Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-01-18
HUNDRED MEMBERS OF ABNAKI~ :
COUNCIL, KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
Al HALLOWELL Dinner SESSION

them to the hearts of their fellow
countrymen of all religions that never
again would the dour countenance of
re1gious hate be seen in this coun-
try. But hardly had the last gun
been fired than another and a different
Kind of war broke out in America, a
war characterized by a spirit of hate
more vicious than even that Of the
great conflict of arms which had
rocked the world to its foundation.
I'VE are liable to deceive ourselves
by thinking that it is only the ignorant
who cherish blind prejudice against
the Catholic people of America. We
read the Fellowship Forum. American
Standard, Railsplitter and other anti
Catholic papers and are amused by
absurd stories worthy of the inventive
genius of a Nick Carter, and we sooth
ourselves with the thought that no.
body can harm us because truth is
mighty. No man, Catholic or Protest.
ant, however well disposed he may be,
can be of much help to the cause of
truth If he is so ill informed that he
cannot defend the truth when it is at
tackled. THE war that has been
waged against Catholic schools in the
past few years has doubtless bene-
nted rather than injured the cause of
Catholic education: not, however, be-
cause truth won by it's own weight,
but because 1t found defenders among
we'll informed Catholics and Protest.
ants.
1T may be useful to consider for a
moment some of the gains to the cause
of truth which the recent attack
against Catholic education has won for
the Catholic people. The fair minded
public has learned that Catholics are
not opposed to the public school: but
they insist that it shall be strictly
public. and not a camoufiaged Protest
ant school. 1t has learned that the
Catholic teaching Sisters are trained
teachers and that the Catholic school
gives a secular education identical
with that of the public school. but
with something additional.-faith in
God and revealed religion. The public
school teaches that patriotism is a
civic virtue; the Catholic school
teaches that patriotism is both a civic
and a religious virtue. The public
school child believes that if he dis
obeys the law he commits an offense
against the State: the Catholic school
child believes that if he disobeys the
law he commits an offense against
God.
ut has always been to the credit
of the knights of Columbus that the
society from it's beginning 40 years
ago has consistently refused to allow
liquor sellers to become members.
There can be only one position for a
Catholic to take who knows the teach
ing of his church,-faithful obedience
to the Prohibitory Law. The nominal
- da1ihara4 ol,- CT q y,
violating the Prohibitory Law knows
in his heart that he has cut himself
off from the sacraments Of the Holy
Church as effectually as though he
had publicly renowned the faith. Even
the Catholic lawyer who takes the
defense of liquor case assumes a
grave responsibility and must first be
conscientiously convinced that there is
an honest defense or at least extenu-
ating circumstances which ought in
justice to be urged in court.
1.-The Catholic people have never
asked from their fellow-citizens spe-
cial privileges for their institutions;
but we demand. and will accept no
less, fair and equal treatment. We
have never opposed a constitutional
amendment to prohibit the giving of
public money to private institutions,
provided 1t was written honestly to
apply to all alike. Any person pub
licly saying the contrary is menda-
cious demagogue. We Catholics who
were members of the last two legisla-
lures never got an opportunity to vote
for such a constitutional amendment
until we drafted and introduced one
ourselves in the last legislature. and
the debate on it was led by Catholic
in the House of Representatives and
by a Catholic in the Senate, and IT now
goes to the people bearing the name
of the most prominent Catholic in
public life, Benedict F. Maher.
THE Catholic people of Maine are
loyal and patriotic citizens. We believe