Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-02-14
OUR PEOPLE in POLITICS.
[Erom the l. g. B. %. Jo,lrnal. |


The Catholic Rerie,c uses the Journal to
show Z" the relation of Catholic journal
TO national politics 2 and while we do
not acknowledge any of its illustrations
as applicable to us, its point, that it is
"the duty and right of q Catholic jour
nal to defend safe and condemn unsafe
or dangerous measures is rockfound-
ed.
We are not politically minded-that is
our thoughts and course are not partisan
groved. We don't believe Democrats
are always right. that Republicans are
always wrong or that every assertion and
act of Prohibitionists are either to be all
condemned nor all commended. In
political principles, save on the Rum
question, we are democratic.
What we utterly condemn in our peo-
pie is political intolerance. There is no
sensible reason why an American citizen
of Irish birth or blood must be a Demo
crat and be considered renegade or be
lily spoken of for adopting the Republic
can party principles. " Americans
themselves divide and 80 should Irish
American citizens. 1t is tyranny which
obliges a newly naturalized citizen to
vote Just as his associates do because
they have made him believe that the Re.
publicans are the enemies " of the Irish. y
One of our people on Republican ticket
invariably gets better party support than
one on the Democratic ticket.
We never met Democrat yet who did
not acknowledge that to be true. Yet
at election times our people are Party
Mad. Church, Religion, Friends and
all else are sacrificed to Party-Spirit-and
that the Democratic Party. They will
not tolerate any one voting otherwise but
are eager to cry out against intolerance
themselves.
Confound such carvings on in this
good and great country We must allow
every one to chose his own party affilia.
tions as he pleases no matter what his
motives may be. That is no ones bust
ness. Republicans are just as much con-
cerned to have good government as
Democrats. They saved the government
even if they did many bad things dong
it.
How unjust our people are Take
know Nothingism as an illustration
If that was crime surely a Know.
Nothing of 1854 is to be condemned
now for being "a Know-Nothing and
not because he may be a Republican tc
day.
But what is the factp The Know
Nothings who became Republicans
are bounded. The one who became G
Democrat is honored. Yet most of the
old Know-Nothings became Democrats
This comes to mind just now by the
death of U. S. Marshal, Andrew Dill
He was nominated for Governor OF
Pennsylvania in 1878. The Catholic
Standard rebuked the party managers
for nominating KnowNothing. What
q time there was then
The Standard was denounced al
thought up" The Party managers rush
ed to Bishop Wood and induced him tt
make The Standard get on its knees and
apologize. 1t was soon taught not to
speak against Democratic nominee
30 it never since denounced any one ex
cept Prohibitionists and then it got $685.
in advertising as pay.
Yet Dill was - KnowNothing " and
Cleveland gave him a good office which
Harrison did not disturb him in,
The late Sam. Randall was elected tc
the City Councils in 1854 as Know
Nothing. But goodness gracious how
our people loved him and how he loved
them when he became Democrat
Had he became Republican how al
would have hated him Now that il
not justice if Know Nothingism was ar
offence.
Now how are fair minded people tc
think well of US if we are SO narrow
minded and SO bigoted ourselves.
1t is this Intolerance which obliges oul
Catholic papers to see justice, truth and
all virtues in everything Democratic
great man does or says and uphold al
the measures of that Party. They are
afraid to offend one of their subscribers
To see good done by Republican is an
offence. Had Cleveland appointed
Catholic Chaplains in Army and Navy
as President Harrison has done, how he
would have been lauded as doing justice
But they are afraid TO say good work
for the President act.