The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-06-12
THE WEST: POINT CHAPEL.

The Catholic press of the entire coun-
try, with the exception of few insig-
.nificant sheets, of qRepublican proclivi-
ties, is unanimouse in condemning the
recent decision Of Attorney General Nc
Kenna in the West, Point chapel case.
The Irish Standard was among the
first to Charge the Catholic official in
McKinley's cabinet with weakness Of
the backbone in. the face of sectarfan
:bigotry; and we are glad to find that
such papers as the Philadelphia. Stand
ard and Times and the Western Watch
man are in accord with us on that
point. =
Were we in the place of Mr.. McKenna
we would suggest in our decision that
members of every religious denomina-
ton, Jew and Christian, in the army
and navy of the United States, should
have every facility afforded them by
the government to worship God accord
ing to the dictates of their own con-
sciences, the same as in foreign coun-
tries. The government ought to erect
at West Point a large building capable
of accommodating the members of the
various denominations, something after
the plan of the Chicago Art Institute,
where the Congress of Religions was
held at the time of the Worlds Fair.
II the government does not erect and
pay the expense of such a structure, let
the different denominations demanding
religious services do it in proportion to
the space occupied by them in the build
ing. Surely the men engaged in the
service of Uncle Sam should not be
ostracized by the government in return
for their patriotism and devotion to the
flag. But probably the best presentation
of the case that we have seen is the fol-
lowing from the Boston Republic:
There is a Protestant chapel. on the
reservation. 1t was built by the gov
eminent. An Episcopalian minister,
who is paid by the treasury, holds SER
vices there. BY what right? Has the
attorney general directed his thoughts
or his attention to this institution? Is
it lawful for the government to tax
Catholics for the support of a Protest
ant church and the salary of Protest
ant minister and at the same time to
deny them the right to erect and MAIN
tain by private subscription chapel for
their own user Has the government
of the United statek the right to estab-
lish state or national church? This
is expressly prohibited by the eonstitu-
ton. Yet sudh! church exists upon
the government lands at West Point.
The issue has been raised by the hon
cradle attorney general. The Catholic
body may we'll accept it, and fight for
their rights under it. They must have
equality of opportunity and condition at
West Point. If Protestants are to have
a church and a minister at the expense
of the taxpayers; they must have similar
advantages. If such advantages are not
granted, then they9 have right to de-
.mand that the Protestant chapel be
abolished. LiberalSminded men of all
seots and denominations will admit the
fairness of this proposition
: As preliminary to the formal de-
mand for Catholic rights, there should
be. a clear and comprehensive statement
of the number and character of the re-
,ligious establishments maintained upon
the military reservations. of the United
States. These are clearly illegal insti-
tutions If the dictum Of the attorney
generalsis to have. a wide application.
For=it stands to reason that Il the e.ec-