The Irish standard., 1893-03-11
WARM RECEPTION
Such Was Awarded a Committee of
the a. P. a. by the Governor
Of Missouri.
WOULD DEBAR CATHOLICS,
In an Interview They Are Kindly
Received, But Firmly Rebuked
BY His Excellency.

Quite little scene was enacted In the
Governors Office yesterday, says g Jeffsr-
aon City, Mo- correspondent of the st.
.Lsnis Republic, under date of February
q Very few things occurring in that
. Office come to the outside, but this leaked
ont from a gentleman who happened to
step il while the Governors visitors were
present and overheard the subjoined in
tervieW, which he repeated TO your cor
respondent. Several Kansas City gentle
men called on the Governor and said they
1 desired to confer with him in regard to
appointments in that city.
Certainly, I will be glad to hear you,
h gentlemen, Have seat said mis- Elk
cellency in his blandest way. After 8
j few minutes indifferent conversation one
Of the visitors said;
Governor, am the president of the
\. Kansas City branch Of the American
Protective Association. We came to ask
that when you appoint police commits
sfoners Of Kansas City you will appoint
Protestants and not Catholics
aWhy?"
because We want Americans and men
who are for America first"
II understand you" said the Governor;
81 understand you, gentlemen. You rep
resent that organization known as the A.
H. A =. Well, am against that organi-
zation. | have no sympathy with it's pur-
poses am utterly and unalterably op-
posed to the introduction OF any religious
test into our politics. [ am Protestant.
am not Catholic do not believe ia
the chief dogmas of the Catholic faith.
Il i do not believe in the doctrine OF tran
Eubstantiation, nor do / believe that the
Pope is the Apostolic head OF the Church,
:.or anything Of that kind But il some
other man does believe it, that is his
nany good men and noble women who
do believe these things. I know great
many splendid Americans, Catholics too,
who are patriotic men, ready to bear
arms in defense Of the country, who con-
tribute much to our enterprises. litera-
ture and craftsmanship, who pay taxes,
who bear all the burdens of citizenship
and any proposition that would exclude
these people from all participation in our
civil affairs is monstrous aud intolerable
to me. | have no sympathy with it."
"But we think you state the case a
little too strongly"
"No, do not / have been interviewed
two or three times by the officers and
Representatives Of this organiz alton. /
have been told distinctly that the organi-
\ sation lis opposed to any Catholic being
elected Or appointed to any civil office
Is not that true?"
"But we are not proposing to make re-
ligious views political test
\ "Well, have SO understood it. Dur
ing the last campaign your organization
opposed Lieutenant Governor O'Meara
Judge Bond and other gentlemen on the
Democratic ticket because they, or some
members of their families, were members
ot the Catholic Church, or were supposed
to be under Catholic Influences"
"Here is our platform, and the speaker
handed the Governor paper on which
the principles Or the association were
printed. It was therein declared tha
that the association was in favor Of main
tanning the public schools, OF pure bal
lot, OF separating church anda4state, o
restricting Immigration and of the Amer
lean flag.
II heartily. indorse al that" said til,
Governor. "There isn't respectabl
political party in this country tina
H wouldn't adopt that platform with en-
thusiasP But you seek to separate th
Catholic Church only from the State
and not only the Church but tbs Catho
lies as well. You discriminate. I an
distinctly opposed not only to the Catho
Lie Church dominating the State, but in
terfering with political affairs, and when
ever lind any attempt of that sort be
ing made you will find me at war with Il
But am equally opposed to any Prot
estant Church, or all Of them combined
dominating or Interfering with politiea
affairs. Because, q man is preacher .
priest, or the member of d church, h
should not on that acc punt lose interes
in public affairs or be denied part i
their conduct. But when any church q
church undertakes to exercise cuntre
over the affairs Of state, then | protes
The most intolerant and insufferable (
all things is religious bigotry. Th