The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-11-01
A GREAT PROTESTANT
ON RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY
AND INTOLERANCE

NAlidm Jennings Bryan; and Their
is no more devoted and typica
American in the world in his fidelit,
to the institutions of this country ans
the spirit Of American liberty thar
William Jennings Bryan. Conse
quently what he says concerning the
work of the shameless demagoeues
and agitators now seeking through
appeals to prejudices of ignorance
to inject religious issue into our
politics and by gross misrepresenta
tions, falsehoods and ISLANDERS fill the
land with the cruelty of bigotry and
brutal intolerance, will command
the wide attention of the American
people. His language is judicial in
Its calmness, simplicity and freedom
from prejudice, and coming from one
OF the leading Protestants of Ameri-
ca, 1t is scathing rebuke to those
misguided people now engaged in
the indecent and unAmerican work
OF prosecuting Americans because of
their religious faith, and seeking to
make their own religious bilgotry aid
narrowness an issue in American
politics. In a recent number of the
Commoner, Mr.. Bryan over his own
signature has this to say:
"The Knights of Columbus acted
wisely in giving formal answer to
the Misrepresentation which have
been circulated in regard to the atti-
tude Of American Catholics on two
important subjects, namely, on poll
teal questions and the public
schools. The knights, at their recent
annual meeting at Seattle, say;
We should lose no proper occns-
ion to declare the position of Cath
olics and the teachings of the church
on this matter, namely, that while
Catholics acknowledge the Pope TO
be supreme in spiritual matters, they
do not hold that he has any author
ity in civil matters. If any spirit
ral authority were to direct us to
any act contrary to the rights of free
citizens, or the welfare of society,
We would be bound to disobey
Other points touched upon in the
report to the meeting, as published,
are as follows:
"The report declares that Catho-
lies uphold and support the public
school system, but feel that relieious
instruction is necessary. and, there
fore, bear an extra burden for pri-
yate schools. An opinion was ex-
pressed that in time all general
forms of religion will be taught in
free schools
The report condemns the action
Of politicians in raising religious is
sues in campaigns, as well as the ac-
tivities of quasi-political societies IN
discriminating against persons of
any faith
To this Mr.. Bryan adds:
Those who have come into init
mate acquaintance with representa-
tive Catholics did not need to be in
formed that they do not concede TO
the church authorities the right to
direct their course in political matt
tiers, but many Protestants, lacking
this knowledge, which comes with
personal acquaintance, have been
misled. and the statement above
quoted is both wise and timely.
so, in the matter of public
schools. A parent may send his child
to private school many Protest
ants as well as Catholics do-with-
out indicating hostility to the public
school system. The American public
school is an established fact; it is a
permanent institution. and it is idle
to talk of any class or creed inter-
fering with it.
The knights are to be commend
ed also for protesting against the M
PRODUCTION of religious issues into
politics whether to aid the members
of church or to oppose them. The
rl7ht to worship God according to
the dictates of ones conscience is one
Of the inalienable rights it must
not be jeopardized by the dragging
of religion into politics.