The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-12-28
Maurice Connolly Says the Bogus
Oath of Knights of Columbus is
Malicious Lie.
Declares he Runs for Congress as q
Democrat and Not as a Member
Of Any Church.
Hailing From Dubuque, he Says it
is City Entirely Free From
Sectarian Bias.

Maurice Connolly is the congress.
man-elect from the Third Iowa dis
trict. which is known as the Monkey
wrench district because Of the way 1t
has been handled by politicians for
their own use. The Republicans laid It
out In 1883 In the interest Of d. b,
Henderson. who afterward became
speaker OF the house of representa-
tives. 1t was thought to be immov.
ably Republican. When Henderson re-
tired in 1903, Benjamin Birdsell was
elected his successor by more than
10000.
But even the Monkeywrench district
could not withstand the Democratic
landslide this year. MIR. Connolly, who
carried 1t. is II native of Dubuque and
graduated Mt Georgetown University,
Washington, In 1897. He afterward
graduated ut the New York Law
school. He was admitted to the bar
at 81 and then went to Oxford Uni.
versity and afterward to Heidelberg.
AAo iClui liCu W DuUuQu0 u luke UD
the carriage business founded by his
family. He is interested in insurance
and other business interests and Is a
bachelor.
During the campaign, for the first
time at Union he took cognisance of
the alleged Knights of Columbus oath
being circulated against him by un-
known persons. II say to you now"
said Mr., Connolly, 'solemnly, and CALL
ing God to witness the truth of my
statement, that this alleged oath is a
gross libel and lie made out of whole
cloth with absolutely not particle OF
truth in all it's ridiculous assertions.
A person taking such an oath Is a At
subject for lunacy commission or a
criminal court"
Mr.. Connolly continued-T resent
the charge that / have taken such an
oath as this. or any other oath of such
n nature. resent 1t not as a Catholic;
| resent IT not as a Knight of Colum.
bus: ] resent 1t as an American citi-
zen. For tho charge that have taken
such an oath reflects upon my patrtot-
ism, reflects upon my honor. I fling
back into the teeth of the libellers who
circulate it this calumny. this indict-
ment of my Americanism. and dare
assert here within the hearing of you
all that ! am a better American, that !
have clearer conception Of American
fair play, Of freedom Of conscience,
than the men who circulate this libal,
than the men who thrust religion into
politics, putting it where II does not
belong. Let no man say to me that
have brought religion into politics.
Who says SO. says what Is not true,
and l challenge him to confront me.
My effort Is to force religion out of
politics. assert myself to be just al
good an American as the best Ameri-
can. l yield to no man in loyalty to
this country and Its institutions, to its
great system of public schools, to its
guarantees of freedom of speech, of
conscience and of the press.
Cites tho Example Of Dubuque.
II come from the city of Dubuque,
from the Catholic city Of Dubuque, for
Dubuque is overwhelmingly Catholic in
it's population, and l call you to wit
ness how peaceably and well the Cath
Olics and Protestants, the knights Of
Columbus and the Masons of Dubuque
dwell together as neighbors, and how
splendidly they have We'd with one
another in keeping religion out of poll
itics, in keeping religion in the homes,
and in the churches, where it belongs.
call you to witness that of the three
! judges of the district court two are
Protestants and Masons; that Of seven
members of the board of education,
one year a majority Of them are Pro.
testant and another year, perhaps:
Catholic; that of the nine members Of
the board of library trustees, MAJOR
ity are Protestant: that of the board
of three water works trustees. ma
jority are Protestants: that there are
Protestants and Masons in the court.