The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1918-10-26

NJ of humanity to make the
lN. world safe for democracy.
II you oppose papal poll
tician, bent on capturing q political
Office to use it for the benefit of the
old church, he cries that you raise
the religious issue" and should be
interned as an enemy alien for STIR
ring up strife "at time like this"
In other words, he wants to slow UP
your efforts to make the whole of the
United States safe for democracy.
There is a good reason why you
should oppose papal politicians; a
reason that even Roman Catholic Of
fce-seekers have not answered in a
manner satisfactory to thinking per-
sons.
1t is charged that he is part and
parcel of a great political organiza-
ton which operates under the name
Of the Roman Catholic church and
that his organization is opposed to
the fundamental principles of de-
Ynocracy.
For a time the engineers Of the
Roman Catholic political machine
said the Free Press Defense League
made charges and accusations
against the papal followers and this
stirred up needless strife because the
people never heard but the one side.
Judge Gilbert o. Nations, presi-
dent of the League, hoping to find
papists sincere in this assertion then
challenged Cardinal Gibbons to dis
cuss the issue. In a registered letter
sent to the cardinal on March 9th,
which letter was signed for and de-
livered to him in Baltimore, Judge
Nations offered to discuss the issue
in as many Roman Catholic papers
as the cardinal might choose and in
The MENACE If the cardinal would
appoint someone capable and author
lied to represent the Roman church.
This was giving them the same
chance and same right that he asked
for the League. 1t would give both
sides of the discussion an impartial
hearing before all Roman Catholics
and all those persons who believe the
Roman church is opposed to the fun,
damentals of democracy as voiced in
our constitution. Then the people
having heard the charges and the
answer of the old church could de-
eide for themselves.
Now the following were the propo-
sitions Judge Nations offered to dis
cuss, he to take the burden of proof
and anyone the cardinal might ap-
point to take the supposedly easy task
of disproving his arguments and re-
fdting his evidence.
Note just ten points were pro.
posed:
Resolved, That the Roman
Catholic church is guilty of the
following wrongs against popu-
lar government and the inher-
ent rights of all mankind:
l. The pope is the most auto
cratic political sovereign poten-
tate, and as such he rules the
Roman Catholic church with
absolute authority which for
bids any prelate or priest to
take an oath of allegiance to any
civil government and exacts the
paramount allegiance Of every
Roman Catholic.
2. He claims to be the overlord
Of all governments and peoples
I and as such entitled to supreme
\ political authority throughout
Y the world.
9. In his capacity as supreme
ruler and teacher of the Roman
Catholic church, he opposes and
denounces the sovereignty of the
people.
4. AS the foremost autocrat
claiming divine right to rule, he
is in sympathy and collusion with
the autocrats of Austria-Hun-
gary, Germany and Turkey in
their war on democracy and hu-
man rights.
5. The Roman Catholic church
opposes and condemns secular
education and free public schools.
6. 1t opposes freedom of
thought, freedom of speech and
press, freedom of conscience,
freedom of worship, and the
right to read the Bible.
z. 1t opposes separation Of
church and state and demands
public FUNDS for sectarlan pur-
poses.
g. It defies and wilfully .yio-
lates marriage laws duly en-
acted by congress and the state
legislatures.
8. Many Of the popes were
moral degenerates, and the tend
dency of Roman Catholic doc
trine and practice is to demor-
alize the clergy and degrade the
people.
n 10. Inordinate love of money
is a leading trait of the papal
hierarchy.
Now If Rome wanted to promot,
unity and end discussion here wal
a chance to prove her case once ant
for, all. If Cardinal Gibbons had fell
there was man in the old churcl
who could possibly disprove tn,
things we charge do you believe h,