The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-09-20
THE APPLEToNs EXPLAIN.
catholic Transcrint.O


The avalanche of criticism which the
Messenger of the Sacred Heart has
caused to flow in upon the publishers
of Appleton's Universal Cyclopedia and
Atlas, has duly compelled the attention
OF that firm. They have called the
author of the original article into con-
ference and Father Wynee assures us
| that their explanation has been honor
able and entirely satisfactory. We are
soon to have corrected edition of the
great work and the errors of the pres
ent volume will be carefully elimin-
| ated.
According to the tenor of the ex-
| PLANTATION made by the company we
must look to the Most Rev Archbisht
op Keane for reasons why so many
things detrimental to Catholics found
their way into the work. We should
be slow to overload that prelate with
such responsibility, but if we are to
accept the defense fixed upon by the
publishers, we must recur go Dubuque
for supplementary statement.
The Appletons, in their note to Fa-
Their Wynne, speak continually of the
Catholic articles" submitted to DR..
Keane's approval If we remember
well, other writings than those dealing
with distinctively Catholic questions
fell under the scope of the Messengers
structures, and His Grace is not held
accountable for the incidental injus-
tees perpetrated. The eXplanat ton of
the company is not, therefore, so ex-
haustive as some of us could have de-
sired
AS the document reads, one naturally
wonders what defense the Catholic
censor is to vouchsafe Can it be that
the archbishop with hand free to rec
THY and prune, knowingly and willingly
suffered so many unscholarly and un-
fair statements to find place in an
educational work of such dignity and
weight? We presume that His Grace
has not the leisure to devote to a
thorough re-editing of such a volumin-
Gus publication-if such, indeed were
his office under the arrangement-and
we are pleased and encouraged to note
that at his suggestion the names of
three distinguished professors of the
Catholic university will hereafter stand
as an earnest for the fairness and re-
liability of the Universal Encyclopedia
and Atlas. 1t is, however, to be hoped
that these gentlemen will not accept
the obligation if they have not the
time and inclination to discharge their
office thoroughly.
The publishers avow their intention
to be fair to Catholics. Let us hope
that they will give us at length a Cy-
clopedia which will tell the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
And while our Catholic critics are at
work they should not f1atter themselves
that the Appletons are the only pub
fishers of monumental works who have
offended by misrepresenting the church
of Christ, and those who love it, be-
lieve in it, and devote their energies to
its advancement. Fairness to the
firm under criticism and fairness and
justice to themselves require them to
look into the other encyclopedias.
Why should not Father Wynne con-
tinue the good work? He has special
facilities and he can count upon the
cooperation of the weekly papers
throughout the countrN. Has not the
time come when no American publish
er can afford to be anything but care
full, exact. fair and unprecedented in
treating of things Catholic? 1t has
If we Catholics have energy enough to
assert our right to fair play and our
determination to have it or else tighten
the strings of our purse. If we con-
tinue to be the victims of misrepresent-
alton, the misfortune will be, in soma
way, chargeable to ourselves.