Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-07-28


tion was adopted
If we have promulgated regulations,
and established sanctions in accord
with law in modification of the penal
code which have directly provoked the
curious campaign for the paralyzation
of the economic and social life of Mex
leo this was a perfectly logical move,
since if we were to compel compliance
with those articles of the constitution
which were being violated by the
clergy, by their own confession, this
could not be accomplished except by
the establishment of penalties for vio-
lations, penalties which we had a right
to determine by virtue of special pow
/ ers granted by congress and which are
/ not in any instance excessive, distinct
/ from, or more severe than those estab-
! lished in all civilized countries of the
world for violations or making mock
cry of their constitutions.
i From the very beginning we deter
mined that the conduct of the govern
ment, whatever might be our senti-
ments or philosophical religious ideas,
was not to be or would not be pro-
voked by impulses to persecute, nor
| yet actuated by rancor or bad will to-
| ward the archbishops and bishops, who
had signed the reputation of the con-
stitution excitative or rebellion, for
such of those documents appeared in
Ell Universal really were the best
/ proof; that is, we proceeded to compile
a constitution, we'll knowing that one
of the first results would be favorable
toward the Mexican clergy through the
automatic elimination, of foreign priests
who certainly had not signed the pro-
! test to which / refer, and who, in
many cases, were impediments to the
policy of bad Mexican clergy, inimical
to- the government, but who had to
leave the country because thus ordain-
ed by the constitution of the, republic.
which demanded that priests should
be Mexicans by birth.
Government Enemies.
Although their departure, as / said
before, should produce a direct moral
material benefit for the most open en-
/ emies of the Mexican government who
were and are some archbishops and
bishops of Mexican nationality, aside
from this, and / speak from all sim
cerity, I believe that in addition to
the elements pertaining strictly to the
clergy there are many persons In the
immediate surroundings of the clergy
who constantly by actions and by en-
deavor> obstruct administrative work
of the Mexican government, masking
themselves with the aspect of religious
devotees in order to disguise old re-
dictionary tendencies and their never
ending rancor and enmity toward the
Mexican revolutionary government.
If any one analyzes carefully the
personalities of those of the first and
second orders who organize these
leagues for the national defense of the
religious liberty, he will find follow
ing lawyers who feel themselves under
necessity of making very apparent their
religious zeal, whether real of feigned
in order to be pointed out by public
opinion in strong Catholic elements as
men of law, who sally forth to defend
the interests Of the church, all of which
is translated into powers of attorney
and trusteeship for the management of
funds and properties concealed by re-
ligious interests, in proxies, nomina-
tions, defenders of property belonging
to the clergy and in connection at
times with merchants, rich men, that
small class which continues to think
ingenuously that blatant professions of
religious sentiment constitute guar
antee of honesty and competence.
Professional AgitatOrs.
Another very interesting group of
actors in this religious conflict is that
composed of professional agitators,
I,o L Of Cof
Yesterday formed the national Catholic
party which feigned friendship with
Madero and on the day following his
assassination allied itself with Huerta.
This later became the national syndi-
cate of farmers made up of a supposed
majority of land owners who were able,
in 1928, to corrupt revolutionary
chieftains, but only with promises, for
they were incapable of collecting gold
to pay the price of those corrupted.
Before, during and since my presi-
Dental campaign, they have dreamed
of distorting the will of the Mexican
people, and today they intrigue with
national leagues for the destruction of
the riches and economic potentialities
of the country and receive from the
archbishop of Mexica lukewarm writ
ten appreciation in which he takes good
care to insert in every second line that
he approves the movement for economic
paralysis which the league attempts.
Foreseeing that in case the economic
paralysis should be accomplished it
would necessarily bring tumult and
manifestations of disorderly nature,
the archbishops and bishops who today
approve the plan, did not wish to ap-
pear responsible for the tumult and
disorderly event which. might result
from it, but did not dare condemn it.,
for their condemnation might be in
terpreted by ignorant Catholics as dis
authorization or cowardice, as COM
pared with the attitude and general
gallantry assumed by the political agi-
tators who are defending Catholicism
In the American constitution there
exists not a single article which treats
! of the religious question, simply be-
cause, fortunately for that people,
there had been no necessity to include
it in the organic law because there all
churches distinguish their religious at
/ titude and conduct from their political
interests and conduct. But in our
country from the epoch of independ-