The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-01-28

1ication IN this column unless accompanied by
the name ct the writer. It should be understood.
in this connection, that the editor does not nee
essarily endorse opinions Of correspondents / IL
/ SOLICITORS TOR CHURCH FAIRS.
Father; James OReilly Pointedly Answers
the Accusations Of a Correspondent
To the Editor Of the Irish Standard.
In the last issue of the STANDARD ap
peared communication ON church
fairs, signed by ''Solicitous Christian
Mother" about which I would ask your
kind permission to say q word. 1t is
true there has been number of bazaars
held in this city during the last three
monthe, and I presume the clergymen
who were responsible for them had the
necessary permission from the Ordinary
Of the diocese; but it seems the Most
Rev. Ordinary is not able to look after
the religious interests of his diocese, and
hence a"3oli:itous Christian Mother"
would wish 10 lend q helping hand. In
fact, I know great many solicitous
mothers OF the same sex aa the author OF
tbs aforesaid communication who are
anxious to l:ok after the welfare OF some
diocese; but bishops refuse to die, and
new dioceses are not made every day.
Now, this being 80, would initiate this
solicitous mother and ''sound note Of
warning" not to the many renders OF the
IRISH STANDARD, but to the author Of
the communication of 'Solicitors for
Church Fairs
I would first remind this writer that
there is commandment which forbids
lying, and that he is violating this COM
mandment when he, detracts and SLAM
ders large numbered respectable people
while hiding his identity un1er an as
sumed name. would also remind you,
dear mother, that you are not mother
at ell, and if you have boz, "your pride,
bright lad of eleven" so much the
worse for you. Now permit me to call
your attention to your next statement.
You say: "Six solicitors for church
fair called at the store where measure
off cotton" Let ms tell you that you do
not work in a store; you do not measure
off cotton; and when you say you do
you are not telling the truth, and you
know it, and yet you would undertake 10
Sound to of warning to the many
readers of the IRISH STANDARDp
After making this untruthful state
ment, you fall into raptures over young
woman, the "fresh beauty of whose maid
enhood may earn the tingliug silver, but
il angels weep there's tear in every
footprint that marked her passage"
N W, this isssimply charming. When I
read it first thought the writer was a
woman, for I have heard that women are
very Eond Of sickly sentimentality Of this
sort. Would you allow me to add a
word to this poetry, or, as some might
call it, bathos? Don't You think that if
the angels weep they must have shed a
tear in every foot print that marked your
passage as yon stole to the Office of the
IRISH STANDARD With this secret and
cowardly attack upon the Woodworking
Catholic priests and people of this city ?
You make very serious accusation
against the priests of this city when you
say they sent large proportion of the
women of their parishes into uninviting
places, where their modesty was eDdan-
gered This has impressed on my mind
whas I have often heard, but refused to
believe, chat you have little faith in
priests, and that accusations are your
strong point. Did it occur to you when
you were making this charge that you
accused six priests who preside over the
largest parishes in the city of having for
gotten their mission, and instead of lead
ing their people to God had sent them to
the devil? Did you not think that this
charge was too grave to be written and
published under an assumed name?
Those who read your letter may never
knt who wrote it, but man OF God, be-
ware, God sees you! Your letter shows
that you have no better name for the
many respectable ladies who have worked
hard to build churches, schools and
charitable institutions than "beggars."
This is your word, and so much the more
shame to you. Some, of these 'beggars,"
perhaps, begged the money that built
the roof which now shelters you from
the winter SHOWS; and now y,:u have no
other desire than that the majesty of the
law would seize them and send them to
the workhouse. A great poet. whom
perhaps you may have heard of, con-
demned the ungrateful to one of the
lowest circles of he'll. You can see my
name signed to this letter, and [ want to
tell you that am one OF those beggars
that [ have begged myself and have
asked others to beg for the various in
situations of charity in this city; and oh,
the pity of it! that you were not here in
those days to urge the authorities to