The Irish standard., 1915-04-10
CATHOLIC FEDERATION AND LEG.
iSLATURES.
, The Example of Boston,

The heart of the Catholic Citizen
beats with laudable pride at the mag
nificent spectacle presented by the
Massachusetts, Federation in these
critical days.
The patient workers who struggle
on, year in and year out, for the most
part with meagre results, find new
encouragement to persevere and new
hope that the Catholic Federation will
eventually be all that it promised.
The Occasion.
Bills had been introduced in the
Massachusetts legislature to prohibit
the appropriation of public funds for
institutions (Catholic) wholly or part
ly under ecclesiastical control.
1t became urgently necessary to
show that these measures were un-
necessary, uncalled for, and insulting
to the Catholic citizens of the state.
The Catholic Federation rose to the oc.
casion in an unprecedented exhibition
of power.
The Committee Hearings at the State
House.
The Catholic federation turned out
1000 strong; they came from the prac.
tice of their professions, from the
business offices and from the many &C.
equations of their daily life on very
short notice, and at great inconven-
fence to themselves and loss of time
and money.
They were there to register their
opposition to this uncalled for attempt
to change the state constitution and to
reply to the insulting charges that
"the Catholic commonwealth was plan
ming to pillage the public treasury to
support their charitable and educa-
tional institutions"
Magnificent outpourine of Catholic
Men.
Many of the men present left their
homes early in the morning and trav-
eled long distances to attend the hear
ing which was conducted by Henry V.
Cunningham, president of the Catholic
federation of the Archdiocese of Bos-
ton, assisted by committee of officers
of the Ancient Order of Hibernians,
Knights of Columbus, Massachusetts
Catholic Order of Foresters, and other
parish and fraternal organizations.
Backed by thousands of laymen, a
half dozen Catholic men, representa-
tive of the Catholic federation and of
the leading Catholic organizations of
the state, stood in their places before
the committee to deliver logical, elo-
quent and complete argument in reply
to the false, uncalled for and malicious
attacks of the assemblage of mis-
guided ministers and narrow-minded
bigots who appeared to advocate the
amendment to the constitution. In
their appearance, in their tremendous
ly greater numbers and in the lucidity
and forcefulness with which their case
was presented, the opposition made a
lasting impression on the minds of
legislators and citizens of the common
wealth who were fortunate enough to
be present at the hearing on Friday.
In the following, we select few sal
lent arguments against the proposed
legislation.
Henry v. Cunningham, president of
| 60 NJ
1--WE come here from every section
and hamlet of the state to make free
and open declaration of our position.
We are here as Catholics, laymen and
citizens, to speak for ourselves.
eve are not here asking for what
might in justice be recognized as a
right, but solely to resist an unwar-
ranted and an unjst attack. The pur-
pose as proclaimed by every voice
raised in support of this measure was
to prevent the Catholics from obtain.
ing that which they might seek, based
upon the precedents Of grants to in
situations and purposes either distinct
ly Protestant, or non-Catholic.
"Mr. Greenwood claims to you that
prescriptive organization is caused by
demands for appropriations, and dared
to make the threat to you that if this
bill is not put through, it was putting
lid on powder key. That threat
was made to committee of the legis-
lature of the sovereign commonwealth
of Massachusetts! Is such thing to
be tolerated in Massachusetts, and her
citizens influenced by an incendiary?"
No Catholic Aggression.
Rev. A. A. Berle, Congregationalist
minister in opposing proposed legis-
lation, argued that nobody stated
during the addresses in favor of this
bill a single instance of aggression on
the part of Catholics in this state at
the present moment which calls for
legislative action. On the contrary it
was shown that while millions have
been given to Protestant bodies in this
state, that is, non-Catholic bodies, the
paltry sum of $4,000 has been given
to Catholic institutions"
Daniel ]. Gallagher, State Secretary
of Knights of Columbus:
"The proponents of this measure
have come here for six years. and have