The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-03

=, Editor Cal-Dear Sir: The San Fran
cisco Bulletin has replied to my letter
of yesterday morning by three columns
: Of personal vttuperation. I am not in
this controversy for personal reasons.
and therefore I deem 81 beneath me to
waste my time on the Boughten Bulle-
tin. I have made certain assertions be-
fore the people of this city. If these as
sertions are false let those who oppose
me prove their falsity. If these assertions
are true Mr.: PheIan stands convicted
of supporting men who have declared
; that Catholics are not entitled to equal
rights with their fellow citizens. No
amount of personal abuse can alter the
truth or. falsity of my assertions. I am
appealing to the people, and the people
are sWayed not by words but by argu-
ments, not by bilingsgate but by tes-
timony,- not by evil-speaking but by
facts. -"
The people of this city are quick to-
discern the true state. of affairs in a
controversy like the present. They
know it is a question of principle not a
question of personality. Therefore all
the personal attacks, all the lying
charges, all the: cowardly innuendoes,
all the whispered. suggestions of the
Bulletin go for naught. 1t IS not the
first time in San Francisco that my per-
sonaI character has. been aspersed, my
standing with my fellow Catholics as
sailed, my motives questioned. my
name :reyiTed. They who: have done SO
already have gone down tnglorious into
the filth which they SO lavishly threw,
and those who now. do so shall as surely
descend: into the mud from which they
have sprung: -
sonal affairs into this. controversy, but
the tactics of the .Boughten Bulletin
leave no. other course. This, the pur-
chased organ. OF. Mr.: James D. Phelan.
has chosen. to:attack my moral charac-
ter and: to present me to the public as a
priest unworthy of his calling, insub-
ordinate to his superiors and deprived
of his official standing: i: haye nothing
in this wide. world but: my, good name.
I have nothing among: my own people
but the reputation of doing. my duty
toward" God and toward them. have
no money, for have not sold myself
to a millionaire; i have. no power, for
1 have not bartered my soul for politi-
cal preferment-I have nothing but the
- sestly character and the report Of an
upright life. Therefore I may be par
doned if my personal affairs take up
some Of. your space this morning. 1
owe something to my friends, and the
ledSl lIldl Is QQS " lily BELL Is lIldi
lings Of James D. Phelan shall not cal
umniate ME with impunity.
The Bulletin declares this evening in
its coWardly fashion that am an in
subordinate priest, disobedient' to the
commands or expressed wishes of my
superiors, that L have lost my position
as editor of the Monitor and thatI have
broken with my companions of the
clergy and my friends Of the laity. If
the Bulletin had the courage that we
usually associate with manliness it
would be easy to meet it If the Bull
letin will dare say that in position. In
character, in office, in employment, in
grade, in anything in the sight of the
Catholic church l stand to-day IN worse
position than. l. stood a. year ago or two
years ago the: law: of: the land. would
give me redress, to :obtain which L
would sell the shirt off my back and
the shoes off my feet. Will the. Bulle-
tin dare say ]. am not a. priest in good
standing in the Catholic church? Will
the Bulletin dare say 1 ain not editor
of the Monitor?' Will the Bulletin. dare
say I am not chancellor of the arch
diocese of San Francisco? Will the Bull
letin dare assert that 1 have 'disobeyed
even in the slightest particular. the
expressed wishes or commands of those
who are set over me-? Let the editor of
the Bulletin for. once In the long ca
reer. that he has spent in crawling on
his belly on the ground stand erect like
man; and then 1 shall know how to
deal with him and to protect my good
name by the resources of the law.
To lend color to its calumnieS the