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Show . WELL DONE, W. A. CLARK. Though bigotry dies hard, still it does die, and it is always a pleasure to chronicle its progress to that most welcome end. May we soon write its obituary! The Indian appropriation bill usually affords the bigot in Congress a' great opportunity to vent his hatred of everything Catholic and his ignorance of not to say mendacity concerning the history, the work and the elevating influence of the Church in this country. Some of the brightest pages in our national na-tional history are those that record the heroic efforts ef-forts of the Catholic missionary to spread the light of the Gospel among the Indians and to teach them , tlib ways of civilization; a record always incomplete if it do not contain the historical fact that to Catholic Cath-olic influence we owe the incorporation of the political politi-cal dogma of Liberty of Worship into the Constitu" tion of the United States. Mr, Bard, United States Senator from California, Califor-nia, one of the dying embers !of-fanaticisni,rtricd to fan himself into life andLoriety.- -FtfJUaUbrief spell he succeeded. How he is feeling just now we know not, but we can venture a shrewd guess ! Mr. Bard started in with an attack oh President Roosevelt and the Indian Bureau, in connection with the use of certain Indian funds for educational purposes, lie was extinguished in record time. In a last, effort, he endeavored to have reduced from 1,280 acres to 8-'0 the size of a land grant to the Fathers and Sisters who, for more than sixty years, have been conducting a mission among the Hat Head Indians in Montana. This move called from the Hon. W. A. Clark. United States Senator from that State, an eloquent and forceful, though gentlemanly gen-tlemanly and temperate, reply. He told of the labors la-bors of the Fathers and of the Sisters among the Indians and of their success in educating them and teaching them the arts of peace. He succeeded m having the original amendment incorporated in the bill as passed. These were his closing sentences: "Mr. President, Presi-dent, I mention these incidents simply show that this tribe of Indians, as well as their teachers, who have civilized and Christianized them, are entitled to fair and, I may justly contend, generous treatment treat-ment on the part of those who control the affairs of this government. The question of sect or creed should not enter into this discussion. In the righteous right-eous work of charity, philanthropy and benevolence exercised on behalf of poor, weak and helpless humanity hu-manity by any society or organization, I care not what emblem or symbol of faith may be inscribed upon their banners. It is enough to know that their acts arc prompted by the purest and warmest in" stincts of the human heart. 'By their works shall Ave know them,' and in this case these people, bearing bear-ing the banner of the cross, leading lives of self-abnegation, and working with a zeal and devotion worthy of all praise, are endeavoring to fulfill the divine injunction, 'Go ye out into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.' And now, in all sincerity and earnestness, I ask that this amendment amend-ment may prevail." All honor to Senator Clark and the brave men of his stamp who, by word and deed, contribute so much to crush that vicious, un-American marplot j Bigotry! - 4 : . |