The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-10-31
Hr. Barr and the Religious Issue.

Certain Of the least decent Of the RepubH-
can papers are striving hard to excuse a cru
sade against candidate Barr, because Of his
religion. upon the plea that he 10 using it as
asrneans of making votes. The Scranton Re
psblicon recently said:
derstood, entertains the idea that the Democrats
Will elect him for State Treasurer, is engaged in
that region is running on strictly religious plat
form.
The Miniinburg Telegraph (Republican)
next remarked:
And It would be we'll for voters in other parts
to remember that Daniel O'Connell Barr, the
Democratic candidate for State Treasurer. is q
Roman Catholic Of the nrst water. Protestsnts
should stick pin here
Pittsburg Sunday paper contained the
following in its last issue:
During the week q representative Of this paper
learned from one Of the most respected and best
known Catholic elergymen OF this diocese that he
had received q letter from the Democratic
State Committee headquarters IN this city. over
the signature OF ID. o. Barr, asking for list OF
all the pew holders in his church over tventy-one
years Of age. In referring TO the letter he re
marked Are those people insane (pofnting 10 the
Democratic headduarters). or have they lost All
sense Of shame TO send me letter OF that kind ~
To show, however, that the attacks upon
Mr. Barr are grossly unjust We have only to
refer to the following editorials from the
Pittsburg Dispatch, Republican, and the
Pittsburgh Leader independent, which are
edited by neighbOrs Of Mr.. Barr who know
him and the truth about him better than
either the Scranton Republican, the Mifflin-
burg Telegraph, or the Sunday paper alluded
to, witch from having been professedly in
dependent sheet has been turned over to the
third termers for consideration:
We ebefeve that Mr.. Barr Democratic candidate
for State Treasurer. is not the originator OF the
somewhat novel ides Of requesting pastors to
furnish q list of voting pew holders in their
in furnishing the names OF enfrsnchised citizens
upon whom to inhict packages OF current political
ctrcu Rrs, we cannot see any special harm in the
act If the caud idate makes no attempt 70 appeal
TO The sympathy that comes Of church brother
Mr. Barr states that he gent his request to pas
tors without regard 10 demon nation. and IL IL
viii tie hard to show the harm in it, mora! or 9TH
erUise. Ii was q stroke OF enterprise which Mr..
Butler may fud It beneficial to initiate. Though
Church and state should De maintained distinct,
8 mans Individual politics should be part Of his
If Mt. Barr found that he could not depend
local leaders OF The party IN every district OF
the State to distribute the very excellent IItera-
ture which he doubtless intended TO forward to
PeW-holders. he merely paid compliment to the
energy and public spirit Of the preachers Of Penn
syIvana. Mt. Butler now adopt the same
plan, he has not already done So and he has the
best OF assurance that the at will not be made
use Of to influence voters against him PiffSGtTJ
DiIpGtch.
does not eeem to justify the charge that he had
made special plea to Christians Of his own fai h
In tb way for support At the coming election
The letter WAS addressed to the Reverend and
Dear Sirs,'' he declares, of different denOmina-
caste Of his own belief and aiming line that
could be in eTpreted as implying even a request
for prizes ly in erference in his bohaif His claim
is that he adopted his plan the easiest. IN fsct
about the only plan Tin view Of the not very
piete Organization 81 his party in the county, by
which he could manage to make up q list of the
voters, and that the only document which he has
distributor among them ts a pamphlet containing
9 short biographical sketch OF himself the Demo
cratic platform and the address Of Chairman
Miller. 1t answers good end to try 70 make
mountain out OF this molehill, and il is 10 be
hoped that Republicans will LAY down the shovel
and the hoe" and not try it.-PnEburg Leader.
1t is only one year ago that hirelngs Of the
Republican party were trying their level
best, with the aid of false afidavits, to lure
the Catholic people Of the State into revolt
against Mr. Dill, the Democratic candidate
for Governor, on the lying pretense that he
had been Know Nothing, when the fact
was that that party had passed out OF exist
enCe while Mr.. Dill was yet boy in his teens
and ineligible under its constitution to mem
bership in it. If the Republicans know what
shame Is they would refrain from all refer
ence to the wrong of bringing the question
Of religion into politics, even though they
were able to prove what they 2lege against
hr. Barr, which the more res pectabie OF their
own papers declare, IS above quoted, they
cannot wakes Barre Record. 24:h.