The Irish standard., 1896-05-30

Mckinley make you a little unfair (tor SO
liberal and fair-m.ndedf paper as The
Times towards the American Protective
Association, as evidenced by your editorial
Thursday morning? You certainly can
not be subject Of the pope. and as you are
a historian you know that a member IN
good standing of the Roman Catholic
church owes his first allegiance, spiritually
and temporarily to the pope Of Rome, and
also that Republicanism and Roman Ca
tholic:sn are incompatible. The attitude
Of the church on our public school system,
ever since i was inaugurated, proves this,
without the presence Of that eminent Amer
lean, Cardinal satolli, in this country,
charged with the special duty Of instructing
American prelates and priests on that ques-
ton. |, am not a member Of any church
organization, nor Of the A. p. A. but be-
Leve the greatest danger that menaces our
free institutions at the present time, Is the
possible ascendancy to the Roman church,
in our political system, through its 100000
of voters, voting as one man, under the
orders of their priests and bishops Your
views and mine, on most other subjects, are
so nearly in accord, that feel Ike asking
you to give the A. p. A. as fair show in
your paper as you do the churches.
AN Old Subscriber.
This gives one an idea of the intelligence
of some men who are ever ready to sit in
Judgment upon the actions and opinions OF
others. The statements that Catholic
owes his first allegiance, spiritually and
temporarily, to the pope of Rome, and also
that Republicanism and Roman Catholi-
clsm are Incompatible are so laughable be-
cause of their absurdity as to necess:tate
no argument to prove the contrary. While
the writer Of the screed comedies that the
editor Of The Times is historian he clearly
shows that he Is no historian hinselt-that
he never even got so far as the primer Of
history.
No prelate in the Catholic church-the
pope himself or any other dignitary-ever
thinks of counselling. or controlling in any
way, directly or indirectly, the political
opinions or affiliations Of any man. He
may counsel with his fellow men, Catholic
or Protestant, or even argue with him upon
the nations political affairs, but when he
does so it is done as an individual and not
as pope, cardinal, archbishop, bishop or
priest In recent letter Cardinal Gibbons
said the same in substance when ques
toned concerning the matter.
But how about the incompatb!lity of Re-
publicanism and Catholicism? Have the
Catholics not been as brave, intelligent and
progressive in the affairs of this republic
as any other? Have they not proven their
valor on the field, their achievements in
legislation and their advocacy and advance
ment in the arts and sciences, as well as ID
all other departments Of life? Have they
ever thrown straw in the way OF national
advancement? From the days Of Patrick
Henry to the present have not their orators
and statesmen been found in the front
ranks for the well-being of the race? 1t is
not necessary to enumerate instances as
every school boy knows the record, and it
would be waste Of time and space to 60 into
details even for the enlightment Of "An
Old Subscriber"
As to the remark concerning Cardinal
Satolli it carries its own refutation on Its
face, and as to the attitude Of the church on
our public school system it is sufficient to
mention the fact that the two we'll known
men of the church, Archbishop Ireland and
Father C!eary, never cease in their advo-
cacy of the public schools. Others do SO
also, but they are not heard SO often, per-
haps, on public platforms as the two spe-
cially mentioned.
AS the little-souled gentleman under dis
cuss.on fears the ascendancy Of the Cath
Ole church in this country he should re-
move at once to Patagonia or the Fiji
Islands, so that he would be out of harms
way. In those localities he might furnish
an acceptable meal even if he were not
al