The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1901-12-07
DESERET NEWS ISLANDERS
NEW MEXICO CATHOLICS.

Editor Intermountain Catholic:
In a recent number of the Deseret
Evening News. which is the acknowl-
edge organ of the Mormon church,
there appeared an editorial respecting
the demand of New Mexico for admis-
sion 10 statehood in the Union, and l
am surprised that it has been ignored IN
the IntermCuntain Catholic. There are
unveiled and unfriendly limitations TO
! Catholicism in the article in question
/ which, to one familiar with the history
of Utah before and since her admission
! to the Union, are in extremely pad
| taste.
I The charge that in 1879 admission
/ was denied New Mexico because of the
domination of that territory by a
! Catholic organization is mystifying, as
emanating from an authentic Mormon
| source, when it is recalled that Utah
was kept from statehood for over
quarter of a century on the ground
| that her people We're in such abject
submission to dOmineeTing priesthood
that free suffrage was impossible.
This charge was denied with a vehe
mence and persistence almost unpa-
ralleled. and no more bitter denuncia-
ton of it was made than appeared in
this same church organ. In view of
the experience of this state, it would
have not only been good taste on the
part of the Mormon church organ to
have assumed that Catholics in New
Mexico had been maligned, but it
would have been more consistent with
that spirit of Christian charity which
Mormons profess, and which the News,
as the mouthpiece of a church accept
iO1np6i9te and dirapt TpUpla tinn
claims to be guided by.
The article also refers to the bad
reputation of the Catholic organiza-
ton in New Mexico. The press of the
country united in charging the Nor
mon church with all manner of in
sQuities-blacker than which were
never laid at the door of any ecclesi-
astical organiza ton. These charges are
made today. In view of this we'll
known and undeniable fact what shall
be thought of the readiness of the in
spired organ of the Mormon church
when it so eagerly and unnecessarily
AID unwarrantably refers to another or
ganization in such terms of revilement
as are applied to the body it repre-
SCENTS? If such utterances are inspired
it cannot be claimed for them that
their source is the same as that which
NeRilLCu llISIl " not lest Jney De
judged, and to turn the left cheek and
to suffer rather than give reviling and
persecution?
And as justification for now giving
TO New Mexico a statehood long denied,
the News says that the influx of the
Anglo-S Saxon element has been so great
in late years that there can be no we'll |
founded fears of turning the state, if it !
should obtain statehood, over to an or
der that has bad reputation" How
familiar all this sOundsi Exactly as
If the Tribune in it's fighting years
were referring to the church of which |
the News is the authorized mouth |
piece. Again: More than half CEN
fury of schooling for the duties of |
statehood should be sufficient" This |
was the excuse given when those who |
had so bitterly opposed the admission |
Of Utah found it would be to their per- |
soEal advantage and to the advantage |
OF the political parties whose welfare |
they were trying to promote when they |
finally commended and supported the !
movement to secure statehood for
Utah.
Every charge which the News so
freely brings against Catholics in New
Mexico has been iterated and reiterated
against Mormons in Utah, together
With other charges beyond comparison
n number and in iniquity. UnfailingIy
these were denied by the Mormons
an1 the News, their organ. That paper
and the people behind it asked to be
and branded the charges as
infamous, and it took long years be-
ore the public temper so altered that
t would tolerate even the suggestion
II the admission of Utah to statehood. /
1t would seem that the lesson of ad-
'erslty to the Mormon people has been
II little profit, since their organ is so
'eady to accept and repeat charges
against Catholic organization in an
'Iher state. 1t must also be apparent
nat the merciful and tolerant teach
ngs OF Christ do not appeal to the in
plred gentleman who Yields the pen
N the organ Of the Mormon church.
am frank to say the article dis
'usted me. I am neither a Catholic
Tor Mormon. but the readiness of the
views to pounce upon another religion
nat, so far as this country is con-
erned has lived in amity with all other
ecclesiastical organizations, is both
auseating and disheartening. I have
ct to hear that Catholics anywhere
ave promulgated, preached and prac-
lced doctrines in violation of the plain
dW OF the land; but that the Nor
non church has done this, and the
'eseret News also, even its editor can
ot deny. Not only this, but the Nor
ION priesthood, in contradiction to
atholic policy, has compelled it's people
. violation of laws, and gloried in
heir defiance
The Mormon priesthood, in view of
IL the past could well afford to repu-
late the utterances of the writer in
ne News, who volunteered an assault
pon the Catholic organization in New
lexico. {"
AN ITNp LrnErnrnn