The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1903-07-10

Catholic laboror in the North an inter
national issue? If the negro Of the
South, yielding to your persuasion. is
to become a part of the great nervous
system of Rome, why are not Catholic
laborers everywhere a part of that sys-
tenn? l think, sir, that you have
shrewdly introduced a special plea.
Your church, with it's business eyes
always wide open, sees a chance to
make converts and Is taking adyant-
age of it. And l will not say that will
oppose your cause. If the negro thinks
that your church is better for him
than the Protestant churches have
proved themselves to be, why say let
him be taken in. I admit that we are
not greatly concerned over the negro's
religion. We are satisfied with the fact
that he has his churches and that he
has always been amply provided with
preachers agreeing with him in creed
and color of skin. l will concede that
his professions of faith are regarded
moro or less in the light of a joke.
But l want to tell you one thing-that
the negro's best friends live here in
the South. From us he knows exactly
what to expect. He knows that he can
not rule us - knows that he must
work for a living. The land belongs
to the white man and the white man
pays the taxes, and the white man
would be a fool to permit the negro to
manage his affairs. Men who dig in
the coal mines of Pennsylvania don't
manage the affairs of the company
that owns the mines. | cannot Ques-
ton the correctness of some of your
views-that the old tie is straining and
may soon be broken. The old negroes
still regard us with a sort of venera-
ton, but If the young one show res
pect it is out Of fear. Into this u
try a large number of negroes have
lately come from Mississippi and
South Carolina. They have been
brought up on large plantations and
have but a limited acquaintance with
the white man. Instinctively they hate
him. And these newcomers will listen
to the voice of the agitator and by
their example will lead their brethren
into trouble. You are right when you
say that the Anglo-SaXon race must
rule. 1t will rule a community as it
must eventually rule the civilized
world. But I don'tsee how your church
is to be the temporal as we'll as the
spiritual salvation of the negro"
The Major sat down; the priest
smiled gravely, showing the shape into
which conviction and determination
had nodded his mouth. "My church
is not at all times able to prevent labor
troubles in the North" said he, "but
it has often prevented the shedding of
blood"
"Ah," the Major broke in, that may
be true; and so has the influence of
the other churches. But what l want
to know is this: How can you protect
a negro here more than you protect an
Italian in the North?"
VI uGdl III, IN / ~ bAS
North is protected"
81 grant you, but by the law rather
than by the church"
. "But is not the church behind the
l law?" There was a shrewd twinkle
: in the priests eyes, and he was about
; to proceed with his talk when old Gid
snorted: Il CAD, I hear that the pub
: lie schools of the North are in the
; hands of the Catholics, and if that's
: the case 1 reckon they've got a pretty
good hold on the court house. l u
derstand that they daresn't open a
b Bible in the public schools of Chicago;
= and they also tell me that the children
i there have to learn Dutch. POUNDS,
amt that enough to make old Andy
! Jackson rattle his bones in his grave?
l wish l had my way for a few weeks.
I I'd show the world that this is Ameri-
ca. I'd catch low-browed wretches
) carrying all sorts of spotted and grid.
+ ironed flags through the streets.
{ Dutch! Now, I'd just like to hear a
l child of mine Cabling Dutch"
: The priest addressed himself to the
I Major. "You ask how we are to pro.
tect the negro in the South. l will
tell you-by teaching him that except
[ in the Catholic Church he cannot hope
U to find perfect equality. Our commun'
U ion knows no color-save red, and that
: is the blood of Christ. Our religion is
the only true democracy, but a demo
> cracy which teaches that a man mus
y respect himself before he should ex
pect others to respect him, But, may
c dear Major. l am not here to convince
you, but to convince the negro. He
u has been buffeted about by politica
y parties, and now it remains for the
{ church to save him. One of these day!
9 an act rather than a word may con
u vince you"
(To be continued). -.