The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-04
Distinguished Priest
 And Hibernians Unite
 In Denouncing O'Leary

1dI Qol1V0Ty HdSlou tO answer at once as the matter is so abso- lutely out of politics. Our mem bership is drawn from all shades of political utilization and it would be the beginning of the end were we to allow partisan con- troversies to be introduced into our councils. As I insisted at the state board meeting last week no one has the right to speak for the organization except the officers. This has not been understood as we'll as it might have been in the past and the society has been harmed notably because irrespon- sible mouthpieces pretended to commit the Hibernians to policies which the vast majority of the membership repudiated.
 The special incidents that lead you to write to me may be dis missed briefly. That New Haven rally, about which Brother M'Car- thy is worried, should be publicly denounced, since it parades under false colors The Republican members of the organization have every right in the world to SUD- port and advertise by public meet tings whatever candidate they may favor. But when they at tempt to drag our society forward as sponsor for their individual preferences they overstep the bor- der of due privilege and if Broth CT M'Carthy can tell me who they
 
 no longer be in a position to mis- represent our great Catholic Or der.
 The complaints of the brothers bearing on the Catholic Tran script are hardly justified and, in any event, do not come under our correction or mine. The article in The Springfield Republican to which the Middletown brother re- lfers he misunderstood entirely. It did not say the diocesan organ would print this week an editor ial advising all the Catholic of the diocese to vote for Hughes; neither did it say that the off, cials of the diocese were mixing in partisan affairs. It expressly stated that the editor had not giv- en any political advice whatever and though one priest had an- nounced his intentions the reser- vation was added that the relig- ious question was not mixed with political issues in Connecticut.
 AS to the criticisms of the Mex ican policy of the administration upon which you touch, the editor of a Catholic paper has as much right to pass judgment upon that question as any other individual. Simply because he dissents from your or my opinion is no reason to condemn; neither is his view to be accepted as any official pro- nouncement of higher ecclesiasti- have been engaged in editorial work. including the paper that appears in this state, and my Judgments committed to print were no more the official or au- thentic decision than yours would be if you signed a letter to a daily paper. The opinion of the editor of the Catholic Transcript. therefore, on political questions particula arly, wisdom or lack of wisdom contained in the written word.
 Personally, if you care for an expression Of my opinion, which is worth nothing more than my private Judgment weighs be care full to remember, the Catholic edi- tors of the country have been led into very risky business by the selfish indiscretions of couple of their colleagues on this bother some Mexican matter. To attack any president for not settling the complicated religious situation which obtains in our southern neighbor seems to me decidedly unfair, not to say, absolutely un- just But that is a matter upon which you know my views have already been aired sufficiently so I will not draw out this letter any further.
 Whatever you wish to do with regard to the question in New Ha- ven you can depend upon me to endorse.
 Fraternally yours,
 EDyNlA P n E>T A NM HID