Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-07-26
CATHOLICS REBUKED
Church Societies Taken to Task by
Archbishop Ireland.
HIS VIEWS ON FRAR QUESTION

Says Direction Of Catholic Affairs Be-
longs to the Pope and Not to IRE
sponslble Church Societies and Edi-
ters-His Tribute to Roosevelt.
st. Paul. July 23.-Archbishop John
Ireland, in an interview yesterday, re-
viewed at some length the progress of
the negotiations conducted between
Judge Taft and the Vatican, and took
to task certain Catholic organizations
that had assumed to question the fair
ness OF the administration toward their
co-religionists. The archbishop said:
Yes, the news from Rome is quite
satisfactory, and IL Is. am sure, quite
correct The sovereign pontiR and 9TH
er Roman authorities are delighted
with Governor Taft personally and
with the negotiations in course of
progress between him and the Vatican
1t is to be hoped there viii be among
certain classes Of Catholics in America
a cessation OF movements and declara-
tions such as we have had recent occa-
sion to hear OF regarding religious mat
ters in the Philippines. Tho Pope
teaches those Catholics to trust the
American government, as they seem
ingly have been heretofore unwilling
to do. In his conversation with Gov
ernor Taft ho expressed the highest es-
TEEN for Amerfsan methods of treat
ing church matters, and remarked that
he had more than ence pointed towards
the United States as setting an exam
pie well worth copying
His words ought TO signify some
thing to those who profess to take him
as their leader and guide. At any rate,
the direction OF Catholic affairs Is his
business. not that of irresponsible
church societies or newspaper editors;
and when he Informs Catholics that
any one matter is in his hands, they
ought promptly to step aside and allow
him TO have charge OF It, The question
Of religion in the Philippines is now
formally and officially his own, and it
should be considered as such. A few
there may remain who believe that
they have better understanding OF it
than he has, and will insist on telling
him how TO handle It; but such as
those are few, and at least 1t will be
clear that they hold no brief what
ever from the Catholic body at large.
THE agitation, such as 1t was, in
certain Catholic quarters, did no honor
TO those who participated in It. They
should first have been absolutely GER
tafn that injustices had boen done to
their co-religionists, and next, If in
justices had been done, they should
have sought remedy for them by ap-
peal to the proper oficialE before rush
ing into public elamors
ut was rankest rsshness and rank
est injustice to intimate that the Unit
ed States intended to proselytize in the
, Philippines, or to do anght TO detach
the Inhabitants from the, Catholic
faith To know IN the slightest degree
Mr.. Roosevelt, Mr.. Root or Mr.. Taft is
to be certain that nothing of, the kind
could have been thought OF or could
have been tolerated, Never did there
= reside In the White House q. man more
fair-minded andi impartial In religious
matters more resolute to give all
classes OF citizens the religious rights
granted them by the constitution and
to- protect them in those rights, than
Theodore Roosevelt. During ehe ad-
ministration 1t is unqualinedly absurd
TO imagine that governmental acts
could be such as to deny or impair the
religious rights OF any people or tribe
over whom floats the American flag"