The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-11-12
BISHOPS Of
MEXICO REPLY
T0CARRANzA
ALWAYS WANTED PEAcE-DENY
THEY CONTRIBUTED MILLIONS
TO UPRISING AND CLAIM THEY
POSSESS NOTHING.

San Antonio Tex, Nov. I1.-UrgeC
by the publication of certain state
ments as having come from the d,
facto government of Mexico recognized
by the United States. the archbish
ops of Mexico and Oaxaca and a
number Of Mexican bishops in con
yent!on here yesterday authorized a
reply
The subscribing Mexican bishops
think it their duty to answer the
statements made by Don Venustiano
Carranza,' it set out in the preface.
The statement is signed by Joseph
Mora Y lei Rio, archbishop of Mex
leo; Eulogio G. Guillow, archbishop
of Oaxaca; 1gnatus Valdespino Diaz,
/ bishop of Aguas Calientes: Jesus Ma
/ ria Eschevarria, bishop Of Saitillo;
/ Michael NJ. de la Mora bishop of Ia
catecas; Maxine Ruiz bishop of CHA
pas; Jose Jesus Fernandez, bishop
abbot of Guadalupe; Emmanuel Renc-
70, capitular vicar of Queretaro.
The statement follows:
al. Neither Don Venustiano Car
rama nor any other person need have
fear that Mexican bishops and
clergy may be an obstacle TO the re-
storation of peace in Mexico, since
such restoration has been the aim of
all our works, writings, prayers and
exhortations to the faithful during
these last years of civil war in our
unhappy country.
"2. We are longing to work among
our people in behalf of the great
task of assuaging the misfortunes of
our country and of cooperating
through our apostolic ministry for
the cementing of national peace and
prosperity
Never Tried to Question Madero.
"3. We can assert that we never
contributed either by our sermons or
by our writings either secretly or
publicly and far less financially, to
overthrown d. Francisco Madero's
government, we recognizing him as a
legitimate ruler on the contrary, we
are able to prove by trustworthy doc
uments that the Mexican episcopacy
condemned every uprising against
that unfortunate president.
a. We are quite sure of having
conscientiously fulfilled our duties
during the revolution; we have not
violated, even in the least, the laws OF
our country and we do not fear any
accusation against us. If we fled
from Mexico it was to avoid being a
burden on our people because heavy
eXactions would have been imposed
upon us, and we not being able to
uav them, our people would have
had to do it in order to release us
from iail and from other veXations
which would dangerously rouse the
feelings of the people, as in the case
of the prelates of Durango, Tepic' Te-
huantepec and Vera Cruz. No one
ignores these facts they were pub
licly known Also the terrible threats
made against us, as well as the eX-
orbitant taxes levied on some bishops
in spite of their lack of money.
"5. Our behavior toward General
Huerta's government can not be
blamed as criminal and delinquent,
because it was a merely passive at
titude, avoiding any interference in
political affairs. 1t is very much out
side of our mission of peace to foster
uprisings or to support an armed OPP
position.
&c. We having very much at heart
the welfare Of our country and being
aware of our mission of peace and
Cancellation, carefully tried not to
offend either Huerta's government or
the revolutionist element. In our ser
mons as well as in the documents we
wrote from the beginning OF the reNo-
luton we limited ourselves to explain
the Catholic doctrine and to preach
peace. without any partisanship, be-
cause we wished to avoid the shed
ding Of blood on the soil Of our be-
loved country.
~. The statement that we contrib
uted $l1.OOOOOO to a new uprising is
totally absurd and no proof can be
adduced against MS. 1t is publicly |
known that we possess nothing, that
we lost all the property Of our do
ceses and that our only support in a |
foreign country has been he char " |
of generous Catholic Americans,
IS. We do not regret having en-