The Irish standard., 1900-06-23

ASASS VI tAelI rights! lHey are 1altftul
to the maxim: Eternal vigilance is the
price of liberty We are so accustomed
to suffering that we readily resign our
selves to it, and utter only feeble cry
when it has become unbearable. Let
the national administration or the state
legislatures attempt to interfere with the
smallest claims. of the sects, and imme-
diately their voice is heard in clarion
tones throughout the length and
breadth of the land; and delegation
after delegation of their representative
laymen besiege the Legislative halls.
The result of this has been that the
most unscruplous politicians, in very
few instances, have dared oppose their
interests or their demands.
"The treatment we have received
from the present national administra-
ton is simply outrageous. Should not
the commissions to our new possessions
have had several Catholic members?
They alone could intelligently weigh
and appreciate the religious condition
OF those countries, and suggest mea-
sures suitable for the adjustment of new
civil conditions so as to enlist the strong
assistance of the religious element in
the interest of peace, order and good
government
Instead OF approaching the problem
in broad, statcsmanlike manner, the
prejudices against our government
sown by the Spaniards were given the
semblance OF truth by the disgracefu
conduct OF Our soldiers, their disregard
OF the religion and the sacred edi6ces
where the solemn rites so dear to every
Catholic heart were daily performed
at is scarcely possible to speak calm
ly OF the injustice done our Indian
schools. Cardinal Gibbons and Arch
bishops Ryan and Kahn employ the fol-
lowing language in an appeal for funds:
Despite the fact that religious orders
and other Catholic bodies have equipped
schools for the education of Indian
childrcn-in full confidence that the
government would not reverse its recog.
nized and successful policy OF subsdiz-
ing their schools-yet in the height OF
their success and notwithstanding that
they were doing the work cheaper and
better than it could be done by the gov
ernment, the greater part OF the subsidy
has been withdrawn and eventually will
be withdrawn entirely, and these WELL
founded good works OF Catholic bencv-
olence begun in good faith and with
great expenditure OF time and money,
are to be abandoned to their fate The
cry, OF course is the usual one: The
schools are sectarian.' Thus do bigots
strive to cover up their hatred Of the
church and to show their preference
for unbclicf, when there is question OF
the Catholic church. They would ra-
Their have the Indian children grow UP
without religion than to be educated as
Catholics. In their blind hatred they
place themselves in opposition to all
Christianity and attempt to dignity a
form Of Christianity so diluted that it
is reduced to a sort OF refined pagan
ism with the title 'unsectarian'
There are many other grievances to
which I might refer, but these are suf-
fcicnt to show the necessity Of arous-
ing ourselves from the lcthargy which
has been creeping over It's during sew
eral years. We have been silent while
Our enemies were pushing lis to the
wall, and the impression has been grad
ually gaining ground that anything was
good enough for lis; and we ourselves
were beginning to clasp the hand offer
ing lis the slightest recognition.
eve should not be content with re-
naming in the background; we must
push to the front We stand not alone,
although we are able to do So There
are many intelligent, large-hearted, or,
as the politicians say, 'wide-gauged,
liberal-minded men, such as Senator
Vest, who, in eloquent and pathetic Ian
guage, will lend assistance in behalf oil
just and honorable cause.
eve allow ourselves to be put aside
too easily, on the plea that it is useless
to assert our rights. Even if we should
fail betimes to obtain what is our due
let us not create false impression by
silence and permit our American fellow
countrymen to conclude that we are sat
ishcd. Remember that the gospel in
junction is applicable here: Ask and
you shall receive
My contention is that Catholics be-
longing to societies, indeed all Catho
lies, should endcavor to correct the con.
dition OF torpor into which we have
fallen.
"Let me proceed a step further. Mo-
only is the apathy among the laty wher
there is question Of their religious
rights: many also fail to support the
Catholic interests as they should. Take
for instance, our Catholic colleges ant
convent schools. Is it not shame, with
such seats Of learning as we now pos.
$, sess, that Catholics should patronizs
sectarian institutions to the imminen,
danger of the faith OF their offspring?
Every one knows that the religious
and moral as we'll as the educational
life OF Our higher institutions of learn.