The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-02-17
They Say the Separation Allowed
by Catholic Church Provides
Sufficient Redress.
Marital Troubles Only Augmented
by Legalizing Easy Divorce
and Remarriage.
People and Clergy Doing Their Ut
most to Prevent Introduction
of Evil Law.

One of the bishops Of the Philip
pine Islands has written to the Inter-
national Truth Society protesting
against the introduction of the Amer
lean divorce plague into the islands.
The letter will prove interesting to
many American readers who are mis-
informed about the degree of civiliza-
tion in the Philippine Islands.
The thrusting an absolute divorce
law upon the people of those islands
in spite OF the religious and moral
convictions of the vast majority of
the inhabitants, in explanation says
the society, is indeed sad conse-
quence Of American annexation. AS
the women pathetically stated in their
resolutions of protest, 1--WE have got
along well during all these centuries
without this curse upon our land
every argument in favor of absolute
divorce is sufficiently met by the sep
aration which is allowed for just rea-
sons by Church and the Spanish law"
We Catholic Americans owe a duty
to our co-religionists in those distant
islands, to protect them from an in
stitution the evils of which are being
universally deplored in our land and
consequently we ask that your read
ers, collectively and individually, send
letters of earnest protest to the presi-
| dent and secretary Of war, begging
them to spare this disgrace to the
Philippine Islands. A strong protest
at this moment should be effective if
not in killing the measure, at least in
causing final action upon it to be de-
ferred until the inhabitants of the
Islands will have had chance to ex-
press their wishes in the matter. The
following is the substance of the let
ter received:
"The people and clergy of the Phil
ippine Islands are now engaged in a
fierce fight against divorce 1 am re-
quested to ask you to assist us.
"The Philippine Assembly passed
on December 6, 1911, by vote of for
ty-four to twenty-six, an absolute di-
vorce bill. Said bill is now before
the commission, or what I might call
the Senate of these Islands, whose ap-
proval is necessary to make it opera
tive. l do not know how the commits
sion, the majority of which is Amer
leans, regards this Infamous measure
All Of us who are responsible for the
guarding of the prerogative and pres
tige of the Church over here are
awaiting anxiously the voice Of the
commission in this most important
matter.
Assembly Not Representative.
"Thc assemblymen who took the
lead in this wretched business repre-
sent the sentiments of the Filipino
people less than even the French dep
uties represent the feelings and aspir-
women by tens of thousands and, +
may say, by hundreds of thousands,
sent protests to the Assembly against
the iniquitous bill. But those blind
lawmakers, in spite of public opinion,
had their way. And why? You will
ask. I reply by giving three reasons.
''First, because they think their
people should be up to date and hence
the good and the bad of modern civil
ization should be adopted.
Second, because of their anti-C Cath
olic spirit. The Church made the peo-
pie what they are, namely, the only
Christian people in the Orient and
consequently the only people over in
that part of the world amongst whom
women can take the place which God
has given her. Now these lawmakers
wish to strangle the Church.
Third, because the prime mover in
this new legislation is, am told. mar
ried to good, decent woman who is
not now aristocratic enough for him,
and hence he wishes to repudiate her,
and marry another who moves in high
social circles.
Need Of Action.
"What cares he that the disinte-
grafton Of the family and it's conse-
quent destruction will be introduced