The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-10-15
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND OF ST
PAUL OPPOSES THE CHI
CAGO PLATFORM.
FREE SILVER A SECONDARY ISSUE.
What Especially Displcases the Prclate
Is the Attack ON Supreme Court
and Other Socialstic Principles
Contained in the Platform.

81 puul. Oct. ll.-ArchhiShup Ire
land in response to the written i'pu'S
of rwcnty-scvcn business men OF thl'
state who are of all politics. gave the
following statement addressed 10 them
so the Associated Press:
II am not unwilling, in the crisis
through which the country Is now pass
ing. 10 speak for the integrity "i lh'
nation for social order, for the prosperity
of the people for the honor OF America
and the urrmanency of free institutions
| am a citizen of this country. cph''rH'u
in nil the interests of the nation, subject
to NIL the responsibilities of citizenship
To Ice silent when words of mine may
he Of some profit To the people would De
,owardy. would be- crime
Il am not nmindful Of the "hJrctioh
made against churchmcn speaking nj any
time ON matters which have entered the
arena of politics. lest his influences rs
,t,och,r of religion seem To be used 10
uromotc the interests of political party.
| might reply that there are occasions
when n political platform means disaster
10 the country. when politics are CLOSELY
connected with morals or religion, ana
that ON these occasions the churchman
must hc the patriot. without allowing Il
moments thought 10 considerations OF
eNpcdiency. and must take in hand the
moral or religious issue, even II II De
vested in the garment of politics But
i'm tnr prescnt instance | seek 10 excuse
of this kind; speak entirely rs the citi-
zen. without warrant from my eccleSi-
astical position. Deep as my convic-
tons are. | hold in all due respect my
fellow citizens who hold convictions NJ
variance with mine. mpcach neither
their good faith nor their honor, | am
dealing, not with men. but with prln-
cipleS and movements. This justice
which | render 10 those whose ideas |
am ready 10 combat. | am sure they
will render 10 me- stand by the plat,
form and the presidential candidate OF
the republican convention Of ~. Louis.
am opposed 10 the platform aid the
presidential candidate of the demo
cratic convention AT Chicago. The days
of the civil war excepted, AT Ito time dld
50 great peril threaten the country. rs
that which is involved in the political
campaign of today.
'"fhe question of free ana unlimited
coinage of silver Is put IN the fore
ground. This question has its impor-
tanCC, hut il is of 4 minor Importance III
the presence of other questions which
are brought into the issue. The move
mcnt which had its expression in the
Chicago convention and which row seeks
1 - MI in al
throne itself in the capitol ot the nation
is. in its logical effect. against the lnited
States: il is secession, the secession Of
1851. which our soldiers believed they
had consigned 10 eternal death NJ Appo-
mattON. but which seeks recognition from
the American people. The declaration
in the Chicago platform has and can have
No other meaning.
1--WE dcnounce the arbitrary iutcrter-
enCe 10y federal authorities in local AT
fairs as violation Ut the constitution of
the United States. a. crime against
free Institutions.
The words point To- the act Of Grover
Cleveland in sending United States
troops 10 protect national property and
enforce national laws during the Chi
cage riots in 1874. In those words
there is the old secession doctrine that
states are independent Of the national
government nj Washington; there is the
annullmcut of the Union. there * notice
served upon the ta- Of America that
outside the District nj Columbia II Is
without power of Sclt-aSSertion or self
defense. The president Of the mtSd
States is told 10 enforce national laws
and protect national property. hut he
can not march his troops into any state
without the authorization of the governor
NJ that state. Speakers AT the Couven-
ton N Chicago understood the SiGnln-
canoe Of the declaration and VoiCTt Its
spirit. 1 come from Il state which was
the home uf Sv,r'S>ioU, said Senator Till
man Of South Carolina. i say he CON
tiuued, ii is Il sectional issue, and IL will
prevail
And fitting was il that the speaker
voicing this spirit of the Chicago cOnYeu-
ton should h. the representative of South
Carolina. Thrice has South Carolina
spoken for Scce>>iou-when il passed, in
lS;S2, the nulli6CaJjou or,jiuauc,. when in
1861 il fired on Fort Sumter. when. in
1896, il cries out: n sectional issue,
and il will prevail
The platform OF the Chicago touvtn.
ton threatens the country with de>tcuy-
tion ii social order. with lawlC>SUcs> ami
anarchy. The per>0Ui1C0tjau Of law. ot
social order in America. : uUr courts,
and the promise ot safety Jo our free