The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-04-01

ously represented as their number
in the general population should
warrant. This is largely attribut-
able to past circumstances, for
which no blame is to be spoken.
But those circumstances are no
longer in existence: and what, as
consequence, we had to regret
yesterday, we should not have to
regret today or tomorrow, if loyal
to ourselves, to religion, and to
country.
Two things will hold and should
hold Catholics out Of high places
lack of merit, and lack of ambi-
ton. The Catholic, to aspire to
recognition from his fellow-citi
zens should have the intelligence
which comes from a thorough edu-
cation. and, together with this, be
endowed with the moral integrity
and the civic virtue which win the
respect and the confidence Of those
whom he would serve in return
for the honors they bestow on
him. Without such merit the Cath
Ollie should inexorably be doomed
to obscurity by Catholics as by
non-Catholics. With it, he has
every chance to succeed in his
will to do a yeoman's share in the
public life of the country-a will
which should never be absent from
true American, or true Chris
tian citizen. Civic apathy, an I'M
willingness to go forward and rise
in public life, is defect of char
acter, if not a moral fault, which
the Church does not easily pardon
in her sons and soldiers.
The proposition may be safely
laid down, that an undue scarcity
of the proper kind of Catholics in
public office betokens wrong con-
ditions in the Catholic body, and
is an i'll omen for the future both
to Church and to country. Do we
mean that Catholics should be
helped into office when merit in
them is not clearly discernible
Far from us the thought! Catho-
lies, unworthy Of the trust they
seek to have reposed in theg.
should never receive the votes of
their fellow-Catholics. They should
be barred from public office by
their fellow-Catholics most unmer-
cifully = more numerically by
Catholics than by others of their
fellow-citizens. All unworthy men
in office do harm to the country
if such are Catholics, they do harm
to the country and to the Church
Nor do we for a moment assert or
think, that American Catholics
should wish to see their co-relig-
ionists occupy high places in num-
bers outside their due proportion
in the general population. Amer
lea is the country of all citizens
whatever be the religious faith Of
each one. To hold contrary doc
trine is treason to America, to the
fundamental principles of it's con
situations and laws. To refuse tt
vote for a candidate, otherwise de
serving Of confidence, on The
ground Of religion, is a crime
against America, Of which the true
American, or the true Catholic, il
never guilty. To cast a vote for ;
Catholic, beyond his civic merit
merely because he is a Catholic, i
a crime, in the eyes Of the country
and in those Of the Church; ant
; equally so is it a crime to cast
vote against non-Catholic, mere
ly because he is a non-Catholic
The test whereby candidate TO
Office is to be judged, is his civi
merit, his fitness, intellectual an
moral, for the duties he pledge
himself to perform that and moth
, ing else. To that test, the Catho
, lie voter must remain faithful. FL
, should not wish to see a worth
Catholic defeated at the poll
J through religious discrimination
neither should he allow nor
f Catholic to be set aside for lik
! reason. What we contend for
: that civic and political meri
E should be found among Catholic
: in America. Let our Catholi
t people of today see to the educs
ton and training Of their sons, S
that tomorrow merit may surel
be theirs. We believe most si1
cerely that in America mer
where proven will be, as a rul
recognized and rewarded. VIVA
ever Of the past, if Catholics ]
future years are not in high o
: flee in proportion to their number
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