The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-28
An UnaccountabIe Attack.

An UnaccOuntable Attack.
We have waited with some curiosity
| to see an explanation of the singularly
sudden and ferocious attack made in
the Rochester cathedral last Sunday by
Bishop McQuaid upon Archbishop Ire
land. None has yet come. In that
sermon the bishop, after confessing
| that he, personally, had not voted for
| twenty-seven years--an example of In
| different citizenship hardly to be rec
commended for general imitation
| charged viciously into the ST. Paul pre-
late for his "undignified, disgraceful
and scandalous" interference in the
New York campaign. For upward OF
| twenty minutes, the Rochester bishop
delivered extraordinary invective at
| John Irelands expense, concluding
| finally with the expressed hope that
this scandal would yet receive pub
| lie rebuke."
The Rochester Post-EXpress, whose
editor is a distinguished Catholic, com
menting upon this singular sermon, ad-
mits that the thesis of (which is to
say that Catholic bishops and priests
should keep out of active party politics
| lis sound. Yet it fails to see that
there is justification for the attack In
the action for which Archbishop Ire
| land is specifically censured Bishop
| McQuaid denounces him for taking part
| in political canvass in New York, on
the theory that he has no business in the
province of Archbishop Corrigan. But
| if Archbishop Ireland had a right to
| talk politics at all, he had as much
right to talk politics in New York as
in st. Paul, though he has no ecclesias-
teal jurisdiction here. Was it wise on
his part to talk politics at all? Under
| the circumstances we think 1t was"
In support of this belief the Post
| Express recalls how the Democratic
state convention, by rushing through
an anita. p. A. plank, had sought to
| convey the impression that Republi-
canism, in its union with the cause OF
municipal reform, was somehow hostile
to the Catholic faith. II adds:
| An attempt had been made to bring the
question of religion into our state can
vass a leading priest in Buffalo had de-
clared that all Catholic Republicans
should vote the Democratic ticket; priests
in New York had said the same thing in
their pulpits; a priest in Rochester who
was Republican had announced openly
his detection from his party on religious
| considerations and the Democratic candi-
date had laid great stress on the relig-
ious issue involved. A general impression
was growing that in some mysterious
way the Catholic church was throwing
its influence for the Democratic party.
The fact would have been great mis-
fortune to the country, to the Democracy
and to all religion, and the illusion would
be only less evil than the fact 1t was at
this juncture that Archbishop Ireland
stepped forward, repudiated the notion
that there was religious issue in the
canvass, declared that the Catholic
| church should be In no way identified with
any party, and advised every Catholic
| citizen TO vote on honest political con-
viction. He urged this as a matter OF
policy no less than principle. There never
was an occasion when II was Il palmer
duty on the part of some Catholic prelate
| to set forth the doctrine than that on
which Archbishop Ireland spoke.
The substance of all Archbishop Ire
lands utterances during the New York
campaign may be expressed in the fol
| lowing portion of his letter to the New
York World, published just before elec
| ton:
Catholics say they deprecate sectarian.
ism in social and political affairs. Let
them not give themselves the example OF
it or permit others to make of 1t an issue
in the name of Catholics. The church In
the eyes Of Catholics should be so high
so sublime. as to be above all party poll.
tics truly universal and American in hel
breadth of mind and embrace of love.
| would not have her exclusively Republi.
can l would not have her exclusively
Democratic. | have no mission to give
Catholics political counsel. In politics
priests and laymen stand on the same
ground as citizens and they vote as the
judgment of each one dictates. / can only
bid them vote with intelligence, sincerity
honesty, and fearlessness-voting the
Democratic ticket, If they deem 1t the bet
ter one for the country, or the Republican
ticket, If this seems the better But
can counsel them, as / do, to allow nc
cry of religious bigotry to sway them tC
be moved by no sectional hatred, to Civ,
credence to no vain rumors and accusa
tions. If there are men who drag re
ligion into politics, let 1t not be the Cath
ollcs who even under penalty of som,
sacrifice must give to the country thC
highest example of exalted citizenship
and OF politics utterly free from reil
gious bias. The peace and prosperity q
America demands this of all her citizens
I repeat. there is no religious question II
American politics today, and mention o.
one should not be needed or tolerated.
We must confess we share the Post
Express surprise at discovering tha
there is anything "undignifed," dis
graceful" or "scandalous" in such al
utterance as this; anything offensive t
fair play or dangerous to good citizen
ship. In our view it looks like tn,
advice of a genuine patriot, and we dt
not perceive that 1t is susceptible of 81
much as one iota Of Improvement
Furthermore, we do not believe. from
what We know Of the Catholics of thi
vicinity, that they will regard Arch
bishop Ireland's course as derogator!
to the fame or glory of their church
Upon the reverse, it will. we dare say
grieve them exceedingly to find Bishol
M'Quaid talking in strain so irrecon
cilable with the known facts
There are exceptions, of course, t
every rule; but 1t is still the rule tina
election contests don't pay.
1t is asserted in a Wilkes-Barre dis
Al.n4 laxaa.aan1at q il1rn -