THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1911. RELIGION AND POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10511, 28 December 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1911. RELIGION AND POLITICS.

Sev<e<ra'l Roman Catholic prelates in, fcihe South Islland nave found it necessary to disclaim any connection between tlhe priesltlhood and tlhe ai&cent geneirafl: elections l . Tlhe report appears to havie been incktstoofuisly circulated iitoat the Ktoman OatihoWc QhtKroh threw the wMie weight of its influence in, support of those candidates who were pledged folowers of Silr Joseph Wiard. Upon what giroumds such a report wias circiul'ated is a matifcer for conjecture. T!he diisdlauner of the Rev. Eather Coffey, of Dumedfin, and Dean- Garew, of .Wesrt/l'and. must be accepted in, good faMi Tlhere is aoiotihar aspect of tlie sect arian question, however, wJaoh'^jall,

for comment. His Lordship Bisflb.-. cp GTiimas, erf Ctestchurch, in the ( ocurse of an interview, said that lie "had positive information, from best alithtarity that it was belling oirged that the great fault of ojit Joseph Ward .... was that he was a Catholic." One is unable to state, from this distance, wtiio may be His Lordship's autlnority, but it seems aiftmosit incredible tihait the Prime Minister's religion had any appreciable effect upon the result of the election. So fair as we can ascertain, the question of reEgian has not been introduced ia the Press, nor from the platform. When one sees prominent mennbeiPS l Jof the Masonic firaiternity contesting "•seats in tlie Government interest he finds it difficult to believe that the Premier's religion was urged as. a flaulit. We agree wJtlh the Ohristchurch "Press" that the great mass of the people regard a poJitdcian's religion afii a matter for his ,own.conscience ; • they an© conciefrnedi 01% with his poilatios, and in the case of the Prime Minister with hris admtiinHstTation, aaud it was' on these counts, and these alone, that Hie country pronounced so strongly against 'tine Ward Government. There may be electors whose ne'liigio'us sentiments WCTiild lead tfaem to vote - against-o; danclidate saniplly because a, ■Ronton Catholic, joist as there may bte'Roman Ca-tiioiics wiaoiwould-vo(te on ;po.litioo-reiliigious, grottiidsi ■againsiJt a. oatudidafe'"wio^'ha^pened'to rb&l- ,an, Oranigemah.' 1 ' ;B»ii.i -wje.' do hot. he'lieye |;ihja.fe-; f t'hieEe quesltttons''affeoi"\the g«n-'I; 'oral body of : ths.,.. electors Vin the ■ ettSghibest, arid! 'we trust they never will. We .sincerely agree 'with Hiis Ijordship wheni he says that "the ad- ; vance of, patriotic, upright citizen© "should not *be barred .beoalU'se they happen to be cf tlHis or that religr ido." Rut this is a precept thiait should wtwk botib ways. If lit is wrong tihat any should be prejudiced, on account of his religion, it i® equally undesirable that a mam'© particular relijgion should be used to recommend him to any section rof the electors. Tb do so' would be to run tlhe risk of invblvimg New Zealand' ; politics in sectarian' bajtberaess of the! most deplorable character, and of opening the door to all uncharitable-j ness. |