The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1901-12-14
Deseret News and Catholics.

THE REPLY which the editor of the
Deseret News makes to the charge
that he slandered Catholics in his
treatment of a subject concerning New
Mexicos demand for statehood, is no
disclaimer of intention to SANDER but a
denial that he made any attack what
ever upon Catholics in New Mexico or
any other place or upon the order of
Jesuits. The editor insists that what
appeared in the Deseret News of Nov.
IL was statement of historical fact,
! i. E., that the congress rejected New
Mexico's appeals because its people
were dominated by Jesuitical influence.
To remove the sting from his former
language and give it the appearance of
inoffensive innocence. the editor of the
News admits that the same obstacle
TO tatehood-priestly subsection
was urged against Utah, but Utah at
length prevailed over the opposition
against her and we hope New Mexico
will also rise above all that has been
said against her admission into the
Union
Running two parallel lines in order
20 form an apex is not good geometry
and anv argument uniting the Mormon
and the Catholic churches on parallel
lines in discussing historical facts is
very bad logic. Bad because the Des-
eret News starts from q wrong as
sumption of facts. Bad because the real
T;.,l,
1t is up to the Deseret News to point
out its authority for stating that the
appeals of New Mexico were rejected
because the congress declared its peo-
pie were dominated by Jesuitical infiu-
ence. What member of TIE congress
made this declaration, using the lam
guage on the floor that the editor OF
the News used in the issue of Nov. -?
Let's have some light on this matter
At the close of the Mexican war, the in
habitants of all the territory won from
that Spanish American state, except
Utah. were principally Catholics. Cath
Ollie monasteries, churches and Indian
schools. taught by the Jesuit fathers,
fiourished in California to a greater
degree than they did in New Mexico. |
Why is it that no objection on the |
score of clerical influence was raised |
against the admission of California. |
which became a state soon after the |
treaty of Guadaloupe-H idalgo?
We will not admit that the editor |
Of the News states fact" until the
proof goes with it. Other than religious
exchanges reach the editor of the In
Catholic, and some of
them are the most reliable and influ-
initial in the country. Not one of them
n treating of New Mexico's demand
or statehood. presents the same rea-
sons for past objection as did the edi-
or of the News. Ali declare the rea-
sons were mainly politicai, the BaIti-
more American adding that one objec-
ion was the large number in New
Mexico who spoke only the Spanish Ian
'uage. But coupled with this state
nent there was no bigoted fling at the
Tesuits disarmed by the Anglo-S Saxon.
That form of prejudiced comment UPON
history is patented by the Des-
ret News. 1t is the single exception.
n this respect. among the daily pa
'ers of the country aiming to be ac-
urate in narrative and fair in COM
nent.
The rest of the reply made to our
correspondent might be resented by
only it amuses them. For
Example, the editors attempt to square
himself with the Jesuits by admitting
hat the Mormon priesthood also had
bad reputation, and to fortify this
andem argument he quotes the New
testament to prove that the apostles
nd elders and saints of the first Chris
ian church were "a little sect every
7here spoken against That quota
ion does not apply to bad reputa-
ion" The word bad has various
It may and does apply T,
0 criminals, or those who urge and
disobedience to law. and
hose lives are living examples of
UGH disobedience. Not one of the poor
shermen whom Christ selected to {
reach His gospel was either a polyg-
mist or Jewish politician. All the 6
postles and elders obeyed the law
rendering unto Caesar what belonged
Caesar" Their successors followed 9
! their footsteps. Whatever else NAV I
e said of them by calumniators. their
bad reputation was not obtained '
trough any likeness to the Mormon t
riesthood. +
Therefore il is that there is marked q
ifference between. the influence cxer- :
sed by the Jesuits and the power =
-ielded by the Mormon hierarchy. adj d
hitting for arguments sake that the
primer charge operated against state L
God for New Mexico. The Catholic s
hureh has never sacrificed an article Il
its creed for expediency or to gain d
official advantage. New Mexico might k
emain in territorial vsssaiage forever a
efore Catholic would yield his con- b
sience or his faith. Not so with the /.
lormon people under the rule of their i,
riesthood. Under a so-called 'revela- d
on" and to avoid the laws penalties, o