The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-10-29
CATHOLIC SOCIETIES
ARE NOT IN POLITICS

(New York Evening World, Oct 90 1901
y letter from Condo t. Pallcn in yes
terdayss Evening World denying the re
port that the American Federation of
catholic societies was throwing its IN
victiuns and charity for all-this is one of
MIR. Roosevelt has brought forth tho fol-
lowing RESPONSE from Thomas =. Nina
nan, president of the organizations:
| 10 The Editor ut the Evening " Grid:
At first blush. MIR. Condo Is. Fallen 5
letter tn yesterdays Evening World has
the appearance of being merely the fiut-
| ter of his wounded democracy. The
known character, put the matter in
different light Several communications
on the same subject recently IN the pub
| lie press came under the writer's nOJlce.
| One of these was The narrow rautiuG of
| bgOted Republican: the other the ri
| diculous coddling of an ovcr-zealous
| Democrat. The irresponsible mouthings
| OF Tom. Dick or Harry warranted no rec
ignition or reply and no attention was
| paid to them. The federation shrinks
| from cheap notorety and hoped to be
absolutely silent during the campaign
! The Issue now forced upon us by the
! sharp insinuation of Mr.. PaIlen suggests
the propriety-r the necessity of
t.meiy v-ord
Permit me therefore as national pres
ident of the Federated Catholic Societies,
| an authoritative statement.
Not Political Organization.
The American Federation of Catholic
societies is not in any sense organized
Tor political purposes: it has absolutely
nothing To do with, and i in no way
interested or meddHng in the partisan
campaign now on for the presidency.
FURTHER. let me repeat what has been
frequently said to Catholics as well as
Hon-Catholcs: The aims of the federation
are essentially religious to bring about
through the instrumentality of education
q. moro correct understanding of Catholi-
city. TO cultivate among Americans of all
denominations. a broad. kindly. sane re-
spect each for the others religious con-
Elctions and carity for all--this is one of
the chief aims Of the American Fedora
ton of Catholic Societies.
Divided in its membership between both
polltlcdi parties, the unalterable motto
OF the federation always has been, is now
and will ever continue to be: Hands off.
absolutely, from all partisan politics we
want nothing whatever to do with it.
BY the distinguished western gentle
man referred to, we take it that Mr.. |.
Fallen means the archbishop of Milwau-
kee That gentleman. it is true, is close
ly Identified with the federation move /
nent. Without discussing whether his in |
terview. lately published. favOrinS the |
presidents election. was wise or other |
wise. he distinctly said that he spoke only |
for himself. Enthusiastically he meant to |
be so understood. The archbishop fully |
realized that not only had he no authority
to speak for the federation, but he knew
the Catholic societies would always re-
spectfully rebuke any man, churchman
or layman. appealing for their support in
the interest of partisanship.
No Clerical Domination"
1t is just as well to correct here the
often prated about but purely imaginary
notion concerning clerical domination"
Any interference, or even suggestion of a
partisan nature, meddling with their civic
rights. would be so emphatically repudi-
ated by Catholic laymen that it would
never be repeated. Catholics generally re-
Spect their spiritual directors most be
cause their clergymen. of all others. med
lie least in American politics.
Just a word further. The Catholic So
.ietes resent any such designation as the
Catholic vote. In affairs purely Amer
can there can rightly be but one kind of
vote of American citizens with
tut any prefix whatever, either of race or
reed; and cast always with the single
patriotic object-the. best interest of our
common country, as each voter for him.
elf intelligently, untrammeled and con-
sees it.
THOMAS b. 'MINAHAN, Pres, etc.