The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-16
ADDRESS TO THE puBrrc.
some of Montgomery's Minister Speak on the Hospital Question.

|
 Some of Montgomery's Minister.
 Speak on the Hospital Question.
 To the Citizens of Montgomery:
 In response to the inquiries of oui
 people It is our duty to advise them as
 to the merits of the present proposa
 Tor Roman Catholic Hospital in this
 city. Under the circumstances, how
 ever. such advice is difficult. We dc
 not Know just what the proposal is l Many well-meaning statements have | been made. but these seem to be wholly
 without authority There Is no definite
 or authoritative proposal before the | community-not a line has been off, fered over the names and signatures | of those who will be absolutely in con- trol of the institution. We await a frank, candid, explicit and business
 like statement of the suggested plans. If these plans contemplate a private
 institution supported entirely and ex- clusively by personal and private sub scriptions, we repoice in their purpose and We have neither criticism to sug- gest nor opposition to offer.
 Upon the other hand. we fear that such are not the plans proposed. Re- peated reference has been made to the illustration of the city of Mobile where
 the public hospital is controlled by one
 church the Roman Catholic) but ie-
 supported by taxes levied upon all. The
 suggestion is also made that the city of Montgomery may farm out to the
 proposed hospital here a certain num-
 Der of its sick, provided said hospital can care for such patients at the cheapest rate. We are courteously, but earnestly opposed to any system
 vxrh Q tr-
 rectly, the use of public monies in aid of a sectarian institution. Most of our Protestant churches have volun- tarily rejected the government appro- priations in aid of their Indian work through their consistent desire to prove true to one of the fundamental prin- ciples of American institutions.
 We are told that this is to be a charity hospital Is 1t to be a charity hospital in the sense that the poor and the suffering in this city are to be cared for without charge to the city of Montgomery? It is claimed that the proposed hospital Is to be non- sectarian. Is 1t to be on-sectarian in the sense in which our old Montgom- cry Inf1rmary is non-sectarian? Are all the responsible elements of the community to be represented in its control? We do not refer to a nomi- nal Advisory Board" having no organic connection with the institution and no authority to control its manage ment. If the actual management of the hospital is to bc fairly representa- tive of the city, it's classes and its churches. then 1t will be non-secta-iap. But if it is to be non-sectarian only in the sense that it will receive all who come. then there is not a church in this city that Is not similarly mon sectarian." Each of the churches will receive anybody and everybody. The doors of all are open. Every one of our sectarian orphan asylums Tn the State Is. in that sense. non-sectarian. Any dependent child will be received But We do not think of claiming that these asylums are "non-sectarian. They are controlled exclusively by their respective denominations. If the projected hospital Is to be controlled and managed solely by the authorities of the Roman Catholic Church, it can- not. in reason. be called a non-sectari- an institution.
 It can be so neither in fact nor in influence. Human nature Is human nature. and just as Protestant human nature is Protestant human nature so ItOIIldH SdtHOllC HdIuIC IS <NO- man Catholic human nature. 1t Is natural that it should be so. This in- ference is not based on theoretic fears,
 but on well known facts. Some of cur number have had first-hand knowledge of such "non-sectarian" institutions. The Protestant clergy have been de- nied access to their patients. their
 visits to their patients have been left unreported, their offers of sympathetic cooperation have been rejected, their presence in the wards of the sick has been embarrassed by quiet, but unre- lenting opposition. This the sad reco4,- of facts, facts in our own ex-
 rerience, facts which we record rot rom enmity of heart. but solely in the interest of our own people and for the sake of their ultimate protection.
 For the Protestant people of Mont somery have their rights. This is not numerically a Roman Catholic commit uity. Most of the taxes of our city come from non- Roman Catholics. An overwhelming proportion of our popu- lation is non- Roman Catholic. Every child has right to be taught, at the public charge, free from the direct in- flueEce of any particular denomina- tim. Such influence, upon the sick. is either persuasive and effective, or 1t is depressing and annoying. The right of the citizen to be cared for free from such influence is a right which is vio- lated if the Protestant is subjected to the care of those who (perhaps with the sweetest saintliness of spiriD are teaching their religion not only by ev- cry appointment of dress but by every habit of their lives. We have the ten- derest regard for the Sisters of Char ity We only pay them respect and esteem when we declare that they are devoted to the interests of their ancient and historic church. We do not assail them and we do not as- sail their church. We do, however, re- spectfully submit that if the city of should turn over the non- to their care, the right of the non- Catholic is violated. The right of the poor among our citizens to be cared for free from the direct influ- ence of any particular denomination is ! right which the city of Montgomery must protect. The city of Montgomery cannot properly sell that right. The | ,ity cannot properly farm out that | tight to the lowest bidder The city l cannot properly give 1t away.
 In conclusion. we beg leave to say | hat the municipality Is not facing the | ssue of "a Roman Catholic hospital or 10 hospital at all." That impression S wholly unfounded. The manage. nent of the modest institution which las so long served the afflicted of this ity gave the people not a Protestant hospital nor a Roman Catholic hospital, ut a hospital representing all They lave offered their property to the city, nd the city has secured authority to