The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-09-29
M'KINLEY LACKS ETTIQUETrE
His Very Unmannerly Conduct at
Catholic Functions.

4AAS WY Oum0uuSI1y NUuVuSI ~
Catholic Functions.
Says the Washington special cores.
pondent Of the New York Freeman's
Journal:
The following is clipped from the
current number of Catholic publica-
ton:
Several of our Catholic papers have
descended into the dirt of the arena
and are heralding to the world the
anti Catholic attitude of the President
rs seen in his behavior in Catholic
churches. 1t is asserted that when
his official position compels him to at
tend divine service in one of our Cath
Ollie churches, he sits when the rest of
the congregation kneels or stands, and
this is cited as an evidence of studied
disrespect on his part. We doubt the
accuracy of the statement. Statements
not borne out by the facts are hardly
in keeping with the standards of pa
pers that fly the name Catholic Mt the
masthead"
On August % and August 80, your
correspondent had occasion to call at
tenti0n, through the columns of the
Freemans Journal to certain specific
facts of the Presidents conduct. to
wit: That at the obsequies of Senior
Matias Romero, the Mexican Ambas-
sador, and the memorial services in
honor of President Faure OF France
and King Humbert of Italy, President
Mckinley attended divine service in a
Catholic church, and that be elected to
adopt decidedly protesting attitude
toward the ceremony of the Mass.
His conduct on these occasions was
contrasted with his department on n
similar occasion in an Episcopal
church where ceremonies of a memOr.
ial nature were held as a mark of re.
spect to the life and character of Lord
Hershel, who died in Washington
while acting as one of the Joint High
Commissioners in the negotiations
then pending among the cabinets of
the United States, Great Britain and
Canada. In the one instance it pleased
President Mckinley to ignore the ETH
quette proper at n Catholic ceremonial.
On the other occasion he conformed
in every particular to the customs Of
the congregation.
The editorial quoted above makes
various structures upon the ethics of
such n criticism, which are of little i'm
portance. That the editor, should
doubt the accuracy Of the statement
is another matter. A lively sense Of
favors yet to come is a strong incen,
tive to doubt; but the writer of the
editorial above quoted has every reason
to know that the opportunities of the
reporter Of the facts stated were such
that the accuracy of his statements
should not be readily doubted. 1t was
believed by the writer that "the mar
row, provincial bigotry or rural ignor-
ance of the demands of courtesy on
the part Of the President of the United
States, Mr.. Mckinley" to quote the
able critic, We're proper subjects for
criticism on the part of reporter paid
to chronicle events of interest to
Roman Catholics in a Roman Catholic
The time has passed when Catholics
should tolerate provincial bigotry or
rural ignorance, and the time has
never come when any person can
doubt the accuracy Of statement
made by correspondent Of the Free
mans Journal in relation to matter
of physical fact, /
For the information 2, the critic it
may be stated that. the conduct Of
President Mckinley has several times
panied Ind Inundated the diplomatic
guests within our gates. On many oc-
casions they, have regretted that the
august ceremonies Of their religion
should be condemned by the President
of the United States.
This matter has been more notice
able because of the fact that at times
members Of President McKinley's
cabinet have been covered with con-
fusion by the fact that with uncon
sclous politeness they have conformed
to the, eustt9qlms 9f the Catholic service.
At the memorial service for King
Humbert a cabinet secretary stood
when the congregation rose to ac-
knowledge the Christian gospel. No
ticing the rigid protest of his chiefs
attitude. he was compelled to resume
his seat with very red face.
1t may be, interesting to know. tina,
when the President and his. cabinet
gather at n function of this sort there
are thirty.four nations represented at
This cdpftal.. Twenty Of these are Cath
olic; one, Russia, schismatic Catholic;
five are heather, six are Protestant,