The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-03-13
THE CLovEN HOOP.

No better evidence OF the trend
of contemporary bigotry is needed
than the bills which have been in
troduced into many of the State
Legislatures providing for the in
Spection of certain classes Of in
situations not under the direct con-.
troll of the state. These bills, gen
orally known under the name of
convent inspection bills, bear the.
impress Of their unhallowed pa
ternity, and are an evidence Of the
lengths to which the bigots will GO
in their efforts to. discredit their
Catholic fellow citizens in the eyes
of the public. There is no reason
to doubt that, no matter how COM
prehensive in scope these bills APP
pear to be, they are aimed primar-
lily at Catholic institutions whose
continued usefulness, aye, whose
very existence, they threaten. Tn.
derneath this phase Of sectarian
bigotry lies a malignant hatred of
Catholicity and OF all that it I'M
plies. The aim Of all these bills is
to hurt Catholic institutions, to,
cripple Catholic effort along edu-
cational, charitable and philan-
thropic lines, and to bring odium
upon the Church.
1t seems strange to people of
ordinary intelligence that the pro-.
meters Of these convent inspection.
bills do not see how inconsistent
they are and how great a gulf
there is between their theory and
practice. Their lond-mouthed clam
or for personal freedom, as the
great panacea for all the religious
and civic ills of modern times,
would lead one to believe that they
were not unwilling to concede to
all citizens, irrespective of class or
creed, the full measure of personal
liberty which they proclaim to be
the glory of this Republic. But
when it comes to practical appli-
cation Of their theory, they would
rob Catholics of. that.b0on by in
vading religious institutions at all
hours Of the day and night, by
intruding on the privacy of con-
vent and cloister and prying into
the personal affairs of those who
have chosen to separate themselves
from the mad whirl Of the busy
world and pass their days in pray
Eerful retirement and unostenta-
Etious labor for the welfare Of
tothers. These alleged heralds of
Epersonl liberty. would make off
Ecious meddling in private and per-
Esonal affairs onesof the duties Of
public officials orsaf self-appointed
guardians of morals whose own
Hives are far from exemplary.
Every convent inspection bill, no
matter how harmless it may APP
lpear TO be, is a blow at personal
liberty. Why should these insti1
buttons be inspected any more
THAN the private home of any other
citizen of the community? What
have their inmates done that they
should be dragged from the pri-
lvacy of their homes to satisfy the
lprurient curiosity of an evil-think-
ling and lm-IAmerican rabbleQ
Catholic institutions have nothing
to hide; neither have the majority
of private homes. Catholic institu-
ltions fear no legitimate investiga-
ltion; neither do the majority of
lpriyate homes. Why, then, should
1.-THE constitutional rights of their
Inmates be violated rather than
lthosesof any other respectable citi-
i zen9 Why allow such an outrage
Ito be perpetrated against them
Isolely on account of religion
'lCatholic institutions which receive