The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-23
IRELAND SAYS MUCH
WESTERN PRELATE ON THE TAFT
COMMISSION.
EXPRESSES HIMSELF FREELY.
AND EXALTS AMERICA AS PROTEC.
TOR OF CATHOLIC FAITH.

MED the POntin's DispIeasure at
the Former Action of the Commits
mission of Cardinals-GOv. Taft
Also Comes In for His Share o.
Praise-Pope's Gifts to Commission
Are Deemed Admissible of Accept
ance.
St. Paul, July 22.-Archbishop John
Ireland in an interview with a repre-
sentative of the Associated Press, to-
day reviewed at some length the pro-
gress of the negotiations conducted
between Judge Taft and the Vatican
and took to task certain Catholic or
ganizations that had assumed to ques-
ton the fairness of the administration
toward their co-religionists. The
archbishop said:
yes, the news from Rome is quite
satisfactory, and. 1 am sure, quite
current. Private advices coming to
me from the most reliable source con-
firm, in all respects, the dispatches
given by the Associated Press. The
sovereign pontiff and other Roman
authorities are delighted with Gov.
Taft personally and with the negoti
atoms in course of progress between
him and the Vatican. Reports sent
out by the correspondents of certain
London papers to the effect that the
pontiff was displeased with the man.
ner of acting of the commission of
cardinals appointed to treat with Gov
Taft were absolutely unfounded.
Pontif Pleased at Result.
LAS stated in this mornings Rome
dispatches, the pontiff assured Gov.
Taft that he was most satisfied and
happy at the results so far obtained
and that he was confident the negotia-
tions begun in Rome would be the
starting point of a complete and salts
factory solution of the question under
discussion. This statement sums up in
the most exact manner the situation
as the Vatican views, and it really is.
THAT the negotiations have not yet
reached final conclusions, and are to be
transferred from Rome to Manila is
what might have been expected from
the beginning. Gov. Taft is in hur-
ry 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, espe-
cially from the Vatican standpoint,
that time in the work is of prime ne
cessity. The Vatican and Gov. Taft
came easily and quickly to a substan-
tial agreement; the question for the
Vatican is what practical methods are
to be adopted to put the agreement into
execution. With little time conven-
ton matters now seeming to offer great
difficulties will be made by quiet, skill
full touches of pontifical diplomacy to
work themselves out without friction
or excitement; and so, when in Manila,
final conclusions are to be reached,
things will have been ripe, and will
turn out all right. This is the Vati-
can method of proceeding; it is a wise
and prudent method. Mr.. Taft I'm
derstands 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 complete and salts
factory solution of the questions at
issue, and that much quite sufficient
for the moment. There can be no
doubt that active cooperation of the
Vatican is now secured to the Amer
lean government in it's task of pacifi-
cation in the Philippines, and that in
the results to come the administration
at Washington will have ample reason
to felicitate itself for having sent Gov.
Taft to Rome.
And now it is to be hoped there will
be among certain classes of Catholics
in America a cessation of movements
and declarations such as we have had
recent occasion to hear of regarding
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 converse ton
with Gov. Taft he expressed the high
Z est esteem for American methods of
treating church matters and remarked
that he had more than once pointed
towards the United States as setting
an example well worth copying
Pope's Words Should Bear Weight.
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 of irresponsible church
societies or newspaper editors; and
when he informs Catholics that any
one matter is in his hands, they ought
to promptly step aside and allow him
to have charge of it. The question of
religion in the Philippines is now for
mally and Officially his own; and it
should be considered as such A few
may remain who will still believe tina.
they have a better understanding of 1t
than he has and will insist on telling
him how to handle it; but such as
those are few and at least it will be
clear that they hold no brief whatever
from the Catholic body at large.
Agitation UncaIIed for.
"The agitation, such as II was. in
certain Catholic quarters did no honor
to those who have participated in it.
AS is now proven they spoke and acted
without due knowledge and certainly.
without proper regard for the govern
ment of their country. They should
have been absolutely certain that in
justices had been done to their core
ligionists, and, next, if injustices had
remedy for them by appeal to the pro-
per officials before raising in public ir-
ritating clamors. That in the vast al
terations made in the Philip
pines by the transfer Of the
islands from Spain to American
sovereignty serious complications
were sure to arise in religious matters
as they did in social and civil matters
was naturally to be expected; as it was.
also. to be expected that time would be
required to regulate things properly,
and that meanwhile suffering in one
form or another was to come to inter-
ests most secret and vital. Patience
then having been had, no haste should
there have been to lay blame upon the
government. which was doing its best
IN hiring order o41t Of chaos and above