Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-12-01
BISHOP CONATY
TALKS TO CLUB
DISCUSSES CATHOLICISM AND
CITIZENSHIP
NO UNDERGROUND TROLLEY TO
THE VATICAN
Draws No Line of Greed and Demands
That None Shall Be Drawn
by Others Against
Himself

Bishop Conaty addressed the New
man club at Levy's last night on the
subject of The Catholic and His
American citizenship Joseph Scott
presided and there was a large attend
ance of members of the club and of
invited guests, Protestant as we'll as
Catholic. Mayor Harper, Judge Will
bur, Oscar Lawler, Prof. E. c. Moore
and j. c. Rays had seats near the
guest of honor.
Bishop Conaty clearly defined the
position of the Catholic with regard
to the state, showing that. from the
dawn of the history of liberty in the
republic to the present day the Catho-
lie had always been found on the side
of Americanism.
In the course of his remarks he
threw many interesting side lights on
American history secular and ecclesl-
astical, reminding his hearers for in
stance, that the reason why the
Scotch Catholics of Canada refused to
unite with the American revolution
lists was that they had been driven
out of the colonies by anti-Catholic
prejudice. There remained. however.
many notable Catholics who espoused
the cause of liberty and the republic,
fought with Washington and his gen
erals, and were eminent in the coun-
ellis of the new nation.
The bishop evoked hearty applause
when. in his closing peroration, he de-
manded that the same measure of fair
play should be extended to Catholics
that they extended to others. He said
the Catholic church placed no restric-
ton whatever on political beliefs and
interfered with no mans citizenship
or his exercise of it.
Differ in Politics
around the board tonight" he
continued "are to be found Catholics
differing in politics, voting, some with
the Republicans, some with. the Demo-
Gratis, some with Independence
leaguers, perhaps, and, perhaps, some
with the Socialists, God bless the mark
applause and laughter).
''They are free and independent in
their choice of political belief. The
same church blesses each one of them
as he goes to the ballot box and ex-
presses his political preferences
(applause). Yet some people some
times talk as if there was an under
ground trollev between the Vatican
and our principal sees.
"There is no underground system.
III give you that straight. There are
no secret orders in connection with
the Catholic church. There are no
goods that come to us from the other
side of the Water-nothing save the
doctrine which is in the book to be
read by every one, and the blessed
hope and confidence we have are based
i on the fact that the deer old man who
rules the church from the Vatican
blesses his children in America and
tells them his blessing is on this great
republic because here the church is
freer than in any other nation. Gap
plause.'
Not Biased by Greed
The bishop repeated what he had said
to Senator Hoar years ago: 81 have
learned the lesson of rugged citizen
shin on the hills of Massachusetts, so,
when the day comes for me as a Cath
Ollie to vote it never occurs to me to
ask what is the creed of a man who
is ON the ticket presented to me, The
only question is--Has he the integrity
the character and the ability to per-
form the duties of the office, and L
do not care whether he is Jew or Gen
tile-I will vote for him fer president
of the United States if he is on the
ticket of the party that L believe in.
(Applause.)
my Catholic faith draws no line of
creed at any man, and my American
character demands that no man draw
the line of creed against me. CAP
plause)
The bishop said further that, to him
as a Catholic and an American citizen,
he felt the strongest word which re-
ligion and patriotism could say would
but feebly express the loyalty which
mind and heart paid to both. Yield
ing to no man in love for his church,
he felt love as deep and as strong
for his citizenship, and he realized
that his religion made him truer ana