The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-01-25

! 'AiCil representatives VINO nave unu6I-
taken to build up an American school
system in the Philippines, says our
neighbor in California. the Mon
itor. We are convinced that il
is only necessary to place the
facts relating TO the employment
of such methods. before the fair
minded public of the United States to
insure the correction of this abuse.
! That the abuse exists. we are assured
! by perfectly responsible and trust
worthy correspondent in the islands,
who sends the subjoined circumstan-
tial account of the attempted COmpul-
sion of priests and parents. by certain
junior military officers clothed with a
little brief authority, in the district
mentioned.
A similar state of affairs prevailed in
Davao on the island of Mindinao. until
the military governor summarily called
down the subordinate in charge of the
town for his arbitrary interference
with the guaranteed rights of the ma
tives. The spirit actuating some of
! these youthful military diCtators who
assume a power with which the gov
eminent has not and cannot invest
them. may be judged by an incident
that occurred in DaVao. The command
ant undertook on his own responsible
ty to force the children of the pueblo
into the American public school,
against the wishes of their parents.
His attention was called to uurt 1.
section % of the laws of public in
struction formulated by the Taft COM
mission. which reads: Nothing in this
act shall be construed in any way to
forbid, impede or obstruct the estab-
lishment and maintenance of private
schools" In reply to the missionary
fathers demand that he should re-
spect the law, the commandment. after
looking at the head or title of the de-
cree, and reading the section men
toned, threw the paper on the table
with contempt, saying, That's worth
nothing here. Here we have military
government. The civil government has
nothing to say here yet" The young
mar changed his tune. however. on re-
ceiving peremptory orders from Cen
eral Davis commanding him to keep
within his authority in the matter
In the following instances. however.
the superior officer was less accessible.
and the cause of complaint has not
been removed, or at least was not at
the time the correspondent wrote
These two authenticated facts of mill
tary coercion in the interest of forcing
native children into the public schools.
Will be laid before the proper authori-
ties in Washington, with a view to the
prevention of similar high-handed work
in the future. The most effective man
ner of focusing official notice on such
acts of injustice. and violations of law
on the part of those who are entrusted
with its enforcement, is through the
medium of right public sentiment
Catholic Americans and all fair-mfnd-
ed citizens nf rhiS
IN demanding that the natives of our
new possessions shall be fully protect
ed in the enjoyment of all rights guar
anteed them under the law. We direct
particular attention to the following
statements:
The first fact took place at Butuan.
Mindinao. On Oct. 81 boys school was
opened and while many boys entered 1t
others took to the fields but not one
showed up at the public schools where
two non-Catholic teachers were waiting
Tor pupils. On being informed how mat
ters stood. the American commander of
the post. second lieutenant named -
-. appeared at the residence of the
missionary. carrying under his arm a
copy of the municipal code to show the
father that he was allowed to go to the
public school to teach catechism twice or
three times a week, etc. As the father
knew the laws on public instruction very
well, he told the lieutenant that not
wtthstanding the liberty which the law
gave to any minister of religion Whatso-
ever to go and teach in the public school,
as there were various inconvenience and
restrictions attendant on such a course,
he preferred to have a private Catholic
school in his own house, in view of the
perfect liberty which the said laws gave
him. On hearing this the lieutenant be-
came very angry, and the head teacher
spoke up and said that he had been very
much astonished to find that since the
fathers arrival in the town the number
of boys in his school had begun to dimin- |
ish until at present there was not sin |
gle one who came. He added that he |
would have to publish this fact in his
report.
The lieutenant said that he would soon |
see to it that American padres of the |
Roman church should be sent here, to |
which the missionary answered that he /
would be very much pleased to see such |
thing happen. The lieutenant said final |
ly that he would have to avail himself |
of the police and the local presidente to |
5traighten things out; to which the ia
Their replied that he hoped that no VIC
lence would be done. That afternoon |
neither pupils nor teachers were to be I
found in the public schools.
The next day the missionary, hoping to |
find the lieutenant in better frame of
mind, went to pay him visit. but found |
MIN frowning and to all appearances IN
4 bad mood. The father spoke and gave
him all his reasons for opening his Cath
bic school. He was assured that he did
not need a private school since he could
leach his catechism in the public school.
n the church, or wherever he liked, that
he would give him two whole days for
himself But, said the father, THE edu-
,ational laws allow me only three visits
| week of half an hour each, provided
he requisite, permissions have been OBJ
aimed, and other conditions complied
With But these conditions I find too
and the parents have, more
,ver, brought me many children for my
school"
At this juncture the lieutenant left the
DOM for a moment to attend TO the
,hange of guard or some other business
AS he re-entered the room he drew his
sword from its Scabbard and raising 1t
loft said i'm an angry tone: There are
,nIy four boys in the public school this
morning and L have just sent word to
he presidente about it. The Catholic
hurch isn't so weak as you people i'm
.gine; the American teachers are not go
ng to destroy it. 1t is Spanish you want
o teach. You don't know enough English
o teach. or what you do know of it. you
ont know how to pronounce well; In or
Ter to teach it well, teachers have come
IL the way from America. and they arc
aid good salaries, but if they can't find
upils they will return to the states.
% all of which the father replied that
here were plenty OF boys Tor two scnoois
{ the teachers could get them; as far as
he language was concerned. 1t was easier
or the father who knew the native Ian
uage we'll to teach the children at least
he first steps in English than it would /
e for American teachers who knew
either Spanish nor the native language: !
hat in fine his main object was to pre- |
erve the faith of the children. to &C
omplish which he was bound to do his {
tmoSt
The missionary finally departed. leaving {
is friend in no friendly mood Soon after
is return to his residence the local presi- ;
ente presented himself, saying that 1t
as necessary to settle this affair about
ne school. Settle it, then" said the
ather, but let no violence be done. {
hat afternoon policemen were posted /
nder large tree in front of the resi-
orfO 9th n