The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-08-26
PHILIPPINE SCHOOL SYSTEM is
NOT AGAINST CATHOLICS
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
The Charges. Brought in the United
States Were Forwarded to Manila
and the Reply Was Made to Gov
ernOr Wright-Of the Twenty
Division superintendent. Only
One Was Ever n CIergyman-Three
Leaders of Catholic Church.
Other Charges Repudiatrd.

Washington, August 23.-The bureau
of insular affairs of the war depart
ment has made public the report of
Frank H. Bowen, acting general super
intendent OF public instruction for the
Philippine islands, upon charges made
in the United States against the school
system of a proselyting agency against
Catholics, and generally used to the
prejudice of Catholicism. The charges
were forwarded to Manila and the re-
ply was made to acting Governor
Wright. The report of Superintendent
Bowen is dated July 7th and is a gen
eral and specific denial of the charges.
lie says that of twenty persons who
have division superintendents only one
has ever been clergyman. Three div
ision superintendent We're appointed
from a list submitted by leaders of the
Roman Catholic church in the Uniteo
States In this connection the report
says:
THE question of the religious belief
of applicants and appolntees was never
considered until late in 1901. At that
time a special lot of applications, gath
cred by the authorities of the Roman
Catholic church in the United States
was sent to the civil governor of these
islands and transmitted to the general
superintendent. From these special
lists three division superintendents and
twenty-five teachers We're appointed.
In reporting these appointments ito the
civil governor, the general superinten-
dent stated: L have had much diff
Guilty in finding people in this lot of
applications who are possessed of the
educational preparation and teaching
experience which is required of other
appointees in this department.. Those
who have not been selected seem to be
wholly unsuitable.''
The only departure from strict non
sectarianism in the CoDduct Of the
schools was a provision of the Philip
pine commission which made it lawful
for priest or minister of any estab-
lished church in the Pueblo where a
public schools is situated to teach re-
ligion for one-half hour three times a
week in the school building TO pupils,
whose parents have expressed q wish
for such instruction.
Not only then is no proselyting al
lowed or attempted in any of the pub
lie schools, but inquiry OF the leaders
of the four principal protestants de-
nominations here brings out the fact
that so far as is known by these lead
ers, there is not one native protestant
Sunday-school teacher in the entire
archipelago
The statement that not one-thrid of
the protestant teachers ever taught d
day before going to the Philippines and
that the Catholic teachers are sent in
to the distant provinces is emphatical-
ly denied.
The assertion is made that the edu-
cational department has no knowledge
of distribution of Bibles in a private
church school by missionaries. IT is
also stated that the conditions of the
public schools in the Philippines do not
warrant the statement that they are
worse in the islands. as viewed from
a Catholic standpoint, than in the
United States.
The report closed with the following:
THE venomous attack on the Philip
pine commission and especially the
Filipino members thereof, who are
termed traitors and rascals serves to
show the degree Of bitterness and reck
lessneSs of statement which charac-
terize the whole article. The negotia-
tions at present under way in Rome in
regard to the church lands in these
islands is sufficient refutation of the
last will statement of this eXtraordi-
nary production in which not one ma
terial statement is true