The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-12
IRELAND OPPOSES BRYAN.
The Archbishop Unable to Indorse
the Chicago Platform.

thG
St. Paul, Mimi, Oct, lin reply to a
letter Of the business men Of the Catho-
lie churches Of this city, Archbishop Ire
land last night gave out letter, in which
he gives his reasons why he is opposed
to the Chicago platform. The letter of
his constituents is an appeal for light
upon the duties OF the hour, and asks
for the archbishop's calm and honest con-
victlons on the issues of the day.
The archbIshop's letter is very long and
Is an arraignment OF the Chicago plat
form, which he takes up plank by plank.
In opening mis- letter, Archbishop Ireland
says: Il am not unwilling in the crisis
through which the country is now pass
Ing to speak for the integrity of the ma
tion, for the pI pIosperity Of the people. for
the honor of America and the permanency
of free Institutions. l am a citizen Of the
country, concerned in all the interests Of
the nation. subject to all the respon-
sibllities of citizenship. To be silent
when words of mine may be some profit
to the people would be cowardlce, would
be crime. l am not unmindful of the
speaking at any time on matters which
have entered the arena of politics., lest
his influence as n teacher of religion seem
to be used to promote the interest of a
political party. / might reply that there
are occasions when a political platform
means disaster TO the country; when poll
tics are closely connected with morals
or religion, and that on those occasions
the churchman must be the patriot with
out allowing a moments thought
to considerations OF expediency,
and must take In hand
the moral or religious issue, even If 1t
be vested In the garment of politics. But
in the present instance l seek no excuse
Of this kind / speak entirely as the cit
izen, without warrant from my ecclesias-
tical position. Deep as my convictions are
l hold in all due respect my fellow citi-
zens who hold convictions at variance
with my own. ] impeach neither their
good faith, nor their honor. l am deal
ing not with men, but with principles
which l render to those whose
Ideas / am ready to combat, / am sure
they will render to me. stand by the plat
form and the political candidate of the
republican convention. / am opposed to
the platform and the presidential candi-
date Of the democratic convention at Chi
caRo. The days of civil war excepted, at
no time did so great a pcril threaten the
country as that which is involved in the
political canraign of to-day The
| question Of free and unlimited
coinage of silver is put In the foreground.
| The question has Its importance, but Il
! is Of a minor Importance in the presence
| Of other questions which are brought into
the movement which had its expression in
! the Chicago convention, and which now
| seeks by means of popular suffrage to en-
| throne itself in the capital OF the nation,
| is in Its right logical effects revolution
| against the United States; II Is secession
the secession of 1861. which our soldiers
| believed they had consigned to eternal
death at Appomatox. but which demands
| again recognition from the American peo-
| Pile"
The declaration in the Chicago plat
| form against interference by the federal
authorities in local affairs, the
archbishop says, is directed
against sending troops to Chicago to quell
the railroad riots in 1894 In this para
| graph the archbishop finds the old Sc
| cesslon doctrine that states are independ-
ent Of the national government.
He also quotes Tillman's speech at the
| Chicago convention as further illustra-
tion Of the secession feeling Of the con-
| vention. The phrases from the platform
about government by injunction" and
the supreme court, as It may hereafter
| be constituted" he condemns; and also
the appeals to the common people" tc
! the "aborer,' to the poor
and down trodden" and the
denunciations against "plutocrats' and
corporations" and money grabbers' and
bankers" In these last he finds evidences
of the anarchi tic tendency of the element
which controlled the convention. AL
| though declgring at the outset that th'
monetary question is only secondary. thu
archbishop c,votes the latter and greater
portion of his letter to an argument upor
the free silver u to / proposition, from
sound money mans point OF view.