The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-02
HIGH PRAISE FOR TAFT
FATHER vATTMAN's REPORT ON
 PHILIPPINES.
Has Recently Made a Careful In- vestigation of the Status of the
 Catholic Church in the Archipelago.

washington, May i.-Extracts from the report of Father E. J. vattnann. Chap lain of the 2sth United fstates Infantry. to the Catholic Bishops. assembled in an- nual convention here last week on the status of the Catholic Church in the Phil- ippines, were made public today. Father Vattmann, with the knowledge and con- sent of the War Department, and under direction of the church authorities. re- gently made a careful investigation of Catholic interests in the archipelago. He is unsparing in his praise of Governor Taft, and other members of the Philip pines Commission. for their honesty and impartiality in religious affairs.
 TO my mind,' says Father Vattmann's report. 'ft is deplorable that certain of our Catholic papers persist in misrepre- sentinx Governor Taft and his adminis- tration. He is a clean and honest man. borad minded and liberal, with no taint of bigotry in his composition. His att- tude to Catholic interests in general Is simply admirable. You may be certain that he thoroughly understands the char acter and the selfish designs of the rem eRdQS ABlIQdy tAaI nS hdb 6 QAO- found knowledge both of the men and the conditions around him. repeat, the Gov ernor is honest and impartial and we have nothing to fear from him-he can always be trusted to do the right thing.
 Commissioner Wright, Governor Taft able coadjutor, Is also fair minded and impartial. He is straightforward in his dealings and there is no evasion or hyp- ocrisy about him. He is an exceptionally good lawyer, an excellent Latin scholar and is well versed in canon law. of which he has made a speciality. His wife, most estimable lady. is a devout Catholic.
 Judge Smith, another member of the Commission, Is a Catholic, and surely our interests would be safe in his hands. MT. Ferguson, former Washingtonian. Is an other broad man with not a taint of big otry. In fact the Commission itself and all its members. are possessed of the right spirit and we Catholics need fear no injustice at their hands.
 "As to the Aglipay heresy-for it may be so called-I am sorry to say 1t has attained very considerable proportions, and bodes danger to the faith of the peo- pie. Remember. there are 100000 Cath Ollcs in the Philippines, about as many as there are in the United States. 1 have the impression that had an Amer lcan ArcnplShop peeh appointed to Ma nila the breach would not have been so wide and .t would have been quickly closed Monsignor Guidi has done very well. but I really believe the appointment of an American Archbishop would have carried with 1t mode of prestige. Most unfortunate IS 1t that there is such a deep feeling against the Friars Indeed. they are really hated. They are looked upon as a part and parcel of the old op- pressive Spanish regime and 1t is this feeling that has given an impetus to Aglipay. I found this feeling of bitter ness against the Friars in every one of the provinces except perhaps the province of Cebu.
 ''It is beautiful to witness the profound love of the Filipinos for the church. am deeply grieved to think that the faith of such a devoted people Is in danger"