The San Francisco call., 1896-02-17

lie
fight has been before the people for some
time. Up to 1892 there were other than
the Roman Catholic churches drawing
money from the National Treasury for In
dian missions, but in 1892 the other
churches withdrew"
The speaker then read the various reso-
lutions passed by the great Protestant de-
nominational bodies of the country declar-
ing against and refusing to further accept
Government aid for Indian schools and
missions. THAT" said the speaker, sis
American" He next related the hearing
before the Indian Commissioners on this
subject in December 1898, at which all
carnations were represented. He added
that j. A. Stevens, representing the Catho-
lie church, charged that those who asked
for the withdrawal of Government aid
from Indian schools and missions did so
with design OF driving the Catholic
church out of this particular field and
that their efforts savored strongly of
hypocrisy. Following this line of thought
he said:
81 say this is not 80. / hope that all the
different religious organizations will go on
with their work in the Indian missionary
field. Let them work among the indians
as long as they please. Let them plan
their schools and carry on their religious
teachings if they want to, and if it is in
the others out let them do so, but not with
Government aid. This is un-American
this is Jesuitical.
They are opposed to withdrawing pub
lie appropriations for the support Of Sec
tartan schools and opposed to the unsecu-
larization of those schools. The A. P. A.
says again that this is going to stop. TAp-
plause.] 1t is only question of time.
The American people are determined. We
believe in the fundamental principle of
our Government. We believe in uphold
ing our own institutions.
Some one might say that I have made
very harsh statement. but when l see
and the American people behold Pope Leo
XIII on the Tlber saying to the American
citizens, You must withdraw from the
MasonS, from the Odd Fellows; you must
withdraw from the Knights of Pythias,
the Sons of Temperance, because l, Pope
Leo XIII, in Rome, Italy, place those in
stitutions in America under the BAN
believe that it is about time that the
American people should stand up for the
fundamental principles of the American
Government, and | believe it is time the
American, people should place every Jes-
ultlcal organization under the ban to that
extent that we invite them to say good by
to America. If this were done there would
be cry go up of persecution. The Pope
would say that the American has taken
what has he said about the Pope taking
action against our American societies
Not word. And we now properly ask
the question, Who commenced the putting
under ban, anyway
Fellow citizens, l had proposed to
speak to you to-day upon the continuation
OF the proper definitions of the planks of
the platform of the A. P. A, but | have
not taken up that subject at all; nor shall
L take it up at this time. Were it not that
| lad been advertised for this platform to-
day would not have been with you'll
would have been in my bed.
Il believe that the time is not far dis
tant that the sentiment that is being
nodded through the width and breadth Of
our land by the A. P. A, will result in bet
ter government, in the perfection of our
plans that America is to be Amer in the
true sense of Americanism-that all are to
be equal; that the church is to be recog-
nized by the State.
when next November will have come
and gone l believe that the A. P. A. will
have led one OF the most glorious victories
and that that victory will have perched on
our banner and that the old patriots will
look upon our flag and feel that America
has been rescued from her enemies
This organization is not an organiza-
ton to go against that man or that woman
or girl and prosecute them because they
are Cotholics, and / am ashamed of the
man or woman who when confronted with
great questions as these, standing on great
principles, will so far lose sight of the issue
as to commence a personal fight against
some individual because of his religion.
We are not engaged in any such fight, but
we are going TO stand for the true princi-
pies OF Americanjsm, and on these princi-
pies we are going to march into victory
next November