Bismarck daily tribune., 1908-11-10

:sDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 10, 3
tween himself and his Maker IL 1t Is
proper or legitimate to oppose man
for being a Unitarian, as was John
Quincy Adams, for instance. as is
the Rev Edward Everett Hale at
the present. moment chaplain Of the
senate, and an American Of whose
life all good American are proud
then it would be equally proper to.
support or oppose man because of
his views on Justification Of faith, or
the method Of administering the sac
rament, or the gospel of salvation
by works. II you can enter on such
a career there Is absolutely no limit
at which you can legitimately stop.
80 much for your objections to
Mr.. Taft because he is a Unitarian.
Now, for your objections to him be-
cause you think his wife and brother.
to be Roman Cath olics: AS 1t hap
pens, they are not; but if they were,
or If he were a Roman Catholic him
self it ought not affect in the slight
est degree any mans supporting him
for the office of presid lent. You say.
that 'ethe mass of the voters who are
not Catholics will not support a man
for any office, especially for presi-
dent Of the United States, who is a
Roman Catholic. believe that when
you say this you foully slander your
fellow countrymen.i do not for
one moment believe that the mass OF,
our fellow citizens or that any con-
siderable number of our fellow citi-
zens can be influenced by such mar
row bigotry as to refuse to vote for
any thoroughly upright and fit man
because he happens to have q parti-
cular religious faith. Such con-
sideration should never be treated
as reason for either supporting or
opposing candidate for political
office. Are you aware that there are
several states in the Union where the
majority of the people are now Cath
olics? I@shou1d reprobate in the se-
verest terms the Catholics who IN
those states (or In any other states)s
who refused to vote for the most tit
man because he happened to be a
Protestant; and my cond
would be exactly as severe for Pro-
testants who, under reversed circum-
stances refused to vote for a Catho-
lie. In public life I am happy to say
that I have known many men who
were elected and constantly reflect
ed to office in district where the
great majority of their constituents
were of a different religious belief.
I know Catholics, who for many
years represented constituencies
mainly Protestant, and Protestants
who for many years represented con
stituencies mainly Catholic; and
among the congressman whom 4
know particularly well was one man
of Jewish faith who represented a
district in which there were hardly
any Jews at all. All of these men
by their very existence in public life
refute the SANDER you have uttered
against your fellow countymen.
81 believe that this republic will
endure for many centuries. II SO,
there will probably be among the
presidents Protestants and Catholics,
and very probably at. some time,
Jews. ! have consistently tried while
presiden to act in relation to my
fellow Americans Of: Catholic faith
as I hope any future president who
happens to be a Catholic will act
towards his fellow Americans OF
Protestant faith. Had I followed any
other course should have felt that
1 was unfit to represent the Ameri-
SsaH people ssss
In my cabinet at this time sit side
I by side Catholic and Protestant.
Christian and Jew, each man chosen
because in my belief he Is peculiarly
fit to exercise on behalf OF all our
people the duties Of the office to
which I have appointed him. In no
case does the mans religious faith
In any way influence his discharge
of his duties. save that it makes him
more eager to act justly and upright
" in relation to all men. The same
principles that have obtained in the
appointing Of all the members Of
my cabinet, the highest officials I'M
der me. the officials to whim Is en-
trusted the work Of carrying out all
the important policies Of my admin
Iistration, are the principles upon
which all good Americans should act