The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-06
CATHOLIC SOCIETIES
GREAT GATHERING OF THEM AT
CHICAGO.
IRELAND DISAGREED. WITH.
PHILIPPINE QUESTIONS FREELY
DISCUSSED.

Mere DeniaIs Not Conclusive, Said
Bishop McFauI-CathOIic Churches
in philippines Were Desecrated by
Troops-Drunlxe nness and ImmOr-
aIity Prevailed at Manila After
Its Occupation by Americans-Out-
RACES Were Kept Secret Until 1t
Was Impossible to Hide Them
Longer Discrimination Chargec
in school system.
Chicago, Aug. 5.-The American Fed
Grafton of Catholic Societies met this
afternoon and evening at the Young
Mems Christian Association hall. In
the afternoon, after the addresses OF
welcome by DR.. H. S. Taylor, on be-
half of Mayor Harrison and M. F.
Girten on behalf of the Catholic So
cieties of the city, the convention went
into executive session and organized.
Short addresses were made by Bishops
Messmer of Green Bay, Wis, McFaul
of Trenton, N. j., and by the presi-
dent of the federation. 1t was evident
from the tenor of the remarks made in
the afternoon that the convention
would not regard the manifesto of Arch
bishop Ireland, warning against a dis
cussion of the administration meth
DDS in the Philippines.
At the evening meeting Bishop Nc
Faul was the principal speaker and di-
rected his attention to the treatment
of the friars and the school question
in the Philippines. The bishop said in
part:
THE calm, intelligent observer must
admit that some of the statements
made in the public press regarding the
situation in the Philippines were either
incorrect or exaggerated.
There was, nevertheless, very
substantial foundation of truth in
most of the reports, which amply JUS
titled the structures made upon those
accountable for the abuse of power
DeniaIs Arc Not Conclusive.
mo one is foolish enough to admit
that in affairs of so important a ma
ture mere denials are conclusive, par
ticularly when made by interested par
ties. We had already been warned to
be on our guard by previous contra
dictions of representations which were
afterwards proved true and found
worse than at first suspected. When
the news came that the Catholic
churches in the Philippines were desc
Grated and looted, officers of high rank
in the army attempted to refute the
charges, yet the dissertation and loot
ing of those sacred edifces are so GER
tain that claims for damages to &c
clesiastical property will be accepted
by the government.
Reports, too, of the frightful spread
i H.
the occupation of Manila by the Ameri-
there now any . one who has the au
dacity to question their truth?
Since then we have all heard
of the water cure and the
murderous orders issued by an Ameri-
can general. The preparation of these
outrages was unknown for a time;
they were, however, so fragrant that it
was impossible to keep them from the
knowledge of the public. The intro
duction alone of the public school sys
TEN was just cause for alarm.
The speaker then declared that the
federation is deeply interested in OBJ
tanning just treatment for the friars
in the, Philippines, who had suffered so
many cruel calumnies.
Discrimination Is Charged.
Bishop McFaul also said that in
selecting the schoolteachers for the
Philippines discrimination had been
practiced against the Catholics, be-
cause of a total of 967 teachers who
had been sent to the islands but Is or
10 We're Catholics.
The impression has gone abroad"
Bishop McFaul continued. that
America is furnishing educational ia
cilities to the Filipinos for the first
time. and that the people were in q
state of dense ignorance. This is an
other calumny. During centuries the
friars dwelt with the tribes of the
Philippines and it is to them that they
are indebted for whatever they possess
of education and religion. They are
chaste and a pure people, unaware of
many of the vices of civilization until
American soldiers occupied their soil"