Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-09-12

are not in the ascendancy. The or
| der is controlled by bigots.
! There is natural and justifiabl'
distrust Of secret societies. Theil
dark ways do not commend them t(
an open-minded people like ours. a
hidden power is doubly dreaded. On.
ly when the object Of such q society is
that of unquestionable good to iti
members and free from all design
against those who do not belong to it
can such secret orders be tolerated.
But the A. p. A. is, in its present at
titude, the avowed enemy of a portion
OF our people, bent on attaining its
unfriendly desires toward them, 4
nursery of prejudice and hostility. AS
such it meets not only the bitter en-
nifty of its challenged opponents but
the condemnation of millions Of 9TH
ers, who, while not in sympathy with
the Cathol church, are even more
distrustful of such methods as the A..
r. A. employs.
The A. P. A. is distinctly antag-
onistic to the constitution of the
United States, which wisely ordained
that no religious qualifications should
be required Of candidates for Office.
The A. p. A. demands that offices be
withheld from Catholics on account
Of their religion.
The A. p. A. does not expect to
gain in strength by the aid Of Catho-
lies, for it is arrayed against them. II
must, then, depend upon those who
are not Catholics for support. What
has it to offer to attract membership !?
1t assumes in the first place that the
Catholic church is danger to our re-
public and its institutions and, sec
ondly, that the danger can best be
averted by the kind OF secret-open
warfare which the A. +. A. inaugur-
ates.
The first point requires not little
evidence to sustain it. Millions Of
Americans, while not in sympathy
with the Romish church as spiritual
power, are slow TO believe that ii is
on the whole harmful, morally and
Were that church to be
destroyed in the United States, we
are firmly convinced that the nation
would suffer an irreparable loss. Ca
tholicism has its field--a field that
would, in large measure, be uncov-
cred but for it. With few exceptions,
the recent history OF that church has
been creditable. We are not dealing
with the Catholic church of A. ID.
1900, but with it as it is to-day. We
state that we do not believe
is as progressive and en-
as Professionalism, but we con-
tend that it exerts mighty influence
for good. 1t should be welcomed as
4 sister, instead OF met as foe.
The A. Il. a. processes to know that
he Catholic church is committed to
he destruction Of the public school
system. If SO, it should be opposed |
~ all who favor public schools-not
n an undetermined way, but openly
md vigorously. AS matter of fact,
he public schools were never held in
uch high favor as to-day and never
would any effort to abolish them be
likely to be SO fruitless. A large pro-
,ortion-p perhaps majority Of the
catholic church, both clergy and lay.
nen-prefer public to parochial
chools. The public school needs no
4. p. A. ally to sustain it.
But even if it is granted that the in
luence of the Romish church is harm
I'll, can the A. p. A. justify its ex-
stence? Is that influence so bad
hat it can be counteracted in no 9th
/ way than by a secret society, bound
" oath to do-the public knows not
What? Has crisis been reached
vhich calls for revival Of the relig-
Gus intolerance and prejudice that
yas supposed to have been left among
he evils Of the past? Are our Catho-
c citizens to be prescribed and war
I political determination waged
gainst them in this era of sup
osed intellectual freedom-in this
ountry which has hitherto welcomed
hose of all faiths Where is the war
ant for such course ? We confess
hat we see no condition at present +,
or likely to occur that justities the A.
). A. and its methods.