The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1914-08-15
THE drastic measures, adopted I
By the Constitutionalist lead |

en- Of Mexico, to rid that
unhappy country Of priestly graft
and hoentiouSness, has stirred up
the tongue-vAgging priests Of the
United States 70 the most extrava-
CANT assertions One Connolly,
Who is running the Grch-diocess OF
St Louis while Prince Glennon Is
in Europe, has had himself inter
viewed in an effort 10 explain away
the real situation. Says he:
"Ths movement headed By villa,
CarrAnzA and the Constihtionalists is
not . democratic movement, but an
anti-religious one. IL IL q movement
against religion and the church, and nos
enc for the uplifting Of the people.
can the civilization the Mo1ieAns
have comes from the church and the
peoples contact with the priests and
missionaries Of the church"
Asked y the Roman Catholic church
u In good reputs with the Vatican, tAs
MonEgnor said:
"Yes, the church in Mexico a In GOOD
repute, and is as dear 20 the Holy
Fathers heart As Is the church In the
United States.
"Ths bishops and the priests In Mer.
leo try 10 do thar duty, as do the bish.
ops and priests In the United States.
They work for the interests Of the pco-
pie, just 40 well a. We do in this land.
"MsHieans have political preferences
Just as Americans have, and they sure.
y have the right 20 their preference.
The ConstitutionAlists are tramplng
down these rights rough-shod.p
We have no doubt that the
church In Mexico is in good repute
with the Vatican. That is the rea-
son IL is in such bad repute with
the Mexican people. We are also
convinced that the bishops and
priests in Mexico do their duty
much as the bishops and priests
do in the United States. They
work for the people on both sides
Of the Rio Grando in the way that
drives the MeIicans to desperation
and will soon drive the Yankees to
defense. II MeIicans have political
preferences, the people Of that
country have their preferences,
as well as the priests; and
the outcome Of the late un-
pleAsantnesS indicates that the pop
ular preference is not for priestly
pluckers and politicians. The Mex
lean Constitutonalists are tramp
ling down the rights Of the priests
in about the same way the law
abiding people Of the United States
trample down the rights of horse
thieves and boodlers.
This con talk by Connolly is
characteristic Of the cult. He and
his kind, when hard pressed, hide
either behind the skirts Of the dear
sisters or behind what they are
pleased TO call their religion. II
what these degenerates practice is
religion, then the people Of Mex
leo and all other nations need some
thing else. Referring to the gov
ernor Of Nuevo Leon, Connolly
says:
"It Is very evident TO me that Vii.
lareal is deliberately adopting the pol.
icy Of persecution, and he will 20 the
way Of all persecutora History shows
that way clearly. Persecution never
pays
"The faith that makes martyrs will
survive. Instead Of villareal abolishinp
the church in his Province or State, be
will find himself abolished"
The Monsignor recited that he saw
several priests who were expelled by
Gen. Villa some months ago In ST
Louis, and they told him how they were
compelled TO walk for hundreds Of miles
10 points Of safety.
he mentioned that several Christian
brothers have been killed outright.
Well, Madero let the priests and
Jesuits do as they pleased, and
what became Of him? Those who
shout for sympathy and grieve over
persecution would be heard more
readily If they were to come with
clean hands and a righteous record.
II is really too bad that those priests
had to walk so far to safety. Ma
dero rode in an automobile, to his
death. Then the priests have been
riding so long that their holy feet
are tender, while the people have
been walking so long that they ore
used to it. This fulfllment OF the
scriptural prediction of the first be-
ing last, and the last being first, is
sure sore for the fellows who come
out last.
There is no doubt that numer-
Gus Christian brothers have been
killed outright in Mexico, even in
addition to numberless poems who
have been worked to death. Is il
not written somewhere that they
who take up the sword shall perish
by the sword? There has been war
in Mexico, and the priests can take
the credit of causing it to them
selves and their political allies.