Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1916-08-03
RELIGIOUS PREJUDICE
SUBJECT OF ADDRESS


mere racial prejudices are not the
only difficulties which confront the
nation today. A more subtle infiu
ence is abroad in the land in the
character OF an organized campaign
to discredit the Catholic church and
to brand Americans of that religious
belief as unworthy of the confidence
of their fellow citizens. Men and
women have been going through this
country on lecture platforms and
through public print with a campaign
of villiflcation of the manhood and
womanhood of the Catholic church
which would resurrect the dead to
righteous indignation. We Catholic
men are just like the rest of you,
with a limit of human patience, For
centuries we have been taught to re
spect our mothers, our wives, our
sisters and our daughters, and II,
therefore, the mails are filled with
literature unfit to be read by decent
people it is hardly to be wondered
at II in certain places impulsve men
have resented insults to their women
In manner not warranted by law.
my observation has led me to be-
lieye that there is some anxiety even
among some otherwise well informed
people as to the political power of
the Pope. Ordinarily that would be
an extensive subject to consider in
one night. Contemporary history has,
however, afforded an illustration that
should remove the last lingering
suspicion of doubt from such anxious
citizens.
I'VE Catholic Americans owe no
political allegiance to the Pope. He
has no civil powers whatever over
our activities. | am saying this de-
liberately and without equivocation or
reservation, and am asking you to
accept it with the sincerity with
which it is expressed.
80 long as religious liberty is
practiced under the spirit of the con-
stitution, the Catholic would be the
veriest migrate who would not give
his whole hearted allegiance to this
country. If we only look abroad,
therefore, at illustrations to which
refer we will see Caholics OF every
country in Europe dying by the
thousands for the flag of their nation.
In some instances that flag typifies
country which has in the past
promulgated and enforced discrimi-
mating laws against the Catholic
church and deprived Catholics OF
their just rights, and positively pre-
scribed their freedom and happiness
but it is the flag of their country ant
the Catholics patriotism is living
virtue and he feels impelled to re
spond to the call of patriotism ant
the bounded duty of his conscience.
Il think ! voice the sentiments o.
the membership of the Knights o.
Columbus and of every intelligent
| Catholic in this country when | say
that we deeply appreciate the spirit
Of tolerance and good feeling which
for the most part exists among oul
non-Catholic brethren throughout tn,
length and breadth of the land
Bishop Mora, early Spanish bishop o
Los Angeles, always alluded to his
non-Catholic fellow citizens as hi.
separate brethren most charming
reference, which never failed t
strike responsive chord.
I'VE are furthermore not unmind
full of the fact that elsewhere il
foreign countries the religious lin,
has been drawn sharp and hard, anl
very often it is the dead line OF strif,
and bitterness. If any of my Catholi,
friends are doubling the accuracy o
my opinion in this matter, particu
larly If he comes from Europe or an.
other part of the civilized world, lie
him go back there and compare tn
attitude of the non-Catholic of tina
country with the spirit which pei
yades the non catholics of the Unite,
States and he will recognize the valu
of the conclusion at which | hav,
arrived"