New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-12
Italian Delegate Clouding
Issue, Asserts Father
Tierney.
CONTRASTS WORDS
AT ROME AND HERE
Priest Says Visitor Loses No
Opportunity to Revile Cath.
Ollie Religion.

The Rev. Or. r. H. Tierney, editor OF
America" a leading Catholic weekly
yesterday returned to the attack on Err
nesto Nathan. ex-Mayor OF Rome and
Italy's delegate to the San Francisco ex-
position. Last Wednesday Mr.. Nathan
who was at the Waldorf on his way back
to Italy charged that the anti-Cathoic
attitude ascribed to him was a lie. Yes
terday DR.. Tierney declared this charge
could be ignored without danger to Catho-
lie honor.
Father Tierney maintained that the
Italian delegate and his friends were
clouding the issue. and presented what
he asserted was the result Of an oppor-
tunity for telling contrast. He quoted
the delegate first from the press of this
country. and then from speeches made
in Rome. The press reports he used
were as follows
AS matter Of fact the charges are
absolutely untrue. They want to set
me up as an enemy OF the Catholic re-
ligion. There is no man who is more
respectful toward any religious faith,
whether it be Catholic or Protestant or
Jewish or Mohammedan, or what not.
than | am.
Il am not an enemy of religion. ! am
not fighting anything sacred to man.
but l have fought and will continue to
fight to the best of my ability sham re-
ligions which are political organizations. "
These words are Father Tierney's YER
sion OF what Mr.. Nathan has to say on
this side of the water. The contrast fol-
lows, the matter quoted being the priests
version of what the ex-Mayor says on
the other side of the ocean:
Another Rome. prototype of the past,
shut itself up within an area more con-
fined than the walls of Beisarius. striv-
ing to crush thought within the narrowest
limits IN the fear that. like the emba med
corpses of old Egypt, contact with the
free air may resolve it into dust. From
there, from the fortress OF dogma, the
last desperate effort to perpetuate the
reign of ignorance comes on the one
hand the order to the faithful to BAN
ish from the schools that periodical press
which tells Of modern life and thought;
and. on the other hand, thunders pro-
scription against men and associations
who desire TO reconcile the practice and
dictates Of their faith with the teach
ings OF the intellect, of real life, OF the
moral and social aspirations Of civiliza-
ton.
1T is we'll to bear in mind that before
the 10th of September. 1870. Rome,
wrapped in the darkness Of enforced SUI
perstition, lying under an intolerable
servitude, thirsting for light, tunnelled
the earth interposed between itself and
the suns smile, with anxious heart, with
ear extended towards Italy. towards Italy
laboring with pick and mine to lberate
its beloved few common shots suf-
feed to batter down the frail diaphragm
which had till then segregated the city
from free human intercourse, gripping
her within the narrow circle Of dogma,
divorcing her from her pure radiant be-
ginnngs as well as from the truths
reached by civilization and by science"
Father Tierney says the malice and
significance of these extracts are clear.
and calls the words a bitter and gratui-
tous attack.
Picking up Mr.. Nathan's recent asser-
ton that he was fighting and would
continue to fight sham religions which
are political organizations, Father Tier
ney maintained that this portion was
conclusive proof that Mr.. Nathan loses
no opportunity to revile the Catholic re-
Iigion.