El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-05

II hanks affair indulge IN plenti
fuI and strong comment upon the eA'
vice presidents misadventures IN Aoliie
when the pope refused 10 see AiiN
Mr. Fairbanks side has been lhoI
ouehIv presented, but so far no au-
tbor5tatfve statement is forthcoming
from the vatican to explain the rea-
sons of the refusal to receive the as
tinruished American traveller Even
the journals of the Catholic church
do not wholly agree about the REQ
motive For the most part they IoOh
upon the incident as rebuke TO "na'
they regard as the 'peTnlclous acUiH
ttv" Of the Methodist denomination III
the Eternal City. (dwelt upon more
fully in these pages last "eeAl.
but one of their papers scouts
this INTERPRETATION and lays the
blame upon internal Italian poll
tics. The Intermountain Catholic tSall
Lake City, remarks satirlcaiiy thaI "
a tactful arrangement Mr. FalrodhNS ;
audience with king Emanuel was llAeu
for Saturday. and that with the pope
for Monday" Then il repeats the N
formation so widely disseminated thas
the papal interview did not come oiA
because Mr. Fairbanks was billed 10
speak at a Methodist gathering II 0O"-
tinues in this vein:
Rats AAA-o-AN
all the Methodists, Baptists, Presoy-
terians. and Mohammedans to be found
In the Eternal City, and the pope
wouldn't concern himself about IT, me
former vice president was persona
non grata-an undesirable guest-at
the vatican, simply and only because
he knowingly violated the euquet OF
the pontifical court. II the KING OIL
England, in visiting Rome, gave prece-
dence TO a local sovereign over the
supreme head of the Catholic world
the doors of the vatican would be
closed against him. Mr. Fairbanks
ought to have called upon the sover-
eign pontiff before visiting the ItaIlah
king. 1t is the law laid down by the
vatican and the former vice president
ignored that law. If Mr.. Fairbanks did
not know the law, he ought to nave
consulted some one in authority anu
K. knowing the law, he ignored IL, tnen
he deliberately invited the repuke-
This is practically the only journal
Of the Catholic church, however, that
does not see the episode as an event
in religious history
The Catholic Universe (Cleveland)
thinks that Mr.. Fairbanks, in announc-
Ing that he would star for the Metho-
dists. was not at all diplomatic III
adds:
..For the holy father to nave received
Mr.. Fairbanks then with public honor
would doubtless have given the impress
sion TO the Italian people that the OF
fensive methods of the Methodlsts were
entirely condoned by the holy see
The Western Waterman (St- Leuis)
observes that 'sthe stpuid conduct OF
Mr. Fairbanks placed the holy father
In a very embarrassing position GO
ing on: .+-
his conduct would be criticised; but
he did not hesitate 20 protect his self
resnect even at the risk Of offending
the great American nation CathohcS
will heartily approve ms
course in the circumstances; and thlhK-
Inz- Professionals must acquit his Roll
ness of any intention 10 reflect upon |
their personal attitude toward the |
church. While he has the contempt feIt |
hv the church for all heresy, he mas |
ali the kindness of the church for here
tics The Methodists of Rome are cele-
hrating the event as a great victory /
and lionizing Mr.. Fairbanks as the nero |
~ the occasion The Protestant papers /
NJ the United States viii grow wrath
fu1Iv e1oouent over this new proof or !
Catholic intolerance and complain bit
terly Of the favors extended TO Calho-
lies by the government, especially Will
In the past few years. But the tempest
Will soon blow over, and VIII not nave
any more lasting effect on the pubic
mind than that produced by the Quebec
faux pas and the unconcealed highballs
NJ the Taft dinner Blunders are often
worse than crimes, but Mr.. Fairbanks
are not OF that sort
The Catholic Citizen (Milwaukee) e%-
presses a wish to think that these are
attendant circumstances, such, for ex-
ample, as court etiquet, that will ex-
plain the vaticans action and put
different face on it, We read:
''These minor incidents stir people
I'D out of all proportion to their real
Our government has dealt
rerv courteously with the vatican for
some wears, notably in the Philippine
mbroglio. and although Mr.. Fairbanks
{ now an unofficial person, there Is
/ feeling that due reciprocity has not
Deen illustrated in the present instance
We know that a like, but rather larger,
natter, the refusal Of the pope to see
president Loubet, of France, started the
rain of events that led to the sever
nee of French diplomatic relations
With the vatican. and later, the sepaar-
ion law.
Americans incline to make light Of
court etiquet, but probably it has its
orderly and decorous uses nevertheless.
We ourselves would welcome the day
when all the diplomats shall be sent {
tut of the vatican and sentenced TO
each catechism TO the neglected Ital-
ans: but we suppose that while they I
ire there, they must earn their wages;
md incidentally make a blunder now
md again. This particular affair may
,e the achievementEsof some major
lo1no of the vatican The pious peas
mt pope may have known nothing of it.
american Catholics viii not blame
dr Fairbanks for making the choice
he did make. He stood with his CO. i
From the Methodist side, the Chris
ian Advocate New York; takes UP |
he letter of archbishop Ireland. printed Z
-ery widely in the daily press. The {
.ditor asserts that the archbishop I
hould not condemn Methodists for ac-
fvity, for his church is far and away |
he most active body on the globe Z
Except perhaps the Mohammedans in
africa" And -as to PROSECUTING, the Z
Roman Catholic church does that when
.ver it can and wherever it goes" The c
ditor further protests that he does
lot condemn this and owns that eff c
incere Roman Catholic, we should en- 5