Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1912-07-06
President Cooney Comments on
Gen. Miles Recent
Letter.
Head of Catholic Press AssOcia-
tiOn Asked Pointed
Questions.
Pity For the Man Now Led by
Band OF Professional
BigOts.
RIGHTS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS

Recently Edward j. Cooney, Presi-
dent of the Catholic Press Associa-
ton, addressed letter to Gen. Nelson
A. Miles, in which he questioned the
objects of the Guardians of Liberty
and the Generals connection there
with. Gen. Miles answered President
Cooney's letter by lodging the issue
and not answering it, on which the
latter comments as follows:
Gen. Miles is rather peevish. Also
| he lodges the issue. He does not
answer Mr.. Cooney's letter, but pre-
fers to indulge in a lot of rhetoric
and platitudes about the principles
Of our constitution and the institu-
tions of our country. What Mr..
Miles-Gen. Miles rather-was asked.
was this: Did he or did he not ap-
prove of the principles of the Guard
lans of Liberty? Did he or did he
not endorse the attacks upon the
Catholic church, Catholic dignitaries
and Catholics generally, made by the
leaders of the Guardians of Liberty,
such as Rev. Augustus Barnett, of
Philadelphia, or former Congressman
Haines, of New York, or Tom Watson,
Of Georgia? Does Gen. Miles believe
in stirring up the embers of religious
animosity, religious prejudice and
factional strife? Does he believe that
Catholics are not loyal citizens of
this country? Does he share the
opinion of Tom Watson that the pre-
lates of the Catholic church are plot
ting the downfall OF the republic and
planning a Papal monarchy? Does
he seriously entertain the belief that
the Knights of Columbus are drilling
nightly and secretly against the peace
and dignity of the nation? Does he
believe that the Catholic church
schools do not produce good citizens?
Does he think that because the public
.achQols..ienone- sG<EWRMapd moral
teaching they have a monopoly OF 1Irt1I'
that is good in the teaching world?
Again, does Gen. Miles believe that |
the Catholic pioneers. discoverers and
who were in this coun-
try long before the first man that bore
the name OF Miles ever e2patriated |
himself from his native land, were
traitors and plotters? Does he be-
lieve that the Catholic soldiers who
followed Gen. Lafayette and Rocham-
beau and Kosciusko for American
liberty and independence were enc
mics OF American liberty and inde-
Dendence? Does Gen. Miles seriously
hold the opinion that the Catholic
soldiers who fought and died in the
days of 81, that this country might
be free, were not fighting for the
cause of Americanism, of American
and the American consti-
tuition? Does Gen. Miles think that
the noble and heroic women in the
orphan asylums, infant asylums and
hospitals of this great nation, the
women who nursed his soldiers dur
ing the civil war, who were mothers
to them, advised and consoled them,
are not a credit to the American re-
public that produced them and to the
church that gave them to the nation?
Has Gen. Miles ever heard OF that
post OF the Grand Army of the Re
public at the University Of Notre
Dame, entirely composed of Catholic
priests? Has he ever heard the story
of the nuns who followed
the armies of the Union in the critical
days OF the civil war? Does Gen.
Miles believe that Cardinal Gibbons.
for instance, is not loyal citizen of
this country Does he think that
Ireland is traitor? Does
be seriously entertain the belief that
such men as Chief Justice White, OF
the United States Supreme Court;
Senator O'Gorman, Justices Bowling,
Delaney and Cohalan, of the New
York courts; former Attorney General
United States Minister
Maurice Francis Egan, are not good
What, then, is Gen.
Miles talking about?
Why does he refer in his letter to
Mr.. Cooney to the "dictation OF your
shurch?" What does he mean when
he asks OF Mr.. Cooney If "you or any
Of your associates believe in openly
or secretly manipulating, controlling
and debating the political action OF
any portion OF our citizens, In order
that in time our republic may become
subject to and subseryient to your
church," Who Is Gen Miles that he
should ask such ridiculous questions?
is Il not the right Of every American
citizen to try with all legitimate
means 10 control, n he can, the politi-
oal action OF any portion OF "our cit
zens?" Is not Col. Roosevelt endeav-
Drlng to do that very thing at the
present time? Is not President Taft?
Is not Gov. Wilson? Is not Speaker
Champ Clark and Gov. Harmon and
Underwood and Senator
LaFollette and others?
Who ever tried TO make the affairs
of State subordinate 10 the dictation
Df your church," Does Gen. Miles
know what he Is talking about OF is
he in his dotage? The man is TO be
Ditied who. after a brilliant career,
hull OF patriotic service to his ooun-
Try, should allow himself TO be led
by the nose by small group OF pro-