Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1911-02-11

pie was; Liberty of conscience.
For this principle the fathers of the
Catholics of today shed their blood
and fought shoulder to shoulder with
the fathers of the non-Catholics of
today, many of whom are now say
ing that the Catholic may pay taxes
and bear the other burdens of gov
ernment; that he may go to war in
defense of the Stars and Stripes, but
that he shall not share in the hon
ors and emoluments of the country
which, upon all occasions, he has
helped to defend.
only a few weeks ago a prom
inent member of the School Board of
Louisville said publicly, in the
Seelbach Hotel, that he would not
vote for a Catholic. That man has
been put in position where he can
employ teachers who may impart
that Gisrupting spirit to the youth of
our land. We hear upon every side
that the Catholics want union of
Church and State. / feel that / can
answer for every American Catholic
that we want no such thing-that we
would take up arms, II it were nee
essary, to prevent the accomplish
ment of any such condition, even If
an element of Catholics were to I'M
dertake It,"
Continuing Mr.. Johnson states that
the Catholic church in the United
States furnished twice as many sol
diers during the late Spanish-Ameri-
can war to free Cuba as did any other
religious creed He recalls the
patriotism of Catholics from Revo-
lutionary days to the present time.
He tells of slanderous circulars used
to injure him in his last race for
Congress. and declares he was
elected by the largest majority ever
given in that district. Then he says:
For more than thirty years !
have given not tenth, but fourth,
of every dollar l have made during
that time toward the erection of
schoolhouses and churches, and that
without regard to creed. have
never yet thrust donations of this
kind upon anybody, but have given
only when ] was asked.
1T is aid by some people that we
Catholics seek control of the legisla-
tive bodies and of the schools. |
live In a county more than half Cath
olic. In the history of the county
there have been but two Catholic
members of the Legislature from
that county-myself and Sylvester
Johnson. During the existence of the
common school law of the State the
Catholic county of Nelson has never
had Catholic Superintendent of
Schools. That position in Nelson
county is now held by Baptist, and
l am surety on his official bond.
They also say that We Catholics
want to get control of the army and
navy. Since | have been a member
of Congress | have appointed two
cadets to the Naval School at An
napolis and two in the Army School
at West Point. In due course OF
time all four of these young men will
1 be officers-two in the navy and
two In the army. All four of them
are non-Catholics. Eighteen States
of the Union are, according to the
last census, more than half Catholic
Only one OF these has a Catholic
Governor. Without the Catholic
vote there could be no Democratic
party In Kentucky capable of making
a contest with the Republicans. Only
one Congressional district in Ken
lucky which is now represented by q
Democratic Congressman could send
a Democrat to Congress without the
Catholic vote. There are In Kentucky
sixty-five thousand Catholic voters;
fifty thousand Of these are Demo
Gratis; they are anxious to redeem
Kentucky this fall from Republican
misrule, Notwithstanding the fact
that those who care but little
whether the State be Democratic oil
Republican demand that a Catholic
shall not be Governor"
In conclusion Mr.. johnson says
II have now done what hardly any
other man would DO under similal
circumstances. This sacrifice Of my
own ambition is made for the goot
OF the party which has been good Il
me and which love. and through
which, in the nation. relief mus
come to the Oppressed. For myself
will support the nominee of thu
party, whoever he may be; and
sincerely trust that all Catholi
Democrats in the State viii do like
wise"
Mr. JohRson's stand has Gale,
forth many and varied comment
from press and politicians. In thu
main his stand Is praised. BY SOM
he Is condemned. The many hop
that he has been missnformed an
thus mistaken. In any event tn
friends OF Ben Johnson are as numer
ous now as they we're before hi
card OF withdrawal was issued. On
OF the first 10 give Dublic utterauc