The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-02-24

Ahe tnira -~~>s-7 -ss---',1yl 81 LA iia
He enters in precipitate haste. He
literally ridicules the idea that the
| Pope refused audience with former
American vice-president simply because
the 'Methodists had been active in
proselyting among the Catholics; calls
the cables strange tales, asks the
Methodlst ministers if they really be-
| leve such strange tales as true basis
Tor their resolutions, and then, in SEEM
ing liberal spirit, ask whether s.broad-
minded Americans believe that the
Catholic church is mean enough TO re-
iuse sovereign greeting to anyone not
OF her fold. who, on the appointed day.
happens to deliver an address TO
brethren of his own sect?", and an
swers his own question in true Ameri-
can hberty-ioving way, that il is i'm
possible of belief; that the prose
lyting canard can be left OUT and
says that Charles Warren Fairbanks
could have gone TO the Vatican with
the avowed intention Of addressing his
Methodist brethren the following
day and all would be well". But would
1t all have been well? The cables.
strange as 1t may seem, are to the con-
trary. However, unfortunate as that
may be, all broad-minded Americans
VIII give Mr.. Hutchins due credit for
ms love OF freedom and fairness in true
American spirit expressed on this par-
ucular point, but in his assuming AN
thority TO speak publicly and conclu-
sively for the Roman hierarchy. he
seems to have gone astray, clearly seen
IN the fourth and last chapter as fol-
lows:
Archbishop Ireland confirms the
cables that the Pope had refused audi
ence with the American vice-president
because the American "Methodists had
been active in proselyting among the
Catholics in Rome, and even adds that
ne knows from personal knowledge
that the proselyting as charged is true.
and then, authoritatively, for the
Roman hierarchy, says that cit was
impossible for the holy father to do
aught else than to say to MIR. Fair
banks Il cannot receive you'" Car.
dlnal Gibbons, head of the Roman
Catholic hierarchy in America, indorses
and backs Archbishop Ireland in all
he says, the press shows, as has Arch
bishop Diomede Falconio, the papal
delegate to the Roman Catholic hier-
arch in the United States, often erron-
eously designated as the ''papal dele
gate to the United States, as also has
Archbishop Farley, as the latest news, |
oi'u VIC RSN. MI DOylc, neaQ OF the /
Apostolic Missions.
So Mr.. Hutchins had better waited a |
week before assuming authority to |
answer for the Roman Hierarchy. But /
every true American will certainly |
commend Mr.. Hutchins for his liberal |
spirit and expression in American lib |
erty loving, that mo fair-minded
American could believe such a thing"
as the Pope or Catholic church ia
mean enough to refuse sovereign greet
ing to anyone not of her fold, who han
pens TO deliver an address to brethren
OF his own sect" Yet, Mr.. Hutchjns.
IN his next breath, is under Roman
obedience, in his criticism of the Meth
odists in their resolutions hoping that
ecclesiastical contentious shall never
destroy our public schools" and is un-
American in covertly striking at the
Tree schools, the bulwark of American
freedom, IN saying; 81 add: Nor NAV
the day come when Catholics under the
Stars and Stripes shall be relieved of
the double school taxation whereby. at
present, they not only educate their
OWN children without one cent of ex-
pense to the State, but are assessed
Tor the education of these children al
The same rate as are Protestants who
use the public Schools" because. first.
7 Is an infinitesimal part of the Roman
Catholics in our country who have been