Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-19
Ninth Halvor Stevenson Of Crookston has
won by over 400 plurality.
PRIESTS FOR THE PHILIPPINES
Prior General OF AugustinIan order
Announces Names OF Two
who Are 60 Go.

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 1s.-An impor-
tant step toward the solution Of the troubles
in the Philippine islands, caused by the
presence Of the Spanish friars there. was
taken today at villa Nova college, when
Most Rev. Thomas Rodriguez. o. S. A., Of
Rome, prior general Of the Augustinian or
der throughout the world. announced that
Rev. Daniel O. Mahoney OF Andover, Mass,
and Rev. J. Il. McErlaine Of villa Noya had
been ordered to the Philippines as pioneers
in the movement of American priests to
those islands to succeed the Spaniards. The
two priests will leave for Manila within
the next two weeks and will be followed
in a short time. it Is believed. by several
other American Augustinians. Both clergy
men chosen are distinguished and able
members of the order, They we're selected
from among about a dozen volunteers who
offered their services 10 the prior general
in case he needed American Augustinians
for the Philippines. Many of the Spanish
friars in the Philippines belong to the
order.
I'VE go there to carry out the program
which has been decided on by the prior
general" said Father Mahoney this even
ing. 1--WE are fully cognizant of the great
work done by the friars of our and other
orders in the Philippines and go TO them
as brothers working in the same cause.
We have no idea how long we will remain
or how many American Augustinians will
be sent to the Islands"
The announcement was made during the
celebration of the feast of st. Thomas,
patron of villa Nova. which was observed
with impressive exercises.
At s a. m. high mass was celebrated by
Prior General Rodriguez and at IL o'clock
q RHAanNtan mac a,I,ral a. al. lgu44.
guished Augustinian, who has been in this
country a little more than a month. The
American provincial delivered an address
OF welcome to the prior general on behalf OF
the American province, which takes In ell
the communities Of the order In the United
States. An address was also made by Rev,
DR.. D.. A. Delury, president OF villa Nova.
All the addresses we're delivered in Latin.
The prior general, In replying to the well
come, among other things said: Through
out all time the governments OF the world
have appealed to the sovereign pontiff as
a peacemaker. The American government
has appealed to him, and rightly so, to set
tie the troubles in the Philippines. We
have no fear of the outcome. Prejudice and
cant must be put aside and the facts only
considered. God-fearing men will do right
and Justice. Unfortunately, nearly all the
statements furnished from abroad TO- the
America press on the friar question are
filed with calumny and mendacity in re-
gard to the friars In the islands. We do
not blame the Philippine commission for
any Of the opinions that body holds for We
know the Information furnished it was
mainly obtained from our enemies, men
who have stopped at nothing to vllify and
malign our brothers. / speak not as one
who does not know the conditions in the
Philippines. / speak with a personal
knowledge Of the priests and the people, .
Rev, p l. so'Hara of, Brooklyn, N. Y. a
secular priest, paid o high tribute to the
Augustinian order. A banquet was held In
the afternoon and tonight the students ten
dered the prior general a reception.