WHY CATHOLICS SHOULD BE SATISFIED.
The noted Catholic prelate, Archbishop Ireland, in speaking of the Philippine questions, and of the fear in Catholic quarters that Catholics are not receiving fair treatment in the Philippines, declares that during the present administration it is absurd to imagine injustice or impairment of religious rights, and thus continues to address his dissatisfied people:— As to schools in the Philippines, when the presence of non-Catholic teachers is talked of, state that out of a total of 5,000 teachers 3,500 are Filipino Catholics? Why not state that Father McKinnon is a member of the school board of Manila? And why, when mention is made of non-Catholic teachers, allow the false impression to go abroad that many of these are ministers and active proselytizers? And why not remember that, by the law of the islands, clergymen who are ministers in any place of organized congregations may three times a week teach religion in the schools of the place, the condition that they be ministers of organized congregations virtually confining the privilege to the Catholic priesthood? Surely, when Catholic priests have their own way absolutely in seven-tenths of all the schools, and the privilege of teaching religion three times a week in the other three-tenths, they ought to be satisfied. In the light of this we can well believe the archbishop's closing words:— I repeat, the agitation I am reproving only comes from the few. American Catholics, as a body, trust the government, and in the present issues trust the Holy See and hold their souls in peace.