The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-06-14

At Il recent melting of clergymen Of
different denominations he'd in Tre-
mont Temple. Boston, to protest aginst
the barbarities committed by American
soldiers in the Philippines. Rev. Robert
J. Johnson, a Catholic priest, deliverd
a dignilied speech and said III sub.
stance:
1t is the clergyman's province tn
view public occurrences in their moral
aspects, without regard to their bear.
ings upon the fortunes OF political par
ties. But we do not cease to be citi-
Zens when we become ministers of the
Gospel. Whenever and wherever deeds
are done that are unworthy of ou,
country and it's glorious traditions of
liberty and humanity, it is not only
our right it is our duty to denounce
the wrong. 10 keep silence, indeed,
when such acts are being committed
excused and even defended, acts Which
are dishonoring to our national char
acter. would be to the last degree dis
creditable to the Christian ministry.
When there comes word across thG
seas that in Il land eleven thousand
miles away. men. women and children
are being tortured and slaughtered
that their homes are being Laid in ashes
and their land made desolate under
orders given by the officers of the
United States, then it is indeed tilne
honor Of our country, to make stern
remCnstrance, and to do our part to
awaken the moral sense of the Amer
lean people, which, though it some.
times sleeps. is never dead.
l will call your attention not to whit
is alleged or even proved by those who
Filipinos; but to what the officers anu
soldiers of our army themselves admit
that they have done.
Upon the trial Of Major Waller, of
the Marine Corps, testimony was given
by the majo himself and corroboratetl
by other witnesses that General Smith
had instructed him to kill and to burn;
lie said that the more he killed aud
burned the better pleased he, General
Smith. would be. Furthermore Major
Waller testified that Smith had i'll
structed him to take 10 prisoners: and
that he was to make Samar howln:
wilderness When Major Waller aske
General Smith to fix the age limit f3l
killing, General Smith replied, "I<ilI
everything over ten.'
Those frightful violat ons Of tie laws
of war took place in the province OF
Samar. Now Samar is an island of
the Nisayan group. Its people lire not
savages, nor seni-savages. They are
civilized people. Christian people, who
have their homes and their schools
and their churches. and who in com
pray. "Ou, Father Who a il Heav
en-"
1t is among these people. worship
ping tile same God before VIII IN WI
bow in Boston, that American soldiers
under the Stars and Stripes, the em
bem of free government and human
rights have killed and burned witlou
mercy. sparing none above the age O.
ten.
Are we Christians. and shall we holt
cur peace in the presence of such ;
wrong: Shall we stop to consider wla
effect our protest may have on on
political party or another? Are we t
wait while these atrocities are beip!
dGne in our name, and nicely calculat
how the next elections will go if W
denounce them? l think not-1 al
sure not.
The Ten Commandments are sr
preme over all platforms. One O
these great Commandments is this
Thou shalt not KILL am awar
that there is distinction drawn be
tween war and murder. but if the dis
tinction is to hold good you must a
least conduct your warfare with
those limitations of mercy and human
ity which all civilized nations nov