATHOLICS
who~have attempted to stir up trouble be-
tween the government at washington and
the vatican
. In support of his assertions regarding
conditions in the islands, the archbishop
quotes from letter he has received from
Father W. D. McKinnon, a priest res1d-
ing in the archepiscopal palace at Manila,
and in which Governor Taft is praised for
his non-interference in religious matters
and his liberality toward Catholic or
ganizations.
The archbishop advises all Catholics to
8, drop the subject and to cease their crit1-
cism, leaving the vatican to look after
the matter unhampered by outside inter-
ference. The address follows:
The news from Rome Is quite satisfactory
and, ann sure, quite correct. Private ad
vices coming to me from the most reliable
source confirm in all respects the dispatches
given 10y the press. The sovereign pontiT
and other Roman authorities are delighted
with Governor Taft personally and with the
negotiations IN course OF progress between
him and the vatican.
Representations OF certain London papers
to the effect that the pontiT was dispeased
with the action Of the commission OF cardi-
nails appointed to treat with Governor Taft
are absolutely unfounded
AS state in dispatches from Rome, the pom
tiff assured Governor Taft that he was salts
fed and happy at the results far obtained,
and that he was confident the negotiations
begun In Rome would be the starting point
OF a complete and satisfying solution Of the
question under discussion.
This statement resumes in the most exact
manner the situation as the vatican views
1t. and as 1t really Is.
Transfer of Negotiations.
That the negotiations have not yet reached
final conclusion and to be transferred
from Rome to Manila is what might have
been expected from the beginning.
Governor Taft Is In hurry to return to
the Philippines and could not prolong his
stay In Rome, and on the other hand, the
problems to be solved are so complicated,
especially from the standpoint that time is
work, that the transfer is Of prime necessity.
The vatican and Governor Taft easily
and quickly to substantial agreement. The
question for the vatican is what practical
methods are to be adopted to put the agree
ment into execution.
" With a little time, certain matters, now
seeming to offer difficulties, will be made, by
quiet, skilful touches of poutifcal diplomacy,
to work themselves out without friction or
excitement and so, when in Manila final
conclusions reached, things will have
been ripe and will turn out all right.
Mr. Taft understands the matter and leaves
Rome thoroughly satisfied and hopeful. He
carries away with him the pontiff's statement
that the negotiations begun in Rome will
prove to have been the starting point of a
complete and satisfactory solution Of the
questions at issue, and that much he con-
slders to be quite sufficient for the moment.
Corporation of Vatican.
- There can be no doubt but that the active
cooperation of the vatican Is now secured to
the American government in its task of pac-
ifcation in the Philippines, and that, in the
results sure to come, the administration at
Washington will have ample reason to felici-
tate itself for having sent Governor Taft to
Rome.
1t is to be hoped there will be among GER
tain classes Of Catholics In America a ces-
sation of movements and declarations such as
we have had recent occasion to hear Of re-
Karding religious matters in the Philippines
The pope teaches those Catholics to trust
the American government, as they seemingly
have been heretofore unwilling to do In his
conversation with Governor Taft he expressed
the highest esteem for American methods OF
treating church matters
He remarked that he had more than once
pointed towards the United States setting
All example we'll worth copying. His words
ought to signify something to those who pro-
fess to take him as their leader and guide.
At any rate. the direction OF Catholic at
fairs Is his business, not that OF 1rresponsl
BILE church societies, newspaper editors
and when he informs Catholics that any ont
matter Is in his hands. they ought prompt!
to step aside and allow him to have charg
OF It,
The question of religion in the Philippine
is now formally and officially his own, ant
It should be considered such.
Psu NAV ;reuain who will still belieY
they have a better understanding Of it thai
he has, and will insist on telling him hov
to handle it: but such as these are the few
and at least it will be clear that they hav
no following whatever in the Catholic bod
ct large.
The agitation, such as it was, in certa
Catholic quarters, does no honor to those VIII
participated in 1t. AS Ia now proved, the
epoke and acted without due knowledge, an
certainly without proper regard for the gov
ernment of their country.
They should first have been absolutel
certain that injustices had been done to thei
coreligionists. and, next If injustices ha
been done, they should have sought remed
by an appeal to the proper officials befor
raising public clamor.
Complications Expected.
- That in the vast alterations made in th
Philippines by the transfer Of the island
from Spain to American sovereignty som
complications were sure to arise In religion
matters, as they did in social and civil mat
ters, was naturally to be expected
- It was also to be expected that time woul
be required to regulate things properly, an
meanwhile suffering ip form or anothe
had to come to interests most sacred an
VITAL
Patience then, should have been had; 4
haste should there have been to lay blan
on the government which was doing Its be:
to bring order out Of, chaos, and above al
mo charges should have been made again:
the Intentions Of the government.
lit was rankest rashness and rankest II
Justice to intimate that the government IL
tended to -proselyte In the Philippines,
TO do aush. to detach the inhabitants frol
the Catholic faith. @.-i,,r.. -. a.,
To know in the slightest degree Mr.. Roost
welt, Mr.. Root and MI. Taft is to be certai
that nothing Of the kind could have bee
thought OF could have been tolerated.
Tribute to President. -s =
" Never did there reside In the White Hous
b man more fair-minded and impartial, 1
a religious matters, more resolute to give
all Glasses of citizens the religious righ'
granted them by the constitution and to pr
tect them in those rights, than Theodol
Roosevelt ~ r.-... ~
During his administration it Is absurd
Imagine that governmental acts could |
such as to deny OF impair the religious righ
OF. any people or tribe over whom floats tt
American nag. ..y...+t. 49,.
AS to MT. Taft, I quote from a lett
which received yesterday from a Cathol