The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-08-14
The CATHOLIC
CONVENTION
James F Minturn on the At
titude Of the Gathering
Towards the Philip
pine Issue.
.IRELAND'S VIEWS ENDORSED
Sympathy for the Friars Elk
pressed The Law Point
at Stake in Confscation.

L Corporation Attorney James F. Min
turn, of Hoboken, returned last night
from Chicago, to which city heswas sent
by Bishop McFaul as delegate to the
Annual convention of the National Fed
GRAFTON of Catholic Societies. When ask
ed by reporter Of sThe News" whether
any action was taken at the convention
regarding the friar question in the Phil
ippines, Mr.. Minturn said
There was no desire upon the part of
the delegates to touch the matter with
out doing justice to the administration.
They realized that it was a pretty awk-
ward problem and they did not desire
to throw any obstacle in the path of
those interested in bringing the matter
to settlement
SYMPATHY FOR FRIARS.
a resolution was passed, however, re-
ferring to the present situation of the
church in the Philippines and offering
sympathy for the friars. A Mr.. Heating,
of Cook County, ILL.,, who. it was said,
represented the sentiments of Archbishop
Ireland, proposed a substitute for the
resolution in which he had stricken out
the sentence expressing sympathy for
the friars. Mr.. Keating said he did not
believe it would be propef for the con-
vention to express any sympathy for the
tfriars at this time. He said it would
practically be slap at che administra-
tion. Nevertheless, Mr.. Keating's sub
stitute was thrown out and the original
resolution offering sympathy for the
kfriars was unanimously adopted. under
stand that Archbishop Ireland is opposed
ito any expression of sympathy for the
friars whatsoever.
jSsssH is thought that the Vatican and
Others who have the question in charge
are perfectly capable of handling it
without interference from American Ca
theiics.
Father O'Reilly, who dictated the
original resolution. is an Augustinian
American friar He took the platform
and advocated the adoption of his reso-
luton against Mr.. Heating. Neither
Bishop McFaul. of Trenton, nor Bishop
Messmer, of Michigan, both Of whom
were seated on the platform, took any
part in the discussion one way or the
other
MIR. MINTURN'Ss STAND.
Referring to his own stand on the
question, Mr. Minturn said he voted for
the original resolution expressing sym
pathy. He stated that while he be-
lieved that the lands of the friars could
be taken from the under the laws of the
country, he did not believe that the gov
ernment had a right to xpatriate the
friars. Mr.. Mintuln believes that the
government has no right TO force anybody
from the country solely because OF reli-
gious views On the contrary, he said
that the constitution of our government
strongly opposed any such act.
A The question of educating the Indi-
ans was also discussed at the conyen-
ton Rev. Father Geiss, of Washing
ton, d. c.. speaking for Archbishop
Ryan Of Philadelphia, one of the CONF
missioners in charge Of the Indian School
at Carlisle Pa. said that while the In
dians were the wards of the United
States nation. their education was sorely
neglected Father Geiss added that the
pnlv education the Indian received was
that given by priests. He said that
Madam Drexel, 4 Philadelphia lady, had
given over S150,00O within the past year
for the support of the Catholic Indian
schools.
A resolution was passed directing that
an effort be made to interest Congress in
the Indians predicament.
Plans were adopted for organizing
branches of the Federation in every part
Of the country.
Atlantic City.