The menace., 1916-01-29
Taft and the PapaI Church

There Is talk IN some quarters /
about ex-president Taft being made
a Supreme Court Justice in place
Of Justice Lamar, deceased. This
urgency Of Mr.. Taft's claims upon
the supreme bench may be from the
same crowd that claimed 10 have
elected him president.
An old file Of the Catholic Union
and Times. Buffalo, n. Y, dated
January 2s, 1909, quotes our re-
doubtable Marion Reedy, editor Of
the st. Louis, No., Mirror. II is
Reedy's reflections" about the
election Of Mr.. Taft and the cause
OF the defeat Of Mr.. Bryan. He
SAYS:
The (Caihohc) church grows in power |
and II Mr.. William Jennings Bryan |
wants 90 know one reason for the over.
whelming character Of his defeat, last
November, can tell him that II was the
great slump Of Catholic Democratic votes
20 Taft, because Of that gentleman =
fair treatment Of the church in the
Philippines. Even the simple and kindly
nuns were working for Taft, in their con.
vents. And let me say here, that this
same Catholic church is going 20 play a
bigger part in the American politics Of
the immediate future for the one reason,
that IL Is the one influence, the one or.
ganization 70 which property can turn
with hope 10 help against the rising revo-
luton for a better distribution Of the
fruits of labor applied 20 the earth. The
Catholic church is dead set against social.
Ism. IL has what Professionalism lacks
authority. II can enforce its authority.
II is the salvation Of wealth Protes-
tantism is fissiparous and powerless
Rome can't be lost.
When the papes quote Reedy,
they generally say: Hear what
non-Catholic says" and sometimes
when they want TO get a sure enough
proof they make out that Reedy is
q Protestant
The fact is Mr.. Reedy is a de-
fender Of Romanism, and probably
finds it most profitable. He lives
and does business in ST. Louis
The Rome Of the West.
The one thing to be remembered
is that Marion Reedy is sure that
the Roman Catholic church is in
politics and is TO play a big part
in politics" Now il is to be hoped
there will be no more attempt on the
part of Rome to impeach one Of lis
own witnesses. To do so would be
fatal, and lose their case before the
American people.
And while you are thinking about
II you may as we'll confirm in your
own mind the fact that the Roman
Catholic political machine defeated
Mr.. Bryan because Mr.. Taft wal
considered the better friend TO thi
church, and the machine was in III,
Republican band wagon BLOWN,
The trumpets; that when this politi
cal cabal had used Taft to the limit
and there appeared a certainty tina
he could not be reelected on &C
count Of Il. RS fasco, and becaus
OF the rising storm against popery
the papal vote was trsitorousl
turned to Mr.. Wilson who wa
elected by a tremendous vote.
You viii notice, too, that the 20
litical activity Of Rome was so mi
nutely carried out as to eomman
the simple and kindly nuns Z
work for Taft. in their converts.
That is what Reedy says so that III
editor Of the st. Louis Mirror mu;
have had special facilities for know
ing the secrets Of papal politics.
Another interesting statement
made in the clipping referred I
above, in the remark: ~The Catl
olic church is dead set against s.
cialism- II has what ProtestantisI
lacks-authority. IL can enforS
its authority" Is that so? Pro
estantism has the truth. II has Il
appeal 10 conscience which sal
. you ought" conceded to be Il