The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-04-11


days which preceded the outbreak
the civil war. While the general prlh
cipIes discussed are of perennial inter
est it must be borne in mind that tn
first shot fired at Fort Sumter Obliter
ated in a moment from the field of poll
tics and the memory of men many o
the issues here discussed. The danger
attending the mngling of polite
and religion, and the unwsdom of tn
reverend clergy allowing themselve
to be dragged into party fights wer
pointed out last week. The present in
stallment deals chiefly with civil serv
ice reform, then, as now. most i'm
portant issue in the world of politics.
CONVERSATION VI. (Continued.)
"Unhappily," said Diefenbach, "ther'
are Catholic as we'll as non Catholic
I demagogues, and the nature of the ont
J is the same as the nature of the other
! Catholic demagogues find their inter
ests connected with those of party, ant
! they conclude as theirs are, those o
religion must be. These. misled by theil
own selfish ambition, suppose the in
| terests of the church are secured Wher
| their own are advanced
There are no doubt, Catholic lay
men" continued WinslOw, who think
the church cannot stand alone on theiI
/ own foundation, and must fall if not
propped up by the secular power
! These think she must always gain by
an alliance with the political power
whether that power be the king or q
party. and, therefore in this country
by being bound up with one or another
Of our political parties
Some indulgence said Father
John, must be extended even to these,
whether Wings or Democrats. for in
our English-speaking world, Catholics
have so long been treated as aliens,
even in the land of their birth-have
been so studiously excluded from all
places of honor. trust or emolument,
whether civil or military, that it really
is some gain to have Catholics even
though not of the very best sort,
elected or appointed Ito office, for it
tends to prove to the Catholic popula-
ton that the days of exclusion and
persecution are over"
1T certainly need excite no sur
prise said Winslow, that there
should be amongst us men who con-
clude that the church is safe because
they are inspectors of the customs,
deputy postmasters in small country
villages. or tide-waiters in ports of en-
try. They who for generations have
been excluded may well be pardoned
for placing an exaggerated value on
petty offices in the gift of the govern
ment. But whatever the Catholic laity
ma yhave done to have it understood
that what is called the Catholic vote
must be given for the Wing party or
the Democratic party, the clergy are
not in any way responsible for it.
Catholic citizens in the last presiden-
tial election very generally voted, 1
nraS11I11n
out their votes he would not have
been elected. But they voted for him
not altogether from party or personal
motives. They gave him their votes
because they believed, him the Union
candidate, and because his competitors
were supported by parties held to be,
the one anti-Catholic and the other
anti-Union. l myself, though no Dem
ocrat. either in a party or in a doc
trinal sense, voted for him and would
do so again under the same circum-
stances, although he has turned out not
a Union, but sectional, president
Il regard" said O'Flanagan, this as
a democratic country, and as a loyal
citizen | must support the Democratic
party, and therefore, its candidates. I
voted in my quality of naturalized citi-
zen for Mr.. Buchanan because he was
the candidate of the Democratic party,
and adhere to him because he is the
president of that party. I make it
point of honor to be faithful to my
party."
81 acknowledge" said Winslow. mo
allegiance to party. Mr.. O'Flanagan
nay, if he sees proper, support Mr. !
8uchanan's administration, but he
should do so because he approves its |
policy not because he is bound in law !
II honor to adhere to his party
In a parliamentary state, such as |
he United Kingdom, there are and all
ways will be parties re piled O'Flan-
lgan; - and the government is and will /
'e carried on by party, and party +
an serve the country only on condi- |
ION that 1t can count on the fidelity |
f its members
Must a man be faithful to his party
like whether right or wrong?" asked
NO man can ever be bound to do
vrong." answered O'Flanagan. But
nan should be always ready to sac
1flce his private views and interests
o the good of his party"
But not his conscience or his prin-
iples," said Father John, NOR his
onest convictions of what is the true
Obey for his country
The doctrine of party, more strictly
dhered to by the Democratic than
y any other party in the country"
uded WlnsloW. Il regard as unsound,
and dangerous. l have re-
retted to find Mr.. Buchanan acting as
ne president of party and bringing
ne whole force of executive influence
nd of party machinery to bear on
nd to crush every member of his
arty who believes himself in honor
nd patriotism bound to depart from
)ine or his measures. | have regret
"a to see him dismiss honorable gem
emen from Office for not supporting
Is favorfte candidates in the state or
unicipal elections. The president has 3,
right to interfere in such elections.
40 TO do it in the interests. not of
atrlousm, but of party, is most in
rlous to political purity and independ- :
ice. 1t is bringing into our elections :
foreign element which has no bust :
ess there To attempt to keep men :
or to whip them into the party traces :
rough fear of losing all political
anding and influence, is incomnat- !
lie with all political honesty and in
pendence, and tends to nourish a :
lrlt of baseness and servility. II is
compatible with the maintenance of :
'erty. You cannot maintain wise :,
Id just policy for any state with :,
ce of selfish, timid, crouching slaves u
is men, high-minded, high-spirited y y
dependent men, who will stand bv q
cir honest convictions, pursue what a
ey hold to be just and honorable in y
hance of the smiles or frowns of par =
IS, of the threats or caioleries of .
kings or kaisers, that are y
eded to maintain a free state. Men !,
10 feel that they are welded body y
d soul to party, that in themselves E,
ey are cinhers and can count only =
aggregated to party, are no bester !,
an broken reeds to lean upon. and :,
e sure to fail you in the hour of -