The Irish standard., 1898-04-09
A BLACK EYE FOR THE BlGOTs.


A BLACK EYE FOR THE BlGOTS.
The ignorant followers of King Will
liam. Of Orange, were taught lesson
In religious liberty the other day in
Minneapolis by the members of the pub
lie library board. 1t will be remem-
bered that last December the library d.
rectors placed Coffins STORY of Liberty
under the ban by striking it off the list
OF reference books and withdrawing it
from circulation. This was done after
the Irish Standard had drawn their at
tention to the offensive and illiberal
character of the book. Soon thereafter
tho Orangemen of the city held an in
dignation meeting and swore by
tho pious, glorious and immortal men,
ory' OF the hero of the Boyne that back
to the reference list, the book should and
would go, and that it's circulation in
stead of being stopped should be extend
ed more than ever. They Immediately
set to work to get up monster petition
demanding the board to rescind it's ac-
ton and restore to. it's former position
tho noble production of the Boston
writer. AT the meeting of the board last
Monday in the library building as many
as q petitions containing tho signatures
OF some $4,000 persons old and young,
malo and female, were presented by the
followers Of William III, praying for the
restoration of the obnoxious volume, and
protesting against tho ostracism Of any
book at tho request of any religious de-
nomination.
President Northrop, Of the State Uni
board, moved to suspend the regular Or
der OF business in order to take UP the
discussion Of the book. DR.. Hosmer, the
librarian, produced tho numerous Pc
titions. which ran in the same vein.
President Walker invited any person
who wished to speak for the book and
in support Of the petitions to arise and
express his views, but no one responded.
Though $4,000 persons had asked to re-
tain the "Story of Liberty" not one
dared to appear in behalf Of the in
famous publication.
Tho first opponent Of the book to Of
fer objections and give reasons therefor
was Rev. ]. M. Cleary, the popular pastor
Of ST. Charles church. He called it vile
production, teeming with vice and vul-
sarity. and unfit for any person Of clean
character to read cts illustrations"
continued Father Cleary, care an insult
to art. All Catholic characters are
represented as brutal, vulgar and licen-
tous. The Catholics arc accused Of
holding that tho king can do no wrong
"a principle which they have never de-
fcndcd. The inconsistency of Collins
work is seen from the fact that he holds
up Queen Elizabeth as a paragon of vir-
tue and veracity when 1t Is an historical
fact that sho was the opposite.
Tho whole book is an attempt to
prove that tho Catholic church is q
conspiracy against everything that is
good. In the namo of $4,000 or 10000
Catholics of Minneapolis, 1 protest
against this book being kept in
the public library or any other public in
stitution at the public expense. If tho
book denounced any other religion in the
Same terms thatait denounces the Cath
olio church, would mako just as strong
a protest against 1t"
Tho next speaker In opposition to the
book was Rev. DR.. David N. Beach, The
pastor of Plymouth Congregational
church. He prefaced his remarks by
saying that he knew the, author Of the
book personally, and also his relatives,
who were members of his church at Cam
bridge, Mass, and it was a disagreeable
duty for him to condemn the work. BE-
fore reading the book he had no SYM
pathy with the spirit in which the Pc
ttion had been circulated, and had less
after reading it. = AT the same time he
had been under tho impression that the
Catholics were little bit sensitive in
asking for the books withdrawal.
Assuming that there are no inaccu-
racies in the book" he said, land no
doubt there are thousands. object to its
retention on tho shelves of this library.
In the first place, 1t is harmful to the
children whom wa are endeavoring to
train alright My other objection is that
it does not contain word of praise for
tho self-sacrifice and heroism of Cath
olics for the cause of liberty. If it was
necessary to point out their bad points
it should havo been just as important to
tell OF their good deeds. The book