The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1916-09-22

No Issue on Question of Devoting PuA.
lie Funds to Religious Purposes, in
Schools or Elsewhere - Avow Only
Spiritual Allegiance to Pontiff, Who
is Head of Faith.
September seventh, 1916
Mr. c. e. Kramer, Secretary Political
Action Committee, Wisconsin Guard
ians of Liberty:
My Dear Sir-YOur letter of some
days ago / wish to acknowledge You
have submitted to me a certain so
called declaration of principles, and as
candidate for political Office in the
State of Wisconsin you have asked of
me my views concerning these princi
plies.
You say your organization stands
unalterably for the complete separa
ton of Church and State To this
subscribe without reservation.
You declare that you are united tC
protect our country and it's free insti
tutions from the influence of any re.
ligious-political organization, and you
concern yourselves with no political
faith, but do take issue with any
Church interfering with established
American institutions and civil govern
ment. These sentiments | endorse un
equivOcably. l, too, am vigorously op
posed to an intermingling of religion
and politics. The one is concerned
with the spiritual life, the other with
things strictly and solely of the earth
These two activities do not in practice
harmonic, and where, as in America.
there are so many religious move
ments, any effort to mingle Church and
State is decidedly repugnant to our
traditions. Such an effort cannot fail
to produce harsh discord and drastic
conflict in our political affairs.
No Public Funds For Religion.
You maintain that the State has the
right to give free instruction, but that
the religious instruction of children is
the exclusive prerogative of parents,
and you are opposed to the use of
public funds for any religious purpose.
Regarding this statement. there is no
issue between us. The matter of edu-
cation and instruction of children is
the sole prerOgative of parents and al
ways has been. The question of use of
public funds for religious purposes is
purely an academic one. because no
where in this country-and we are con
cerned with this country, take it-ara
the funds of the State, or any division
of the State, used for religious pur-
poses
You maintain it to be inconsistent
and destructive to free government to
appoint or elect to political or military
office any person who openly, or secret
ly, comedies superior authority to any
foreign, political, or ecclesiastical pow
er whatever
l am Roman Catholic and as such
with all the others of my faith, I con
cede supremacy in spiritual affairs to
the central authority of my Church
the Pope. A Catholic accepts as prif,
ciple of his faith that the Papacy has
from the beginning been the represen
tation of Christ on earth This allie
glance to the Pope as a spiritual au-
thority is totally divorced from any
temporal or political allegiance. Matters
relating to temporal or political af-
fairs are thoroughly unconcerned with
spiritual fidelity and should not be
mentioned in connection with affairs
of the spirit.
Man of Religion Is Best Official.
There is nothing in the acknowledge
ment Of a supreme spiritual head that
is antagonistic to the acceptance
the faithful fulillment Of political
trust Religious faith and service to
the State are not repugnant to each
other, rather they are compliments of
each other; and / conscientiously be-
lieve that compared with the atheist
or the agnostic the man Of sincere and
profound religious convictions is the
better qualified to hold political office
One of our greatest men, who was
trusted with the command of the
armies of the Union when this country
struggled in the throes of civil reyo-
luton, was a man of simple faith and
a Catholic. The Chief Justice of our
highest judicial tribunal is an adherent
of the Roman Catholic faith
These, and hundreds of others, have
been raised to exalted positions and
honor and confidence nor in a single
instance in such cases has religious
faith been found incompatible with the
proper performance of public duties.
These, then, are my replies to your
communication, and it has filed me
with a profound sadness because it be-
speaks a lack of understanding which
cannot fail to terminate feelings of re
ligious bias. unfairness, prejudice and
rancor that most of us hoped had long
since passed away in liberty loving
America.
l am. Sir, cry sincerely yours,
JOHN CUDAHY.