The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-02-27

should have saved from fright anybody
credulous enough to DO deceived by tho
wicked imposluro Of the bogus en-.
cyclcal.
There Is another fact that weighs
moro than this. Who and where arc
the Roman Catholics who would il they
could fall on their Protestant neighbors
and butcher thcm2 Docs anybody
know Of them in West Virginia, in
WhcOlIng7 Tho way to determine tho
probability Of the thing Is to narrow tho
circle Of speculation until It Is brought
home. Then the whole thing Is seen
to DO an lido and mlsChiovous myth
which docs gross injustice to largo
body OF our fellow citizens and Is not
creditNblo to those who permit thom'
selves to DO dcludod by misroprCienta-
ton or by their own fears.
II Roman Catholics or tho members
Of any other church or other orsanl-
cation attempt anything hostile TO tho
institutions Of this country there will
DO no Mood Of secret political society
to confront them. The great body Of
tho people will riso up against them
and meet them in the open. There has
been an apprehension that it is the aim
OF the Roman Catholic policy to over
turn our free school system, tho glory
and tho hopo OF tho country. When
ever and wherever any opposition to
our FREQ schools may show itsolf it will
be mot and met successfully without
any sccresy.
There is q good deal OF misunder.
Etanding on this very point. 1t is as.
stunned that Roman Catholics az body
would wipe out the whole FREQ school
system. The fact is overlooked that
thousands upon thousands OF them
send their children to tho public
schools and lose no opportunity to
show their American pride in thom. 1t
is very grcut mistake to suppose that
tho whole Roman Catholic influence OF
this country is to be set down as
against our tree schools. II vote
were taken in tho city OF Wheeling it is
tho 1STELLIGENcER's opinion that the
majority, probably tho large majority,
OF Roman Catholics would cast their
ballots Tor the free school.
We have in this country no dividing
questions between Roman Catholics
and Pedestrians which makes necessary
or justify any special organization on
either part to oppose the other. Nor
Will tho Judgement OF the American
people approve any such organizations
more in the present, or in the future,
than it has in the past. Such societies
have always done harm. 1t is not in
them 10 elevate citizenship or 10
strengthen our institutions, though we'll
meaning men join them under the mis-
apprehension that they can achieve
both OF these desirable ends.
As TO political prescription on nc
count OF religious belief, that is abou:
as un-ADerican thought as could
entcr IN American mind. 1t carries us
back over the early settlers on these
shores, beyond jamestown, beyond Ply
mouth Rock. 10 the lands and the times
from which the founders OF this free
country fled.
How different the spirit OF the Roman
Catholic archbishop OF St. Paul preach.
ing in his cathedral last Sunday. Said
archbishop Ireland:
When American citizens vote, their
basis OF decision must be, not the re-
ligion OF tine candidate, but his citizen.
ship and his personal fitness for office.
We should rejoice when good man re-
ceives honor. Protestants and Catho-
lies must all become thorough Ameri-
cans in their political acts and their
civil relations with one another, and
then there will be no religious discord
in the land.
This is truly American utlerance,
and the test is worthy OF all acceptation
by every true American.