Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-10-28
Editors Letter Box
An Open Letter

LullOl , LcllcI DOX
An Open Letter
short editorial in Thursdays is
sue Of the Journal entitled I'm
wrong" has offended thousands of
Catholic citizens in this city and
State. At first thought it seemed bet :
ter to let it pass without public pro-
test. but further consideration re-
veals challenge to Catholic law
abiding citizenship that must not 20
unanswered.
This is the third distinct time
within few years that the editorial
columns Of the Kennebec Journal
have published comments offensive
to Catholics, particularly in the man.
ner and words used. On one of these
occasions the subject Of attack was
Cardinal Gibbons, and in words that
were harsh and ill-tempered, the Car
dinal was censured because in an in
terview he expressed views Of
prohibition that did not please
the writer of the article in
question. Someone should have OBJ
jected at that time to what was con-
sidered by many to be abusive Ian
guage. altogether out Of proportion
to the venerable cardinals offense
But suppose it was considered that
the cardinals prestige among men
OF all classes. whether they were of
the same opinion on public questions
or not, would not be affected by the
editorial. So the incident passed
passed without comment
And now Cardinal Gibbons again
| comes in for dishonorable mention. 1t
is said that Cardinal Gibbons has
been sharply criticized for holding
| ceremonies iE honor Of his golden ju-
bilee at which some 300 persons were
present" l don't know the exact cir
cumstances Of this evidently curtail-
ed celebration, but 1 do know that
representatives Of several foreign
countries had come to Baltimore to
bring greetings to the revered jubila-
rian, that he was honored by our sis
| ter nation France with the decora-
! ton OF the Legion of Honor, and l
haven't the least doubt that the as
semblage of only 400 persons was not
without the full approval of the au-
thorities of the city of Baltimore. 1
also know that the observance prop
| er of the golden jubilee of the car
dinals conservation as Bishop has
been postponed.
Coming to our own State we find a
bitter reference to our own Bishop
Walsh, who is respected and revered
by one hundred and fifty thousand
Catholic people in the State and
don't know by how many non-Catho-
lies. In an evidently sarcastic tone
Bishop Walsh is said to have rescind-
ed his announcement of church ser
vices at the request Of his friend the
mayor, after Friend Mayor had is
sued orders to the police department
to be ready to stop all services that
might be held" Assuming that May
or Clark had given such orders. the
police would have had a busy day in
preventing the Catholic people of
Portland from assembling for wor-
ship and it would have been novel
duty for the department.
The facts Of the incident reveal it
in another light. Bishop Walsh qques-
toned the right of the Board Of
Health to close the churches. He tried
every reasonable means Of inducing
the board to allow the people to
congregate for short time on Sun
day morning. He came to Augusta
to discuss the situation with the
State Board Of Health. In a public
meeting, together with three pastors
Of Catholic parishes in Portland, he
strongly urged that the board con-
slider the church services as essen
tial in its sphere as the conduct of
business. After the board had refus-
ed to alter its determination he still
questioned the legality Of the order
and on that ground directed the pas
tors to act accordingly. That he was
right in his claim soon became ev;-
dent when the Board of Health at the
eleventh hour sought and obtained
the necessary authority from a JUS
tice of the supreme court, thereby
making it's order legal. 1t was at
this stage of the proceedings that
the Bishop in response to a request
CT the mayor. if you will, changed his
plans for the Sunday services.
That one priest of the State wished
to test the constitutionality Of the
law and was willing to accept the
undesirable pupiiClty Oh ATTEST anu
fine in order to get a decision in a
matter SO important ought not occa-
sion such a holy horror in democ-
racy that has not forgotten the Bos-
ton Tea Party.
In the editorial referred to the
Catholic church Is held up to public
scorn, if not in so many words at
least by inference, as being defiant,
selfish, un-American, recalcitrant I'M
progressive and unwilling to cooper
ate in preventing the spread Of dis
ease. What a sweeping condemnation
IT an institution that is known in
this city and every other to men Of
intelligence and good will as one Of
the greatest bulwarks Of law. The
Catholic church is working in this
community quietly and without the
blare Of trumpets. 1t is directing near
" five thousand people along the lines
Of good citizenship and is making
and keeping the vast majority a law
abiding people, And yet we have to
read in the editorial columns Of our
local press the gratuitous insult that
has occasion cd this letter to the pub
lie. These Ave thousand people have
every right TO express IN indignant