in fact, this government
should concede such freedom of worship, it would cause itself to be
hated by the six and one-half millions of Filipino Catholics; for,
even though such government should profess no worship, the Filipino
people would consider it as responsible for all the consequences of
such a measure; and therefore it would not be looked on favorably
by these six and one-half millions of Catholics. These people are
fully convinced that theirs is the only true religion, and the only
one by which they can be saved. If any government should endeavor to
despoil them of that religion--which is their most precious jewel,
and the richest inheritance which they have received from their
ancestors--even should it be no more than permitting the Protestant
or heterodox propaganda publicly and openly, then they could not
refrain from complaint; and from that might even come the disturbance
of public order, or perhaps some politico-religious war, accompanied
by all the cruelty and all the disasters which, as are well known,
are generally brought on by such wars.

Two serious difficulties can be opposed against the rights of
Catholicism in Filipinas. The first is in the Americans who
are governing at present, and the second is in the Filipinos
themselves. The Americans enjoy in America the most complete freedom
of worship; why, then, should they not enjoy that same freedom when
they go to Filipinas? We answer, that every inhabitant must conform
to the laws of the country in which he lives. The Chinese enjoyed
in China the most complete freedom to erect temples to Buddha or
to Confucius; but for three centuries they have not enjoyed a like
freedom in Manila, although no Chinese has been forced to become a
Catholic. We go farther and say that no Chinese has had to boast of
his religion in order to trade, become rich, and return to China. The
same can be said of the English and Americans. If it is necessary
for the good order and government of six and one-half millions
of Catholics in Filipinas, besides those who are not Catholics
(one and one-half millions, counting idolaters and Moros yet to
be civilized), not to permit or encourage freedom of worship, the
government which rules the destiny of these islands ought to legislate
along those lines, since the laws ought to be adjusted to the needs
of the majority of their inhabitants. The Americans themselves who
shall take up their residence here ought to accommodate themselves