Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-06-21
Their Conception of Liberty Is
Similar to That of
Puritans.
Despisable Part They Played i'm
Long Island School
Election.
A POLICY OF BLIND HATRED

After the A. p. A. died a lingering
death another anti-Catholic organi-
cation was formed to take its place
and carry on its work. The latest
spawn of religious bigotry chose to
be known by a name which, consider
ing the character of the work those
taking 1t are engaged in, is su-
premely grotesque. They have
dubbed themselves Guardians of
Liberty. Their conception of liberty
is similar to that held by Gov. Endi-
colt, of Massachusetts,, in Colonial
times. The Governor was a Puritan
of Puritans, who was saturated with
all the narrow prejudices of the
sect to which he belonged. On one
occasion he was haranguing in the
open air mis- fellow Puritans upon
the need of defending the religious
liberty for the sake of which they
had left their English homes. He
was interrupted by an Episcopalian
who had been placed in the public
stocks for the crime of being loyal
to his religious views. "Call you
this religious liberty?" was the
pertinent question the piloried
Episcopalian put to the Puritan Gov
ernor. The latter was not the least
disconnected by It. Turning to the
one who put ii and shaking his
sword at him he made answer. "We
give liberty to worship God, but not
The devil"
This reply voices the sentiment OF
the Guardians of Liberty, saws the
Freeman's Journal. They believe
with Gov. Endicott that liberty is a
monopoly in which only those should
participate that share the religious,
or rather anti-religious, views of the
Guardians of Liberty, who are con-
vinced that their Catholic fellow
should be Disseminated
against on all occasions. If they
could have their way Catholics
would be deprived OF the liberty of
holding civil offices-Federal State
and municipal; of liberty to earn
their daily bread in the various oc-
cupations; of liberty, in a word, to
enjoy the full right of American
citizenship. These intellectual de-
Fcendants of the bigots who made
up the rank and file of Know-noth-
ingism and A. p. A.-ism have the
STAINLESS effrontery to proclaim that
they are actuated by patriotic mo-
tives" in championing a policy
which is at war with all that is in
cluded in the term Americanism.
The manner in which the Guard
ians give practical effect to their
principles" IS illustrated by the
part they played in an election held
In Nassau county. Long Island, for
? member OF the local school board.
One of the candidates for the office
had drawn down upon himself the
of the Guardians of |
Liberty, who rallied to defeat him |
1t the polls. The head and front of |
his offending was that he did not |
'bey the Guardians when they or
Tered him to dismiss two teachers,
who are Catholics, from the public |
schools of Nassau county. Both of |
he teachers very properly refused |
o read the Protestant Bible to their
,upils. In doing so they were within
heir rights. The theory is that the
public schools are non-sectarian. A
eacher reading the Protestant YER
ION OF the Bible to pupils during
chool hours is acting contrary to
his theory. The principals of the |
wo schools in question did not in
list upon the Catholic teachers doing
What they were under no obligation
D do. At the time set aside for the
eading of the Bible the principals
vent to the school rooms and did the
eading themselves. This arrange
nent was not satisfactory to the
Guardians, who wanted the Catholic
eachers deprived of the liberty OF
arning their livelihood without do
ng Violence to their conscience. The
andidate for reelection TO the
'chool Board against whom the
were arrayed stated his
osition In this clear-cut manner:
However much I should like to be
iected, | would rather be defeated
han interfere in any way with the
eligious views of any teacher or
upils In the district" The candi.
ate opposing him made this plant.
it is most unfortunate that / have
ne support OF the Guardians of
liberty, as understand / have"
This incident in the anti-Catholic
ampaign carried on by the organ
.ed bigots known as the Guardians
I Liberty is Insignificant in itself.
ut II helps illustrate the Character
the work in which these bigots
re engaged. There are no tactics
% disreputable to which they are
OF ready to resort. NJ
A correspondent, who resides IN
aterson, N. j.. sends a copy of the
famous Knights of Columbus oath
hich the Guardians Of Liberty are
idely circulating. In that city. II Il
Ill be recalled that Philadelphia (
'urt recently published with fine 4 !
nd Imprisonment person who I
the vile thing. The in
snsate bigots who are spreading II |
IN Paterson, N. j., care
OF that Il insults the intelligence | 4
every one capable OF thinking.
hey are acting on the DrincinIa that \