The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-05-15
BUTT NOT SENT TO VATICAN

BUTT NOT SENT TO VATICAN.
Washington, May 12.-At the White
House tonight personal statement
by President Taft was given out cate
gorically denying that Major Archi-
bald w. Butt, the presidents military
aide, who was lost on the Titanic, had
gone to Rome on any mission whatev-
err from the president to the Vatican.
President Tafts signed statement fol-
lows:
Among the insidious methods OF
attack pursued by some against me is
the attempt to arouse religious preju-
dice on the charge that l am in some
manner unduly favoring the Roman
Catholic church. 1t has been my Of
fetal purpose, first as the governor
general of the Philippines; second, as
secretary of war, and third, as presi-
dent, to encourage every church as
far as possible, where this does not
| involve invidious distinctions and does
not depart from the rule, which separ-
ates our state from official relations
to all churches. l have unduly fav-
red no church, but have treated them
all with absolute impartiality.
"In 1902 visited Rome and con-
ferred with Pope Leo XIII, in an at
tempt to settle the friar land contro-
versy, which had arisen in the Philip
pines while l was governor general,
and after a time l succeeded in doing
so. When last March, my aide, Major
Butt, set out on trip solely for his
health and proposed to visit Rome, he
asked me for letter of introduction
to the present pope, that he might
have the privilege of an audience,
and gave him such letter.
"The letter contained nothing but
statement of who Major Butt was
and an expression of the hope that he
might have the honor of being re-
ceived. The only note or letter from
the pope or any representative of his
in answer to this letter of introduce
tion which l have received, is cable
gram of coincidence for all cncerned,
sent by Merry Del Val, by direction
of the pope at the time of the Titanic
disaster and making an inquiry as to
the fate of Major Butt.
"The letter introducing Major Butt
contained no reference to the recent
appointment of American cardinals
and no comment on or reference to the
Catholic church or any matter relat-
ing to it. The stories circulated that
have made another inquiry or have
taken anywhere at any time, any part
or manifested any interest in ques-
tons of soc1o. precedence of the re-
Gently appointed cardinals are wholly
| without foundation.
"The evidence that there is a con-
spiracy for the purpose of arousing
religious prejudice against me is
shown by the fact that at the instance
of some one unknown to me it was
reported in a great many respectable
newspapers that l sent a message of
welcome and congratulation to the
newly appointed apostolic delegate by
wireless to the incoming steamer,
which was bearing him to New York.
No such message was sent by me or
by any one by my authority. A de-
NAL of the published report was issued
from the White House, but the denial
obtained no publication.
"The statement that ] suspended an
order made by the Indian commission
er affecting the garb of the teachers
in certain Indian schools, which have
been transferred from the Catholic
church to the government, is true.
did this for the reason that the COM
missioner had issued the order after
consulting with the secretary of the
interior and without awaiting his con-
illusions. The propriety of the order
has now been made the subject OF an
open, free discussion by all parties
in interest and the decision OF the Sec
rotary of the interior will soon be
handed down. | say nothing OF the
merits of the controversy except that
the order reversed condition which
has existed for years and affected
thirty or forty teachers, who, as nuns,
had been long before my time incor-
porated in the service of the govern
ment and who would be in effect ex-
PEELED from that service by the order
should it prevail. They were there
fore. entitled to full hearing.
| "WM. H. TAFT