The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-11-26
ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT
ELECTION CALlMNIES SCORED
BY ARCHBISHOP MNICh0LAS

the most sacred thing we have in
life. We live in our holy religion,
and we shall die in it with the hope
of an eternal reward. Those who
wantonly attack it, those who know
ingly misrepresent and calumniate
it, are guilty of an infamy which de-
bases their minds and hearts to the
lowest depths of degradation.
Il protest especially, as a Catholic
Bishop and as an American citizen,
against making the United States
mail an agency to attack my religion.
Some way ought to be found to pre-
vent the use of the United States
mail for the purpose Of attacking
any mans religion, and this espe-
cially during political campaigns,
when unprincipled politicians of all
parties are willing to make use Of
any means, however infamous, to
gain votes.
"As an American citizen protest
against the insinuation made that
my church, because Of a Catholic
candidate, or for any other reason
whatsoever, in any way attempted
to control my political affiliations or
to give me the slightest indication
as to how / or any other Catholic
citizen Of my jurisdiction should
vote. This is not the province of
the Church. 1t is not her affair.
II wish as Catholic bishop, in
the interest of religion, to protest
against any party that is willing to
be the beneficiary Of attacks on any
mans religion. God forbid that
should ever be silent in this COM
munity if the religion of any man
not OF my faith were attacked, and
if our Catholic people were asked
not to vote for him because Of his
religious belief.
"Nor can / remain silent when my
religion is attacked. Any party is
worthy Of condemnation which either
seeks to gain votes through attacks
on religion, or, by remaining passive,
is willing to be the beneficiary Of
them.
Newspapers Are Praised
II feel it duty in the name Of
the priests and people of this juris-
diction to express our great sense Of
gratitude to the thousands of news
papers which in their editorial col
umns have condemned all attacks on
religion in the recent political cam
paign. 1t is most consoling to Cath
olics to know that ten to eleven mil
lion or more non-Catholic voters
gave evidence at the polls of their
refusal to believe the calumnies so
freely circulated against the Cath
Ollie Church. l say it again, that il
is matter of little or no interest
whether or not Catholic be presi-
dent Of the United States. But it is
most outrageous that the candidacy
OF a Catholic should bring about
such vicious attack upon his re-
ligion.
II venture to think that 95 per
cent of this outburst of intolerance
is due to ignorance. / like to think
that perhaps not one per cent Of
those who in our section Of the
country took an active part in the
campaign against the Catholic
Church did SO out of pure malice.
LAS a representative body Of
Catholic men, are we not responsible
in large measure for the ignorance
of our fellow citizens regarding our
religion? May / put this pointed
! question:
'How many hundreds-not to say
thousands-of Catholic men in this
jurisdiction have tried seriously to
inform those who ridicule and scorn
and hate the Catholic Church in this
diocese? Let us blame ourselves
for much Of the ignorance which is
the prolific source Of bigotry. and
let us promise, with Gods help. q
the result of this convention to make
amends for our indifference and our
neglect of our opportunities.
I'm conclusion, let me thank the
tens of thousands of non-C Catholics
of this community who in q sense Of
justice have refused to condemn
without investigation their Catholic
fellow citizens or the Church which
is their inspiration. Let me also
commend the priests and the people
OF the Church of Cincinnati for the
great temperance and restraint they
have shown under such provocation.
Let us continue in this spirit, but lei
US resolve that the Catholic Church
shall be known, not as some imagine
her to be, not as she has been de-
scribed by her defamers, but as she
is in reality. This is Z work impos-
ing great responsibility upon g.,
of us-one calling for measured
words, temperate action, kindly
thought and endless patience"
Il