The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-25

A dispatch from Denver says that resolu-
tions were unanimously adopted by the
Catholic clergy of that diocese, assembled
in annual retreat, requesting the govern
ment to guard against attempts at prose
lyting the Filipinos by teachers and pro-
testing against the forcible removal of
the friars as a violation of the Constitu-
ton. Such an expression shows. an ignor-
ance OF the true situation that might be
expected in common people, but which is
not creditable to Catholic clergymen. The
statement regarding alleged PROSECUTING
work by teachers in the Philippines was
completely refuted by a statement recently
that the educational policy OF the govern
ment in the Philippines would not permit
such a thing and that ii did not exist at all.
AS to the "forcible removal Of the friars,"
nothing of the kind has been proposed or
contemplated. The only force that has
been used against the friars has been that
used during the Aguinaldo instruction,
when some of them were killed and others
were captured and held as prisoners by
Aguinaldo. Since then the Filipinos have
driven most of them from the provinces
where they formerly officiated, but they
are now in Manila. awaiting the outcome of
the negotiation for the purchase Of their
lands and for their withdrawal by the
Catholic Church authorities. They will not
be expelled from the islands nor forcibly
removed by the United States. That would
be gross departure from American meth
DDS. II removed at all, as they probably
will be, it will be by the Catholic Church
authorities in Difference to the earnest de-
sire Of the Filipinos and in order to con-
tribute to the American policy of piacating
the people and smoothing the way for the
beneficial propagation of Catholic religion
by priests who acceptable to the people.
The Catholic clergy of Denver could not
have read the recent statement of Arch
bishop Ireland or they would not have APP
propriated his censure of those who crit
icise the United States government for its
attitude towards church affairs in the Phil
ippines. He reminds such persons that the
Pope cordially approves of the govern
ment's policy, and he says:
| 1t was rankest rashness and rankest in
| justice TO intimate that the government in
| tended to proselytize in the Philippines or
| TO do aught to detach the inhabitants from
| the Catholic faith. To know in the slight
! est 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 re-
side in the White House a man more fair
minded and impartial in eligious matters
more resolute to give all classes of citizens
| the religious rights guaranteed them by
| the Constitution and 10 protect those rights
than Theodore Roosevelt During his ad-
| ministraton it is unqualifedly absurd To
| imagine that governmental acts could be
such as TO deny or impair the religious
! rights of any people tribe over whom
hoatS the American flag.
By protesting against policies which they
have created out of their own imaginations
the Catholic clergy Of the Denver diocese
| have placed themselves among those re-
ferred to by Archbishop Ireland as believ.
ing that they have better understanding
Of the question of religion in the Philip
pines than the Pope and who insist on tell.
ing him how to handle it,"