Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1912-04-27
True American Spirit
In Making Appoint
ments.
Also Pays High Tribute to Jew
For Worth and
Character.
MAN Who HONORS HIS OFFICE

The Kansas bigots, who protested
against the appointment of Rev.
Father Maher as a member OF the
Text Book Commission, found that
Gov. w. B. Stubs is too big a man
to listen to howls of such people.
The note of protest and the Gov
ernor's reply. taken from the
Wichita Advance, are as follows:
Mr.. H. NJ. Kingsley, Ellis, Kan
sas-Dear Sir: am in recent of
your letter of recent date in which
you express your opinion "as a tax
payer" that no Catholic should be
appointed to public office in Kan
sas, and also protesting against the
appointment of Rev. John Maher as
a member of the Text Book Commits
sion. Answering your letter, permit
me to say that do not agree with
your views in this matter and sim
cerely trust that / shall never live
to see the intolerable day in Kansas.
state dedicated to human freedom,
when men shall-on account of their
religious views-be denied the
pledge and promise of our State
constitution, which says:
mo religious test or property
qualifications shall be required for
any office of public trust"
III the above paragraph of the
constitution of Kansas means any
thing, 1t means that Governor who
would refuse to appoint Catholics,
or members of any other church, to
offices of public trust because of
their religious opinions, would vio-
late his oath to support the constitu-
tion. shall never lower the dignity
of the office / have the honor to hold
by subscribing to such doctrine. I
want no one to be deceived in what
[ say upon this or any other subject.
2 want Vt known that stand
strictly upon the platform OF Abra-
ham Lincoln, when he said:
"I go for all sharing the privileges
of the Government who assist in
bearing its burdens
Some time ago, when I was look
Ing about me for big men for the
service of the State, my attention
was called to one of the greatest
business men in Kansas. A friend of
mine asked him If he would accept
he replied: "Tell Gov. Stubbs that
will willingly serve the State upon
the express condition that there shall
be no pay attached to the office he
gives me-"
I subsequently appointed this man
to an office, attached to which there
was neither salary, per diem, fees.
nor any other compensation
whatever. Almost Immediately a
flood of protests came in to my
office against his appointment on the
sole ground that he was a Jew. This
man, who preferred to serve the
State as an obligation of civic duty
rather than for pay, was no less
person than Henry w. Wallenstein,
Of Wichita. one of the greatest mer-
chants in the West, a citizen OF the
finest public spirit and a man of
generous charity. of high culture and
an admirable public and private
character.
Not single Catholic asked for the
of Rev. John Maher,
but on the contrary every man who
his appointment was a
Protestant OF high standing in the
religious. business, social and civic
life of the State. No Catholic or
few, insofar as recall, has ever pro-
tested against the appointment OF a
Protestant on account OF religious
'aith.
There are two qualifications re-
luired for a man on the State Text
Book Commission. One is integrity |
md the other educational ability. |
Rev. John Maher possesses these |
qualifications IN the highest degree.
He is a man of fine scholarship, ripe |
experience along educational lines,
high personal and civic ideals, great |
integrity and a nobility OF |
soul and character that has Inn
pressed itself upon everybody who
nave had relations with him. Out OF
he nine MEMBERS of the State Text |
Book Commission, eight are mem
1ers in high standing of Protestant |
churches OF various denominations.
md I WIN guarantee that after the
work OF this commission is finished |
everyone OF them will have nothing
lut words OF praise for the fidelity /