The Irish standard., 1910-06-04
OF
LITERARY DIGEST
Is Shown in the Subjoined Letters
Between it and
Correspondent.
"A Baltimore Attorney Trys to As
certain Facts, but is Dis
appointed.
1t Prints Slanders Against Catholics
and Refuses to Make
Amends.

duQ REFUSES 10 MAKE
Amends.
1t looks as il the advertising and
display agent of the Student Volun-
teer Movement for enlightening South
America has aroused more attention
than he cared for or expected, says
america" His extraordinary state
ments in The Literary Digest Of Feb
ruary 5th, now number of melan-
choly celebrity, called forth letter of
inquiry to the editor from a BaIti-
more lawyer. who like many more of
his ligionists, was not little as
tonished at the-information OH Cath
olic subjects supplied with such prod
igality by the bell-wether of the new
apostles.
Now and then we hear of a black
mailing sheet which battens upon the
fears, the foibles or the follies of hui
man kind. but as a general rule, news
paper folk, though eager to be in the
first rank of their profession. do not
sacrifice honor to the idol of enter
prise. To some extent, they are
creatures of circumstances, even un-
willing slaves of the same; yet in
their praiseWorthy desire to serve up
In frad oh IN ~ia
patrons, they are betrayed through
human fallibility into some glaring
perversion of the truth, they do not
hide their heads in the sand and con-
slider themselves secure from observa-
ton. There is straightforward and
manly way of admitting a mistake
and of righting a wrong.
In due time, our legal friends re-
quest to the Digest for more light
eliclted tile following reply:
Editorial Rooms of the Literary Di-
gest"
44-6O East 23rd Street.
New York, April IA, 1910.
Mr.. Robert Biggs,
Baltimore, Md.
Dear Sir-We have received a let
ter from Mr.. Robert E. Speer, giving
his authority for his statements about
the clergy of South America. In his
reply he says that the pastoral letter
of the Archbishop of Venezuela "was
printed in full two years ago In the
Constitutional, one of the leading
daily papers in the city Of Caracas"
and that the alleged encyclical of
Pope Leo to the clergy of Chill was is
sued in 1897 and EXTRACTS from it
have been printed in reliable books u
Mr.. Speer adds: 81 had not heard
that it's genuineness had been disputed.
If 1t Is spurious I trust that this
can be shown, and l shall join in pre-
venting it's further quotation. The
genuineness of the letter of the
Archbishop of Venezuela think is in
disputable."
I have employed a man to look
through the files Of the CiviIta Cat
tolica for the year the alleged en-
cyclical was supposed TO have appear
ed. and for the years before and after
that date, without finding the docu-
ment. so that it's authenticity seems
to be in considerable doubt.
If we should print Mr.. Speer's let
ter, I think it would merely start ur
more acrimonious discussion, so that
as we have already presented both
better let it rest as it is for the pres
ent.
Very truly,
VIM. S. WOODS,
Editor.
But the member Of the bar, though
duly impressed, we are quite sure
with the foregoing neat little essay
on "the whatness Of the which,
craved for something less fancifu
than rainbow in the clouds. Hii
hunger for facts, stubborn facts
prompted this second letter:
April 1S, 1910.
Mr. William S. Woods,
Editor Literary Digest,
"A E. 23rd St., New York,
Dear Sir--Your favor of the 14tf
inst, quoting extracts from state.
mont from Mr.. Speer, received.