The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-08
Says That Catholics Were
Patient While Being
Vilified.
SANDER ON WOMAN.
The Catholic Champion Thinks
the Rev. Mr.. Ross Hys.
terical.
NOT ATTACKING PR0TEsTANTs
Father York Names Attorney w. w,
Foote as His Umpire-The Case
Reviewed.

In reply to the communication of Rev.
Donald M. Ross published in The CALL
yesterday Rev. Father Yorke submits the
following:
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. z, 1895.
To the Editor of the CalI-DEAR SIR: In a COM
munication dated November 81, 1895, and ad-
dressed to the editor of the Chronicle, took
exception to certain alleged clippings from
Roman Catholic publications" which the Rev.
d. NJ. Ross read at meeting in Metropolitan
Hall November "a, and which were published
in the Chronicle of November 20.
These alleged clippings from Roman Catho-
lie publications" are:
1.-THE Roman Church has the right to exer-
clse ITS authority without any lmlt set 10 1T
by the civil powers The Pope and the priests
ought to have dominion over temporal aHalrs;
the Roman Church and her ecclesiast1cs have
right TO immunity from civil law. In case OF
conflict between ecclesiastical and civil powers
the ecclesiastical ought to prevail.
In the same communication made the FOL
lowing offer:
81 win pay 800 in gold coin of the United
States to any charity named by the Rev. Don
aid Ross If he can prove to the satisfaction of
three non-Catholic lawyers that the above
statements, or the substance OF them, occur in
any Roman Catholic publication as statements
OF Roman Catholic teaching.
"On condition that ii the Rev. Donald Ross
fails to prove that these words or the sub
stance of them, occur in any Roman Catholic
publication as statements OF Cathonc doc
trine, he shall pay the sum OF Sl00 In United
States gold coin to charity named by me.
The arbitrators shall be LAWYERS, non-Cath-
olics, one to be chosen by me, one by the Rev.
Mr.. Ross and the two TO choose third, the
money to be deposited with this third lawyer
and to be by him paid as the conditions re-
quire."
the monetary aspect of my offer the Rev. Don
aid NJ. Ross wrote in a letter, dated December
A, and published in THE CALL:
CHOW, once and for all let me take up your
challenge"
In communication, also dated December 4.
and also published in THE CALL, Mr.. q. ii.
Hubbell, manager and secretary OF the Patriot
Publishing Company, says:
"The American Patriot, without the knowl-
edge and consent OF Donald NJ. Ross, hereby
agrees to put into the hands OF this lawyer
In q communication dated December 5, and
addressed to the editor OF The CALL, stated
that eff Donald Nj. Ross makes no protest be-
fore Saturday against the action OF the secre-
tary and manager of the Patriot Publishing
Company l Will announce the name OF my
lawyer"
In communication dated December the
Rev. Donald NJ. Ross processes his satisfaction
and makes no protest.
Now, therefore, in reply to this acceptance
beg leave to name as the lawyer selected by me
Mr.. w. w. Foote OF 80 Pine street.
If Mr.. Ross viii name his lawyer these gen.
tlemen can choose third and arrange their
the questions to be submitted according to the
- : - PETER G. YoRKE.
Observation-Disclosures the sake of keeping the
main question clear Of the many irrelevant
matters with which Mr.. Ross has character
istically complicated the discussion, 1 have
rserved few remarks on his last letter for
postscript. | am sorry to see that his tender
soul is still narrowed with apprehension and
that the bloodthirsty Jesuits have sworn that
he shall die. He writes:
''In speaking of threats, allow me to say that
have the names OF several who have made
verbal threats which l certainly could not
manufacture. This evening merchant told
me Roman Catholic said in his store: Ross
will never meet Yorke, for by God he will be
killed before they meet l have given the case
to the police"
From perusal of these luminous sentences
am still undecided whether the Rev. Mr.. Ross
meant that he would not manufacture the
names or that he would not manufacture the
threats, and whether the Roman Catholic
meant that Mr.. Ross or your humble servant
should die the death. As to the names do
not think that the Rev. Mr.. Ross is cursed with
such poverty of invention as his humility sug-
gests. Indeed, am under the impression that
his letters up to date give evidence that such
trifes as a few names or few imprecations
would not embarrass the oriental luxuriance
of his imagination.
AS to the threats, it is passing strange that
the Roman Catholics of this City have snd-
denly grown so solicitous For over year
and half everything that they hold dear has
at the Metropolitan Temple, and yet they pos
sessed their souls in patience. Not TO speak
of the charges against men. which men can
bear, there have been uttered against the
Catholic women ISLANDERS of so vile character
that a non-Catholic journalist of this City was
driven by his indignation to declare that "the
reverend blackguards who uttered them should
be dashed naked through the streets" Yet, in
spite of all this Catholics have made no sign.
1t is more remarkable now that they who
seemed to care so little when their wives and
dan unf aru cl a1AA nod
anxious about Peter Yorke.
Mr.. Ross evidently measures my impor lance
by his sense OF his own. Permit me to state
that he exaggerates my consequences. My say
ings and my dOings have too little influence on
the present or the future interest of the Catho-
lie community in this torn to lead any Catho-
lie to threaten violence to save me from the
terrible Mr.. Ross.
l am glad, however, to see that the Rev. Mr..
Ross is learning the duties OF that American
citizenship which he may remain long
enough In this country to receive. instead OF
conniving at felony as before he has given
the case to the police. ] think that when the
Rev. Nj. Ross is a little longer in this country
he will find that the laws are strong enough to
protect him. There is no need OF hysterical
whining about the peril in which he stands.
II ne continues to indulge in this unmariy
plement the hiring of the nurse-girl by the
purchase OF baby carriage.
Mr.. Ross processes not TO have read my last
letter through, but he has gathered enough
from it to discover that am thrusting at Pro-
testants. wish TO state here and now have
no lnten ton OF finding fault with PrOtestants.
nave made no attack on the religion of others,
but nave thought it well to reply to misrepre-
sensations OF my creed and grOundless objec-
uons against my church. | realize with the
Protestant Bishop, Montague, that ut is a
shame 10 charge men with what they are not
guilty Oh IN order to make the breach wider,
already TOO wide" The Catholic church has
been accused on certain evidence of hostility
to the state, and have deemed it my duty to
demand proof that that evidence is not forged.
FOR nall q century Catholics and Protestants
nave lived together in this town. They nave
Deen united in the bonds of blood, Of friend
snip ana OF business. PrOtestants and Catho-
lies nave worked shoulder to shoulder In the
building up OF the commonwealth and mutual
acquaintance has always resulted in mutual
respect. To disturb this old-time friendship
come now not citizens of this State, but aliens
from country that has always been hostile to
our nag. For their own profit they would sow
here these hatreds which in their native land
nave BONE such bitter fruit.
rms Is the crime charge, not to Protestants,
but to aliens like the Rev. Donald Ross.
nave TOO much respect for honest, God-fearing
frotestants to confound them with the follow
ing OF this latest disturber of the peace. They
ana we can live together in harmony as we
nave lived in the past, and as, with GODS help.
we shall live in the future, when all croaking
Dlrds OF Ill omen shall have retired once more
to what the New York Sun calls obscene cata-
combs.
M; Ross makes the following assertion,