The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1916-08-27
THIS LAW UNNECESSARY.


measure became law when the gov
ernor signed it, 1t was one of the
four which he held over for studying.
Regarding the provisions of the bill,
our subscriber has correct impress.
sion SO far as our information goes.
We, too, have not seen copy of the
bill. But this is an outcropping, or
rather one Of the damaging results of
the anti-Catholic agitation which has
been waged by Tom Watson and 9TH
ers in Georgia. 1t will be remember
ed, lecturers have been to Cordele for
the purpose of "enlightening" the pub
| lie as to the Catholic church, have
taken their collections and have pro-
ceeded on their way. They use the ag-
itation for making money and are
able to do better for themselves for
the reason that Watson has always
got the state aflame with as much
passion as he can stir.
Catholicism in Georgia, SO far as we
know, and SO far as Watson and his
prosecutors know, is no more than
what the average person sees when
he attends Catholic service and fol
lows it through. 1t is church SER
vice that does not suit the protestant
at all,-it is far from his idea of wor-
shipping
The Georgia Catholic is an average
American Catholic and Catholicism in
Georgia can be easily understood.
There is nothing criminal about this
church or it's schools in this state The
average Georgia citizen may see any
time for himself and know the whole
thing. The Catholics, we have found,
are always apparently glad to see an
the church or visit one of their schools
or colleges. They always want to
make more Catholics, but this is like
other denominations.
We are not trying to argue that the
Catholics, schools and churches, are
wholly without evil. That we do not
believe. But their evil is much the
same as the evil which gets into the
churches of other denominations.
Sometimes somebody goes wrong and
it is charged to the church. Isn't that
true with the protestant churches?
In the Catholic churches we have
found some of the best people on
earth. They are not all good. Some
Of them are terrors, bad citizens.
Again this church is much like the
protestant, for in the protestant
church all sorts of people, good, bad,
and Indifferent, maintain their names
on the church membership roll.
The impression that this denomina-
ton hold, people (women is what we
have often neard) against their will,
and without right of trial by jury, is
all erroneous. The Catholic will do
all in his power to educate his daugh-
ter or his son Catholic, but Catholic
schools in America, and especially in
Georgia, do not serve as prisons for
young women any more than does
Wesleyan, Bessie Tiff or Shorter for
the Baptists and Methodist young wo-
men of the state. 1t is not at all diff
ficult to find this out.
Those of the papers who know what
tie Weary bill is, have fairly come to
the conclusion that 1t is in spirit
plan to patrol the premises of the
Catholic schools,-to make sure that
no more of these reputed crimes are
committed But under this same law
the patrol may as easily be set over a
Baptist or Methodist school,
Our subscriber intimates that he
wouldn't care much if the grand jury
did investigate. But he would, and
every other member of the church
would resent an investigation by the
grand jury, if it were made with a
view to ascertaining whether young
women were being mistreated by the
denomination in the school or church
investigated.
The Catholics, so far as we could
learn, did not interpose an objection,
at least in a strong way They have
permitted this very serious injury to
their cause without fighting it. Protes-
tants will, if the measure is active
ly enforced, suffer it's baneful effects,
for they will likewise be investigated.
When there is church rule or Gus
tom which oontrayenes a state or ma
tional law, then the church rule should
be done away And Mormonism, so
far as poligamy goes, must finally go
by this route, but no such unlawful
regulation is promulgated by the cath
ulics. The state should have nothing
to do with a legal supervision of the
churches or any of their affairs, no
matter what their form or worship, so
long as that worship does not directly
contravene the laws of the state. Any
,+o,o e th;e aLo ntaT- CON moon Moth