The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1919-05-24
A Roman Catholic Rival

way NONAN WhSNNhO LiOih ANoPA9SA
but convenient "heretics."
A Roman Catholic Rival
The rival Roman Catholic hos
pital was reared in the opposite
end Of town just across the fence
from a cemetery, the gloomineSs
and suggestiveness of which COM
ports consistently with the garb of
its nurses bn the interior. This
presence Of a graveyard for the
contemplation of convalescents is
in depressingly striking contrast
with the cheerful outlook from the
real hospital on Maple avenue.
But pro-papal politics has its
own way Of overcoming the handi-
cap of inferior surroundings,
equipment and service. By action
of the Pennsylvania legislature,
taken two years ago, this papist
Institution, which is pretentiously
styled The Dubois Hospital, re-
ceived twelve thousand five hun
dred dollars two years ago, an
equal amount last year, and has
this year applied for the amount
of $32, $4,000 Of state funds to use
in carrying on its sectarian bust
ness 1t is understood that the
state board Of commissioners of
public charities has, in its prelim-
mary report to the Pennsylvania
legislature, recommended that
$4,000 be given to the cemetery
annex.
And this act Of Pennsylvania s
lawmakers is in direct conflict with
the states constitution, which con-
tains the following in section Is Of
article 3, as adopted in 1874: -t.~-
No appropriation, except for pensions,
or gratuities for military service, shall
be mado for charitable, educational, or
benevolent purposes, to any person or
community, nor to any denominational
or sectarian institution, corporation, or
association.
The purport and meaning of
this section is emphasized by the
comment of Buckalew, an eminent
legal authority, on the constitution
Of Pennsylvania, in which he states
on page SO:
The larger object of this section, how
ever, is to prevent appropriations from
the state treasury to denominational or
sectarian purposes or uses, The words
are comprehensive and must be taken in
their full force. No appropriation to
any individual, community, denomina-
tional or sectarian institution, corpora
ton, or association, for charitable, edu-
cational, or benevolent purposes, shall be
made. All trusts and other devices hav'
ing in view tho accomplishment indirect.
ly Of the purpose are as much and as
plainly forbidden as direct and open
appropriations.
Misused Public Funds
The above prohibition is so clear
and so sweeping in its provisions
as to exclude even public school
districts from use of state funds
when appropriated by the state
legislature. A bill, passed at the
legislative session of 1881, which
appropriated $4,000 from the
state treasury to assist in re-erec
ton Of public school buildings de
stroyed BY fire on May IA, 1886
in the Milton school district, wal
vetoed by Gov. Hoyt on June 80
1881, on the ground that such ap
preparation was in violation of thu
section quoted.
The public schools of Pennsyl
vania are, therefore, forbidden tn,
use of state funds, even in case 0.
such disaster; but the Italian
pope's hospitals can Vuse stat
funds, or do use them, in direc
conflict with constitutional law. l
is quite plain that papal polite
lis active in Pennsylvania to secur
public funds for its own purpose
and to withhold such funds from
use by the public school.
But this is only one phase Of tn
rank discrimination which is state
wide in Pennsylvania, but which
carried out to greater lengths il
the little city Of Dubois. Certail
Dubois physicians, for reasons bes
known to themselves, are takinl
particular pains to favor the Re
man Catholic hospital on Mai
street; and, at the same time, di
vert normal patronage from tn
Inon-sectarian hospital on Mapl
avenue.
4 Prominent among these Is tn
/ firm Of Drs. Free and Johnso,
\ who pose as Protestants and Free