Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-08-18
"The Catholic Vote.v

cret anti-Catholic organization akin
to the know-Nothing organization is
developing itself in Ohio; and the at
tempt is made by some Democratic
politicians to identify it with the Re-
publican party. We don't know who
the leaders of the new society are.
indeed we are not sure that any such
society is In existence at ALL But, be
this as 1t may, the insinuaton against
the Republican, party is unfair and
absurd; and no honest man, we trust.
will be deceived by the trick.
/ Every political party stands on it's
own platform. Every party is con-
strained not only to avow> but openly
to- defend, its profession of faith
Self interest obliges it to do so Even
the Know-No'hings were bound by
the necessity of their principles to
maintain their intolerant doctrines.
Self-lnterest led them to suppose that
an appeal to the passions of Protes-
tants would will them votes and carry
their party into power. A platform is
public declaration of principles and
doctrines. BY It's platform every par
ty gives the people to know what it is.
what it believes in, and what 1t aims
to accomplish. All parties. tlen, are
bound by their platforms. All par
ties must be judged by their plat
forms
Now, the Republican party has in
scrlbed on its banner the most perfect
equality No one denies this. The
question is: Are the representative
men of the Republican party honest
Ii honest they battle Tor a principle
If honest they mus extend that prn-
cipe to Catholics as well as to other
! denominations. If, on the other hand,
| we come to regard them as dishonest
as hraves who proclaim to the world
a lofty and high sounding doctrine in
which they do not believe, then we
must look on them as men who give
US to understand, by their published
declaration. that intolerant inciples
will not carry in this land and that, to
advance their party interests, they are
forced to make hypocrites Of them
selves and give the lie to their own
secret convictions
Both of the two great political par
ties. the Democrats and the Republicans
stand squarely on the platform of re-
llgious equality. Neither party has
monopoly Of all the virtue to be found
III the nation. On the eve of election
Democratic stump orators tell US ter
ribls things about the Republicans
Simple people swallow all these tales.
Well, there are always a few grains of
truth in these tales; but sensible. per-
sons will receive such stories a, dis
count. The falsehood published in
the heat of the campaign are forgot
ten by the politicians after the smoke
OF the battle has lifted, or are re-
membered only to be laughed at by
the authors. But with simple ones
they remain, who hand them down to
their children as traditions The
great body of citizens in both the
Democratic party and the Republican
party are honest men, aud we must net
| permit ourselves to cherish an ill-found
ed prejudice against the adherence of
either because Of the name they bear.
| Especially We must not as Catholics
array ourselves as enemies against any
political party to satisfy unscrupulous
men who would make cats paw of us
in furthering their own ambition.
This wonld not be wise policy. The
Republican party is no more opposed
to the Catholic Church than is the
Democratic party. Only designing
place-hunters will assert the contrary.
La point Of fact, there are more Catho.
lies holding positions in the Republi-
can party, IN proportion to numbers,
than in the Democratic party. We
refer to the country at large. Yet in
face Of this fact the Republicans are
accused of sheltering an anti Catholics
society under their wings! Now
what are the Republicans to do? If
they give countenance to this un-
known and unseen Know-Nothing or
ganization, they must, to be consist
ent, object all Catholic Republicans
holding office and slam the door in
their face in the future. In that case
the Republicans probably would get
some votes from the friends of Protes-
tant ascendency. But in that case the
Republicans would expel from their
party every Catholic voter. In that
case, too, tens Of thousands of nom
Catholics would desert the Republi-
can ranks in disgust. Would the
losses thus sustained by the Republi-
can party be made even by its gains?
Not at all. The Republican leaders
know this. Hence self-interest-s
p oslng them to lack all principle-will
force the Republican leaders to up
hold the true doctrine and give this
pretended Know.Nothing associations
a wide berth y 80