The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-06

LAYMEN ANXIOUS.
Catholic Societies Ask Cues
tons of the Republican
Candidates for
President.
A. P. A. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Religious Test Denounced--AIl That
the Church Asks is t~o'support
the Constitution.
!. P. A. MISREPRESENTATION


Within the present week all the cam
d5dates for the Republican nomination for
ircslaeht VIII receive a letter making this
inquiry
W respectfully request from you an
answer to the following qnestion:-M the
event of your election to the Presidency
will you in the administration of that
office make any discrimination against
Roman Catholics on account of their re-
ligious beliefs?"
Mr. Mckinley. Mr.. Reed, Mr.. Allison.
Mr.. Morton. Mr.. Quay and the other can
didates will receive copies of this inquiry.
The movement had its origin with the
Marquette Club of st. Louis. the mem
hership Of which includes many OF the
leading Catholic business men and profess
sional msn of that city. 1t is. however.
not confined to this club. Catholic lay.
men outside of the Marquette Club have
taken up the movement. The committee
having the matter in charge has opened
correspondence with clubs and ~organiza-
ticns in other cities, and has suggested
that each of these organizations put the
inquiry upon its own letter heads and
send it to all of the Republican candi-
dates.
49, ne ClCISy, ~
said President j. B. Denvir Of the Mar
euette Club, last evening. 1--WE have not
z even informed them of our Intention. On
the contrary, we have delayed action
in order to avoid anything like the color
of clerical influence. Several weeks ago
/ laid the subject before the club, and we
decided TO take action. Cardinal satolli's
visit came soon after, and then Cardinal
Gibbons was here. We did not want to
have it supposed that there was any con-
nection between these visits and our
movement, and for that reason we post
poned sending the inquiry until now"
r. c.. Kerens. member of the Repub-
lican National Committee for Missouri. is
q leading spirit in the new movement.
He recently entertained Cardinal Gibbons
at his summer home in West Virginia.
Among the committees of the club is
ene Oh Catholic interests. The chairman
of the committee is Mr.. Louis Fusz,
.Patience is q virtue, but it is not the
only virtue said Mr.. Fusz in the course
of a conversation about this movement.
I'VE thought for a time that the best
course was to ignore the A. P. A. cru
SADIE aginst the Catholics. We thought
that organization would die if left alone.
But recently this anu-Catholic organiza-
ton has shown itself more aggressive
than ever. We have seen it recently at
tempting to ostracize Mr.. Mckinley, and
then a little later claiming that ne repre-
been able 10 learn, Mr.. Mckinley mas
given nc ind Of any intention to do
otnerw.se taan SUPPORT .he Constitution:
All we Catholics ask = that a man shall
supoors the Constitution Of rhs United
Seeing this A. P. A. movement assum-
dictate to Presidential candidates, We
have thought that Catholic laymen should
assert themselves and take some notice
gious test which the A. P. A. assumes to
press upon candidates is recognized by
them. We now address this simple inquiry
We viii address 1t to the Democratic can
d dates. II is the impression with some
that Catholics are all Democrats. This
the Catholics vote the Democratic. ticket,
Ny own pastor Is said to be a Republican,
tics TO me. / remember introducing to him
on one occasion a Republican candidate
for Office. At the same time I tried to
draw him out a little, but the most he
would say VAST always vote for the
best man. Another mistaken impression
which many have is hat we are led poll
to be led more than we are. / often think
our Catholic clergy do not pay enough
attention to public questions.
"Unde this continued A. P. A. misrep-
resentation and unjust aggression Cath
ole faymen have been fretting for some
time. They nave been getting together
and talking of the expediency of action.
Tae sentiment Is strong that We ought to
know just where We stand. If we are to
he condemned politically because we are
Catholics we want to know it. The move
menf is one wholly with the laymen. The
Marquette Club is the mouthpiece of this
feeling. It is the intention to enlist other
organ cations of Catholic laymen in the
moyement."