The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-21

only stated what I believe to be a
 fact, and they, two millions or
 Lutherans. have already told you they Roman Catholic for the presidency. It Is neither personal feeling nor, an
 tagonism which determines their attt-
 snde in this matter but solely their Church on this basic political prin- cipie, namely, the federal constitution | provides for the complete separation
 and liberties which are are included there | in and subscribed thereby. The Roman 1 Catholic Church has for centuries back
 and down to the present time, through l its official head. opposed the complete l separation of church and state. full re- | ligious liberty, freedom of conscience,
 of speech, and of the press. Now. Mir.
 President. the position taken by the l Lutherans proves very clearly that 1t l is simply impossible for the mass of ] the Protestants of this country to prac- i tice the principle of true Americanism 1 tequality of opportunity as embodied l in your letter to me. until all things
 are equal: that is. the Catholic Church
 sustains the same relation in this na- 1 ton as that sustained by the Protest
 tations from prominent Catholics show l that if they controlled the United 1 States'' they would unite church and
 state, which Washington. Grant. Gar
 field, Mckinley and statesmen univer- 1 sally in this country opposed. It can- not be construed as an attack on the Catholic religion, simply opposing their
 opposition to the complete separation dent dc you want to brand such H. | lustrious names as Washington, Grant, l Garfield. Mckinley and other American statesmen as having foully slandered
 their fellow countfymen and of narrow ! bigotry? say, sir. do you want to go on record as saying they have foully 1 slandered their fellow countrymen and
 are guilty of narrow bigotry? If not So far, Mir President, I have only
 cited part of the mass of the nom Catholic evidence to support the truth
 of non-cathoiics would not support a
 Roman Catholic for any office. l especially for president of the United
 States. and for this assertion you ing my fellow countrYmen and of nar- l row bigotry. now desire to call
 your attention to small part of the
 auote from The cathoiic Coiunbian of
 November ls, 1908. published at Colum- bus, Ohio: "When. however, the presi- dent characterizes as foul islander the Catholic voters will not support a 1 Catholic for any office, especially for | president. he goes too far" Now. Mr: President do you want to go on record as branding The Catholic Columbian as foully slandering It's fellow countrymen
 and of narrow bigotry? If not It. why
 The following questions and answers are taken from The Catholic Colum-
 bian of the same date named above: | What prevented the nomination to the
 presidency Of William Teeunseh Eher. man7 The fact that he had Catholic
 wife and a Jesuit son. What side- l tracked General Philip Sheridan from political honors? The fact that he was
 Catholic What defeated the presi- 1 dential ambition of Hon. Richard Bland
 --.SIlver Dick The fact that he had
 a Catholic family. And In urging this l fact. as an objection to his candidacy,
 son of the great Allen c. Thurman | of Ohio was conspicuous. What pre- vented the nomination of Justice Mc- l Kenna az secretary of the interior after
 pledge to shat effect had been glven2
 The fact that he was Catholic 1 nan when he wanted to become gov- eriior of New York? The fact that he 1 was a Catholic" Now. Mir. President.
 do ,o yo1 gn,, want to % repeat that the CathS fs
 low countrynien and IS guilty of mar row bigotry by asking these questions
 and answering themY If not 1t, why
 me2 Do you want to brand Mr. Thur Jection to the candidacy Of Hon. Richard BIand) as foully slandertng his fellow countrymen and of narrow bigotry? If not him, why me? Now, Mir. President. let 1t be dis
 tinctly understood by you and by those who have read my first letter to you. letter and in this explanation of 1t,
 meant to state only 6 fact and in
 no sense or in any degree to express
 what non-CathoIics may have said or
 of a Roman Catholic for the highest pie. do not affirm or deny these views, I only submit what l believe to be the actual frame of the non-Catho- namely. the evidence which I have submitted in my letter showing that the position Of the Roman Catholics of union of church and State are diam concilable.
 Now, sir. rest my case in so far as concerns the accusation of foully slahdering my fellow. countrymen and of marrow bigotry by assuring you tice that anyone has instituted an action in court to convict me of slam der. bigotry. or any other crime.
 true and undignifed accusation of islander and bigotry, seemingly answers your other important position. namely, sonal concern. a matter between him and his Maker, matter for his own conscience. As additional reply to account, that so long as he Is a private citizen this Is true, but when he comes before the American people asking for their suffrage for the greatest honor that can beg conferred upon him by the votes of the United States, 1t then changes matters and becomes or interest to, the general public; they have a right to know who he Is, and what he Is. his beliefs and disbeliefs.
 Now, MT. President, did not the in- few years ago of Thomas. Paine as a "filthy little atheist" who was tn hen as MT. Taft now is, Unitarian have much to do with your position on this subject? Let that be as 1t may. there made 1t possible for a Unitarian to be elected President of the United States in this year of our Lord, 1908, and that he d-d more for civil and religious liberty than any man of his time. Look Revolutionary period. at which time mems souls" His Knights of Men" was an epoch making production, known and aeknow.lsdgsd by his com viii Viii be "c claimed your our defending Mrs Tafts right to hold the religious be- lief of Thomas Paine Is worthy of the present exalted state of education and civilization.
 Now. MT. President, before proceeding desire To call your attention to few
 T believe in one God and no more. The world is my country and to do good is my religion. The creation we behold is the .ever-existing word of God. I have always strenuously sup ported the right of every man to his l opinion. however different that opinion l might be to mine. etwho denies to | kS I'm aalE I.Aa hnfg GA