The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1908-08-19

safchurch comprising one sixth
the population OF the Unified
States, every one OF whom Is b..
for this reason barred from the
Presidency, / feel an anxious q,
interest in any effort to fur
Their limit the eligibility to
this exalted office by reason
of church affiliation.
We do NOT know that we exactly
comprehend the meaning of this para
graph. We presume that It refers TO
the religion of Mr.. Thomas, who, If
we are rightly informed, is Catho-
lie. But even in the enjoyment of
this creed, we should think that Mr..
Thomas would be as firmly opposed
TO the religion of Mr.. Taft as his
most strenuous critics, for the Cath
ole creed embraces both the Trinity
ard the Immaculate Conception, fully
recognizing the divinity and deity
| OF Jesus Christ, to all Of which the
Unitarians are unalterably opposed.
Mr.. Thomas assertion that all
Catholics are barred from the 'Prest-
dehcy is rather vague. except i'm so
fat az the plain possibility Of the
election Of such am oneto the Pres
dental chair ID concerned. The laws
OF the UniIedStRtes do not forbid such
q thing. The only qualification for
President contained in the Constttu-
tiou is found in Article H., Section
5, and Is as follows:
mo person except a nat
ural born citizen, or cild-
zen of the United States at
-. the time OF the adoption OF
this Constitution, shall be
eligible TO the office Of Pres
ident; neither shall any per-
son be eligible TO that office
who shall not have attained to
the age OF thIrty-five yaare,
and been fourteen years a resi-
dent OF the United statee.r a..
Further on in the Amendment to
the Constitution, Article J.. says:
Congress shall make no Laws re-
specting an establishment Of relig-
ion, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof" etc.
p We submit that Mr.. Thomas critic
cism OF The Herald does not place Mr..
Taft in any better light as a church
member, nor relieve him of any re-
which may attach to
him in revering or promulgathng reltg-
ious views which may find stern OPP
position in the minds Of many peo-
pie even in his own panty. He should
either endorse Mr.. Taft's religious
views or refrain from calling out upon
the carpet those who would simply
make them known for the sake of gem
eral knowledge. Let none of us be
of our religion nor afraid
to let the public know the genesis
of IT. With most of us 1t Is poor
enough-in practice-at best, but 1t
Is The choice of free-born American
citizen.
In naply to Mr.. Thomas admonish-
ment TO The Herald that among
American political newspapers it alone
has given editorial sanction to Rev.
NIorrison's attack on religious lib
ery," we would say that we have
never editorally endorsed the Rev.
Morrisons structures, but if anything
were needed to condemn Mr.. Tafrs
religious views, II can be found in
an article on the first page ofTheder-
aid to-day, wherein is related how
a Republican eleotor and leader i'm the
parry has forsaken his pary's Presl-
denrial nominee for reasons plainly
stated.
Let the triumvir2te as represent
ed in the characters of this discus
sion remain in all freedom as they
Taft Unitarian, Mr.. Thorn
as a Catholic and the editor men
toned a Mehodhst-and let us, so
far as this goes politically, invite the
searchlight of the pubhc's inspec-
tiOn