Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-19

. and..for that purpose Catholics have.tax-
ed themselves for the purpose Of estas-
fishing those schools in order that their
children may be taught in the funda.
mental principles of their religion.
think the House understands upon
which side ] stand on this question. 1t
Is matter which / am willing to leave
, to your own good Judgment. / do not
, ask any one Of you to vote in this mat
ter to please me, but vote according to
your own convictions. That is all / wish
to ask.
/ Mr.. MARSTON of Skowhegan. [
wish To state very briefly my position
in this matter Today, the largest
and most powerful church, and the
church with the strongest influence
on lis members, and the most benefit
c1al influence on the welfare of the
whole town, is the Roman Catholic
church. Among its members | count
with great pleasure some of my very
best friends Il was fetched up with
French people Nearly all the citizens
OF Sknwhegan who are not of Amcri-
can extraction are French. / went to
school with them. played with them,
and nearly all my life in Maine have
worked with them in the woods
In the great Moose River country.
which is one of the largest numbering
districts in Maine, where | Rave been
employed most of my life in Maine,
some 10 or u years ago a French
priest from the McGill University or
seminary at Montreal came down
without funds. He was simply sent
by the Bishop into a country where
there was no French priest. but where
there We're a great many French
Catholics. 1t was my privilege and
my fathers privilege, to assist in
establishing the first Catholic church
in this north country. Since that day.
Father Forest, who is one the very
best friends l have In the world, has
established six prosperous missions
and has 5000 COMMITMENTS in his
church. All winter he travels from
one logging camp to another, spread
ing his benificent influence; and / want
to assure YOU that there is no influence
among the typical lumber jack that
can approach the influence Of good
priest. l have been On trips with him
! on snow shoes for Is or 30 miles to
render assistance and relief to sick
and dying members of his church. I
| know what good he has done: and no
/ one needs tell me that the Catholic
| church is the strongest influence for
good among its own people and among
other people: and for that reason |
agree with DR. Donovan from Lewis
ton in regfettinS that there appears
! to be a controversy as To the method
of managing property of the church
| between two factions of the church.
| My people at home, as say. are
| all French Catholics and | realize
that the larger majority of them OBJ
{, iect to the old system of the corporal
! lion sole. and want some change which
! will give a greater measure of local
+ government feel that we here. who
are rot Catholic the vote must be de-
| termined by two considerations. first
| what our judgment SAYS is justice:
| and, second, what in our opinion would
! be the most satisfactory settlement of
| this case between two parties in con-
! troversy. We must yield To them that
| they are. best fitted to judge of this
| situation. Personally, when the new
| draft was returned by the committee
/ on judiciary | was delighted that some
| change had been made. and when the
| gentleman from Van Buren,. introduced
/ his amendment it seemed only fair to
| me, as a laNman, that these few lay
| Continued on Page Ten.)