The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1913-02-22
NJ A NV Nrucax

lic-
After reading Il the writer OF thia
felt impsllod 10 write this article Get.
ung forth Why be did not become a
Catholic
Hoping 10 be able 90 present valid
rranuns therefor he feels that he has
fallen even much short OF his duty
BY not itemirinE more completely the
many Erafts OF the priesthood and By
passing up entirely the situation On
Mcuco. Hoping. however, that the
two propositions. his position OF good
VIII 20 the individuals who constitute
the rank and Gle Of the church. and
his intense hatred of the system so
arroCantly headed BY Gods one and
only earthly representative. the pope
OF Rome. viii be borne In mind. be
respectfully presents the following.
Ny earliest recollections az a boy
led me back 10 life on tho farm In
n happy family under the influence Of
two Of the kindest parents a boy
ever had. not religious TO the extent
OF hflllating with any sect. but al
ways urging my attendance at some
Sunday school and at such church
services as seemed 20 ofier the best
opportunity 70 hear good speakers.
did not join any Protestant or.
ranlEation because I would have TO
subscribe 10 doctrines In which I did
not believe.
did not feel attracted 10 the Catho-
lie church because its members In our
neiEhhorhood were not altogether de-
slrable citizens, having a very low
standard OF morality. being mostly n
very Ignorant people who drank hor-
ribly and who voted against school
taxes and whose children were the
poorest material IN the public schools
where I attended.
Naturally I saw no fruits Of Cnthol-
ieism which were attractive 10 me
then.
While stlll quite a young man
removed TO New Mexico where for the
irst time I saw Catholicism as a
power and came 10 know Il more In.
timately In reference 10 It's influence
In the home.
Although New Mexico was granted
a territorial government soon after
the war with Mexico Il did not have
a public school law until 1Ss2. Silver
City had succeeded a few years pre-.
ylous 20 that date IN getting a special
independent district logallzed 30 that
Il could tax Itself for the support OF
schools, but every endeavor In the
legislature 10 pass a general school
law was defeated by the Catholics
term after term.
One active worker IN the N. NJ.
legislature In behalf OF the cause OF
education told me that previously-
probably 1S7s-he and others worked
on a school law, laboriously sitting
tho legislation OF other states, until
they had n splendid law drafted and
finally secured the promises OF
enough Mexican votes 20 pass H.
Upon It's coming up In the House.
however, an old influential priest OF
Santa Fe appeared on the floor Of the
House, sat up in front where he could
see all OF the members when voting
and enough weakened to give Rome
It's victory.
When In later years an effort was
being made 20 establish n state Tor
territoriaD normal school. the same
influence fought t. Finding they
could not defeat the measure they
sought TO gain a point by having an
amendment introduced providing for
two normals, hoping thereby 10 at
least prevent the establishment Of a
strong institution by dividing the
fund.
About this time began 20 see the
awful burdens and imposltions the
church put upon the poor Mexican
people. To give an instance, a boy
had worked for me, being the sole
support OF his old mother. her very
old father and one little sister and
baby brother. The boy afterwards
went away and the grandfather died
leaving the mother 20 make a living
for herself and children. which she
did in a very pitiable way. mostly
by washing.
She came 20 me several times ask.
ing for help and gave her provisions
and store orders for the same She
took them rather hesitatingly and IN.
ally asked that ! help her with cash
Instead. giving some excuse as 10 the
necessity OF getting some medicines.
Through a mutual friend I learned
why she wanted cash. The priest
charged her $1,000 in cash 70 pray
the old father out OF purEatory and
she had 10 get Il together somehow.
That began 10 open my eyes, and,
further, found. out
that many OF the poorest were facing
just such propositions.
came TO the conclusion that no
other power In the world could wiring
cold cash in such substantial sums
from a people with nothing in their
stomachs, nothing on their backs.
and no furniture in their homes. and
decided that no other
power In the world is mean enough
to try Il.
These object lessons somehow
failed TO mako mo a Catholic.
Removing TO Santa Re. the Catho-
lie headquarters Of the Southwest, I
saw Rome more In IT'S aspect as n
temporal power saw Il direct
legislation and manipulate omcials.
saw its Indian school there In
opposition TO the one the government
along semiindustrial
lines. and knew OF It's scandals In
connection with a prominent priest
and the Indian girls (Not an the rov-
ernmsnt schools have escaped such
nfart@a afFharl