The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-11-23
READER ISN'T EVEN HALF RIGHT

would have given the facts in the case,
which you evidently know, but instead
of doing this, you did like nine out of
ten papers that make any comment
about the matter, bare statement or
assertion that he is being prosecuted
Tor sending obscene matter through
the mails l want you to publish the
following statement of facts, as a mat
Ger of simple justice to Mr.. Watson,
which is due him, or as an advertise
ment, in case your sense of justice is
inferior to your prejudice.
The alleged obscene matter was pub
lished in Watsons magazine for May.
1912. 1t was published in the Latin
language. 1t was taken or copied
from a copyrighted book that has been
admitted to the mails for thirty years
or more. The book is a standard
Roman Catholic book, and supposed to
be in the hands of every priest. The
obscene matter is alleged to be ques-
lions propounded to women in the con-
fessional. Reader.
Reader" is a clever and conserva-
tive gentleman, well posted on many
matters and extremely accurate in
those to which he gives particular at
tention. We guess he didn't give par
ticular attention to this one.
I'm his statement about the alleged
obscene matter being published in
Latin, he has given only half the
truth. We will absolve him from the
meaning of the proverb about half
truths, as we know he has better
sense than to knowingly do anything
of the kind.
II is very true that the alleged ex-
tracts from the book were printed in
Latin, but Watson's comments were
printed in English, they were a
Hteral-perhaps too literal-transla-
ton, and they were grossly indecent
In the same issue were published other
articles bearing on the same subject
and they were also grossly indecent
Even If they were true, they were not
at to print. In this opinion, at least
Swo Protestant clergymen. both of
whom are well known and respected in
-Ocala, agree with the Star.
Reader" has no right TO say we are
EDrejudiced against Tom Watson. We
have observed Tom Watson's career
and read his writings for a score of
years and have often praised him for
his fearless attacks on abuses. We
are probably as we'll or better ac-
quainted with his writings as Read
eT" as we have been a tolerably close
observer of his career and writings
Tor the last twenty years. We are
glad to be able to say that his attacks
on evil have been productive of some
SoOd but he has undOne much of his
BEST work by his habit of unstinted
abuse of every man or measure he hap
pens to disagree with. OF late years,
IL has seemed that when he opposes
anything he does so without modera-
zion or reason. His war on Governor
Wilson is the latest instance in point.
AS to what his neighbors think of him
is shown by the fact that he has been
worsted in every public fight he has
gone into since 1890. He seemed to
nav a transient CLEAN of success
when he jumped on the Underwood
oandwagon last spring. but the other
riders threw him off before he had
ridden long enough to warm his seat
We desire more evidence before
agreeing with Reader that the book
Watson made his extract from is a
standard Roman Catholic book. and
that it is supposed to be in the hands
of every priest We do not know what
books are in the hands of one priest
let alone every priest. We will bet
Reader" however that we know "a
much about it as he does, or as Tom
Watson does.
We Will also bet Reader" anything
he wants to bet that he will not read
the matter alluded to aloud before any
Respectable company of gentlemen and
ladies; also that he will not print any
extracts from it that we may select
and send them to anyone thru the
mails.
1t isn't the Stars business to defend
or denounce any church. History tells
us that the churches have prosecuted
each other for over seventeen CEN
turies-that all prosecuted that had
the power. and all suffered who lack
ed strength The same history teaches
that nearly all persecution was insti-
gated by fanatics, who enraged the
Ignorant to outrages that wiser mer
could not quell OF late years. good
men and women of all sects have beer
drawing nearer together in the work
OF common humanity, and in the rec
oSnition of an universal God. At the
great congress of regions in Chicago
twenty years ago. believer il
Buddha said: 1--WE may follow differ.
ent roads to the hill top but from it!
crest only one sunrise is seem
When a man like Tom Watson de
votes frantic efforts to setting ont
sect of Christians against another, i
seems to the Star that he is trying t
drive humanity back down the hill to
ward the darkness of three centurie:
ago, when Catholic and Protestan
drenched Western Europe with eacl
others blood.
Watson has not even the merit O
originality in this matter Substan
he in S|a,
an old books that were printed anC
circulated in this country years agC
when there were no postal laws anC
books were sent by freight. AnC
Reader" will probably be surprised t,
know that many of Watson's comment
bear a strong family resemblance t,
expressions used by Voltaire and othe
intidel writer's whose works we opin
Reader would not allow in hi
house
Come again Mr.. Reader