New-York tribune., 1903-02-24
SECTARIANISM AND PUBLIC AID.
A Roman Catholic Rejoinder.
ditor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Permit me to take exception to your eoi-
torial of February 1s In praise of the Rev. Dr
Mnot ]. Savage's protest against Archbishop Far
leys plea for the libraries of which he is the rep
resentative.
In the first place, DR. Savage seems to be In MS
element when he is fighting announcing hght.
He is fighting against the accepted doctrine OF
the Incarnation and certainly his pulpit must De
very interesting the fact that he covers such
very wide extent of territory in his REMARKS
which depend, it seems to us who read only
bits and scraps of them as they appear III the
newspapers largely upon their minatory power
and vigorous defamation for their effect IL IS
somewhat amusing to compare the utterances or
DR.. Savage, who seems to represent no one except
himself and the small cotere of superior people
who feel called upon to dominate the mob' WIN
the utterances of Archbishop Farley. who is the
official representative of one million two hundred
thousand Catholics in this city.
But apart from this do not your editorial writer
and the reverend doctor mistake the principles on
which country is founded? Is it not of the
very of these principles that as long as
the public money is TO be spent for libraries Cath
oics should have the right to object to the ex-
penditure libraries which violate their con-
scientious principles? Let me also point out that
there is quite distinction between a church or
sodaIity library and library such that on be-
half of which Archbishop Farley was speaking.
That library is not only for Catholics, but for
everybody who wishes avail himself Of IT. 1t is
not Catholic library in the sense that the DOORS
selected only for Catholics. but that the books
chosen from the principles inculcated by the
Catholic Church in regard to the reading of the
general public; principles which. perhaps, the Rev.
Dr. Minot J. Savage and your editorial writer may
be surprised 20 know being more and more
adopted by thoughtful library workers throughout
the United States. These earnest men and women
fast coming to the belief that strict super
vision must be exercised the books chosen
for general circulation; and the important questions
tL3- hot
principles shall guide librarians in the choice of
books? DR.. Savage Is quite safe in asserting that
he would fight against the proposition for public
money to support Unitarian library, because he
must know that large proportion of the libraries
supported by public money are already conducted
Unitarian principles; and if he could consult
the proofs of the preliminary lists of the new
American Library Association catalogue, which
is printing at the Library of Congress, es-
pecally the section dealing with religion and
philosophy he would perceive that Unitarians
have need of asking for what they already
possess
Is it not also begging the question the part
of your editorial writer to assert that good liter
ature would be available to all classes, when there
Is so much diversity Of opinion as to what good
literature is? We all thought, for example, that
Homer good literature, until Mr.. Carnegie,
the munificent founder of many libraries the
cooperation plan told us publicly short while
ago that it unfit for reading; and all be-
lieved that Jack and the Beanstalk" ct id genus
omne were perfectly sound literature until
learned Chicago woman pointed out that all these
nursery tales had a moral obliquity. So that the
point determined is, What is good literature? :?
The determination must of necessity be relative.
1t scarcely be determined by law legal en-
actment; do think that your editorial writer
would ask Catholics to be content to have the
standard fixed by a board of men such COM
pose the trustees of the New-York Public Library,
who are after ALL merely private corporation,
in spite of their high social standing. their ability
and their manifest desire to put in circulation only
the best books. You would scarcely ask to
consider that they were better judges Of what good
literature was than ourselves.
I also not quite that the politicians, in
whose hands ultimately rests this question of good
literature, will with your statement that Dr.
Savage has expressed the public sentiment the
question. AS DR.. Billings SO adroitly pointed out
in his interesting and able address at the Ameri-
Library Association convention last June. this
votes as well as by words If it comes to a ques-
ton of votes I have little fear to what the
matter of the policy pursued by State officials
with regard to Catholics. if do not protest,
Bible in our New-York public schools or if we
do not raise outcry against the Methodist Bible
Society which has had to work its presses over;
time in order to supply the demand OF the Board
of Education for Bibles in the Brooklyn schools.
The State officials in Albany Immediately an
nounced to educators in the rural districts that.
even though it might be unconstitutional. they
would be allowed to introduce the Bible into the
schools because the Catholics In New-York City
did not object TO having it read in the New-York
public schools. But when do raise voice
in protest against the violation of an implicit con-
establishment of a system that does not do us
justice. our opponents are ready to raise an out
ways" JOSEPH H. MMAHON.
Director of the Cathedral Library Association
New-York Feb. q, 1905