PROPOSED CENSORSHIP OF THE PRESS 155 One movement to this end which the federation has inaugur ated is of such a sweeping character as to call for particular mention, being nothing less than an effort to debar anti-Catholic literature from circulation in the mails, or even from being offered for sale. The following quotation from the report presented by the national secretary at the tenth annual session of the federation, held at Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 20-24, 1911, Photo by Paul Thompson. N. Y. Edward Feeney, of Brooklyn, N. Y., Ex- shows the ground upon which this statement is made: "At the New Orleans Convention held in 1910 your national secretary recommended the framing of a bill which could be enacted into a federal law forbidding the circulation through the mails of defamatory and slanderous works and papers, such as "The Devil in Robes.' . . . As a result, the following resolution was passed: "Resolved, That the Congress of the United States be earnestly requested to amend Section 3893 of the revised statutes relating to the mailing of "obscene, lewd, and lascivious" literature so that the same may include the mailing of books, papers, writings, and prints which outrage religious convictions of our citizens and contain scurrilous and slanderous attacks upon our faith.' "Mr. A. V. D. Watterson, chairman of the law committee, 9 took up the matter with Hon. Francis J. Burke, a Catholic member of Congress. Mr. Burke informed the federation that the extra session of Congress would hardly consider the matter and advised that the same be taken up next fall, when the regular session of Congress will begin. We hope to be able to report at the next convention that such a measure has been passed by Congress, which will put a stop to the circulation through the mails at least, of books and papers which defame religion and their spiritual leaders." To perceive the true meaning of this dec laration it is only necessary to refer to the fact, which is well known to all who peruse Catholic papers, that the latter often employ the most slanderous and defamatory language in speaking of the religion of Protestants and of leading representatives of Protestantism, living and dead. To obtain a law prohibiting their own journals from making "slanderous attacks" upon the faith and "outraging the religious convictions" of Protestants is not of course what Roman Catholics are after. It is not the faith and religious convictions of others, but of themselves, which they have in mind in this bold move. Note the wording of the following resolution which was adopted at the Columbus convention: PAPAL HOPES CENTERED IN THE UNITED STATES 157 "Resolved, That the Federation of Catholic Societies do enter their solemn protest against the mailing or offering for sale of obscene literature, including under this title books, papers, writings, and prints which outrage religious convictions of our citizens and contain scurrilous and slanderous attacks upon our faith." Whose faith? "Our faith." "There will be nothing in the proposed legislation," as one Protestant writer observed, "which will interfere in any way with the most outrageous attacks upon Protestants and Protestantism, such as are now found in Roman Catholic publications." Will Congress accede to this request and enact a law of this character? This remains to be seen; but there is far too much ground for the hopes of Romanists in the matter. If Congress does pass such legislation, all exposures of Romanist errors and evils which may be construed as "slanderous" will become legally "obscene"; and that all truly Protestant writings would soon be included by Romanists in their list of "slanderous" publications is evident without the need of argument. Such legislation "would establish by act of Congress," observes a Protestant writer, "an Index Librorum Prohibitorum as extensive as was ever dreamed of by the Spanish Inquisition in its palmiest days." The Church of Rome is not only rapidly growing in numbers in this country, but she is rapidly growing in power, as this federation indicates, and her utterances show a rapidly increasing boldness and confidence. This once strongly Protestant republic has in fact now come to be regarded by the papacy as presenting the brightest outlook of all lands for its future conquests. While Rome has been losing ground among the nations of Europe, she sees her losses there more than offset by her gains in the giant power of the western hemisphere. As stated in The Missionary (organ of the Catholic Mis sionary Union, January, 1912), "The Holy Father in his outlook from the watch-tower of the Vatican sees about him the lowering clouds of direful disaster, but away in the west there is the gleam of hope. The westering skies are clear and sunlit. The church in America during these fifty years has leaped from modest beginnings to complete organization. Among the older Catholic nations apostasy is rampant, but in this western world the young giant is sound of limb and wholesome of heart, and he delighteth to run his course." As evidence that this is the view entertained at the Vatican, the year 1912 was signalized by the creation of three new American cardinals, making four representatives of the United States in the Roman College of Cardinals where there had previously been but one. And this event has been hailed by American Protestants with almost as much enthusiasm as by Romanists themselves. On the arrival of Cardinal Farley at New York after he had received the red hat, he met a demonstration of welcome that was unprecedented. "No other man ever landed at its [New York's] quays," it was stated, "no matter how exalted his character, how great his preeminence as statesman, philanthropist, scholar, was given such a demonstration of public interest." And the like reception was accorded to Cardinal O'Connell on his arrival at Boston. It is perhaps not strange, in view of such tributes of adulation from Protestants, that the claim should be put forth by the hierarchy in this country, as it has been, that these cardinals are princes of a foreign court, and are entitled to be treated as on an equality with princes of royal blood by the American government and people. "SPIRITUAL OFFICERS OF THE GOVERNMENT" In October, 1912, Cardinal Farley, on the return journey of his triumphal tour to the Pacific Coast, visited Salt "SPIRITUAL OFFICERS OF THE GOVERNMENT " 159 Cardinals Vannutelli and Farley Arriving in New York City Lake City, and was escorted from the station to his hotel by a company of United States troops. In defense of this act, The Inter-Mountain, a Catholic organ of Salt Lake City, made this statement: "The clergy of the Catholic Church are the invisible spiritual officers of the government, and entitled to rank high in the nation's roll of honor. Cardinal Farley is no exception to this class." (Italics ours.) In every possible way the Church of Rome in this country is endeavoring to forge a bond between herself and the government, and obtain governmental recognition of her religion; and it must be said that her efforts are meeting with alarming success. As an example we point to the innovation of the "Thanksgiving Mass" which was inaugurated a few years ago at the national capital, and which has come to be regularly attended by the President of the United States, |