The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-09-20
IT'S A BAD THING
IT'S PUSHING ALONG


trate the spread of religious intoler-
ance in this state than an unpleasant
ness between two daily newspapers in
a neighboring city.
One of these papers has been es-
tablished for several years. The edi-
tor thereof is man of high standing
i'm his community and among the
members of the newspaper fraternity
in the state. His paper has always
been clean and charitable. 1t has
never sshown the slightest denomina-
tional leaning. The editor thereof be-
longs to the Catholic church, but he
has never made any parade of his
church membership. Men who have
read his paper for years did not know
what church he belonged to, or if he
belonged to any church. His church,
not having large membership in his
town, he gave it less notice than the
other churches. In short, his treat
ment of religious matters was strictly
according to the ethics of the news
paper profession, which treats all
church members and non-church MEM
bers alike.
A couple of years ago an opposi-
ton newspaper was started. 1t was
edited at first by Protestant min
lister, man of conscience and ability,
who also observed the rules of jour-
nalistic courtesy and let his compe-
titor's religion alone.
After awhile the newspaper passed
into the hands of another editor, a
man with good nose for news and
considerable git up and git. From
the first he Dragged every day about
his paper, which he had some right to
do, tho ~ Dragging wasn't in very
good taste. Then he began compar-
ing his own paper with the other to
the latter's disadvantage, which was
still worse taste, though, as it is an
almost universal fault, wasn't much
to be wondered at. Finally he began
slurring at the religion of the editor
OF the other paper, and trying to
create prejudice against him, which,
OF course, unless it is prompted by
a deplorable ignorance, is little less
than criminal.
1t seems to the Star that thought
full citizens, particularly those con-
nected with the press, had better con-
slider this incident and decide to do
what they can to put the brakes on
before the entire state of Florida
toboggans to the place which few
years ago was occupied in the esti-
nation of the civilized world by the
province of Kiev in Russia, where
Jews were charged with the murder
OF Christian babies as religious
rite, and where many of them suffer-
ed most outrageous persecution at the
hands of ignorant fanatics. We have
gone considerable distance on this
road already. If we don't stop soon, a
concerted effort Will be made not only
tc deny Catholics their political
rights but to deny them the right to
make living.
There is comparatively little, we are
glad to say, of this prejudice in Ocala.
Our town, in short, is abreast with
civilization. Consequently. our people
do not realize the rank bitterness with
which the contest is being waged in
other parts of the state.
The experience of ages proves that
intolerance and cruelty grow upon
what they disseminate. A large fac
ton of the people of Florida is now
making a concerted move to deny
Catholics rights guaranteed them by
the constitution of the state and ma
ton. In many of the counties they
are not allowed to teach in the public
schools in fact, there has been lit
tie indication of this form of intol-
erance in this county. A candidate
for governor announces that he will
interfere with some things that
Catholics hold sacred. Now, if we are
to go on, and try to interfere with a
mans right to make living because
he belongs to that church, we viii
have gone clear back to the dark
ages, and will be doing what we &C
cuse the Catholics of having done 400
years ago.
1t is noticeable that the people who
are most bitter against the Catholics
are those who have something to gain
by their bitterness, and that those
who most readily believe accusations
against them are people who know
very little about them. They swallow
the stories told by Cats and Billy
parker, without the slightest attempt
to investigate.
The better class of the people of
the United States do not believe in
such spirit or such practices, and if
Floridians carry them much further
they will draw down upon themselves
the condemnation of the whole coun-
try. with the exception of those be-
nighted corners where Tom Watson
has more Influence than Thomas JEFF
ferson or Jesus Christ.