The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-09-16
DIPLOMAT DEFENDS MEXICAN CLERGY
FORMER AMBASSADOR WILSON
SAYS THEY DID NOT INTER
FERE IN POLITICS.


Wilson of Indianapolis, Ind, formerly
American Ambassador to Mexico, in
which he discusses the religious situa-
ton in the neighboring Republic.
Mr. Wilson, who is a Presbyterian
and member of the Masonic order,
has had noted career in the diplo-
matte service which he entered seven
teen years ago under President McKin-
ley. After serving as Minister to Chill
and to Greece he was made Ambassa-
dor to Belgium by President Taft, and
later to Vienna. In November, 1909,
he was appointed Ambassador to Mex
leo, position which he held until his
return to Washington four years later
to confer with President Wilson on
the Mexican situation. After the con-
ference the resignation which he had
previously rendered to the President
was accepted.
In view of the propaganda of mis-
representation of the Catholic Church
in Mexico so industriousIy carried on
by the so-called "MeXican-American
League" established by Carranza's
agents in New York, it is interesting
to read what man so we'll qualified
as former Ambassador Wilson has to
say on the religious situation in Mex
leo. The following is the interview re-
ferred to:
During the four years | was Ambas-
sador to Mexico it was my official bus
mess to note and report to the Depart
ment of State the movement of politi-
cal organizations, the character of So
cial, economic and religious propa-
ganda. Without entering into any dis
cussion of the economic or social prob
lens which existed or of the political
division, it may be useful to say some
thing about the religious situation.
There exist in Mexico branches of
practically all of the Protestant
churches, and these are working in
their separate fields with more or less
success The Methodist Church espe-
cially has strong organization of able
men working among the poorer classes
Of Mexico, with what substantial re-
suits | am not informed.
THE Protestant churches have, how
ever, only touched the outer fringe of
Mexican life. The vast majority of
MeXicans are Roman Catholic in tradi-
ton, and the inspiration of such re-
ligious ideals as exist comes from that
vast majority of the Mexicans are good
Catholics; they are very far from it.
Nevertheless, the Roman Catholic
Church is the only one they can be
taught to recognize as a religious in
stitution, and presenting to them, as
it does, the source of punishments and
rewards, it becomes a powerful factor
in the enforcement of discipline and
training in teaching respect for law
and authority, and in furnishing those
restraints through fear which are so
necessary in the. control of half-civil-
lied people, such as the majority of
the MeXicans are.
What the Roman Catholic Church
accomplished in Mexico prior to the
time of Juarez and Diaz is matter of
history; the story of it's work and the
prosecutions which it has suffered
since that time is not so we'll known.
1t is unnecessary to recite the story of
the spoliation and ConfiscatiOn of the
church properties or how the Church,
from position of proud pre-eminence,
came to be an object of political at
tack and unjust aspersion.
without lands, without temples
save by sufferance, without revenues,
it began for second time the work of
reconstructing it's system and organ
ization. During the long period of con-
troll by Porfirio DiaZ' the Church slowly
but surely grew and prospered, and it's
influence for good, among the poorer
classes especially, in central and
southern Mexico, was most marked.
During the time of my service in Mex
leo cannot recall a single instance of
interference in the politics of the coun-
try by the Roman Catholic Church.
There was, it is true, Roman Catho-
lie political party, but it was not for
midable nor well organized. Natural
Iy, the clergy favored this organization,
but not actively. AS rule, the Rom
an Catholic clergy of Mexico were
quite content if they were left alone
and permitted to peaceably pursue
their religious duties.
"The Madero administration was
hostile to the Roman Catholic Church,
though | believe there was no perse-
cution by the government during his
time. The present Carranza govern
ment, inheriting all of the evil and
none of the good of the Madero admin
istration has opened a pitiless war on
the Roman Catholic Church which |
amounts to a practical denial of the
practice of religious liberty. SO far as
my observation goes, the Roman Cath
Ole Church in Mexico desires nothing |
more than religious liberty and equal |
ity before the law
Mr.. Wilson was asked if any of the |
Carranza or Villa leaders had done |
anything antagonistiC to the Protes- |
tant churches in Mexico. Il have
known them to destroy and loot two
Methodist orphanages," he said. |
These men have no respect for re-
ligion of any kind The only reason
they don't destroy more Protestant |
fThese7 men have no respect for re-
churches in Mexico is that these.
churches in Mexico are few and far
between, while there are, of course,