FRIENDLY DIFFERENCES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 196, 29 December 1876, Page 10

FRIENDLY DIFFERENCES.

There are many subjects on which it is allowable for Catholic newspapers to differ amongst themselves. We can quite understand that they should take opposite sides in various questions that involve no clashing of religious doctrines. There might, for example, be three journals, one of which would support the cause of the Bonapartists in France, while another of them would advocate the interests of th<<s "Republic, and a third those of llenm V.; and still each newspaper might deserve the name of Catholic. Every editor is free to propagate his opinions on all things purely secular, and would be held accountable by no ecclesiastic for the arguments that he might advance in favour of them. JNay more, on matters such as these there would probably be a body of clerics who would side with each of the journals so disagreeing, and unless doctrines of religion were touched upon in a reprehensible manner, the censure of their spiritual superiors would in no wise be incurred by any of the parties concerned. During the late attempts of Don Carlos to secure for himself the throne of Spain, a very striking example of this was to be observed-; for many of the Catholic newspapers warmly supported the pretensions of the struggling Prince, and magnified him into almost a hero of romance, whilst to others his claims were unjust, aud he himself little short of contemptible. Again, we lately clipped from the 'Boston Pilot' an article in which exception was taken to the 'New York

Tablet,' because that journal attributed the ill-feeling that *as so long existed between England and Ireland to religious differences. Now, we ourselves are rather inclined to adopt a view opposed to that put forward by the • Pilot '; for we cannot forget that the Anglo-Norman invaders of Ireland •became in the course of time "more Irish than the Irish themselves." As the literature of Greece subdued the victorious Romans, until, as Horace tells us, the conquered became the conquerors, so did Celtic influences take possession of the minds of the English settlers in the Emerald Isle ; and whatsoever feuds they may in course of time have become engaged in, it can hardly be affirmed that they acted on principles genuinely derived from a difference of race. It was not until the so-called reformation had taken place that England can truly be said to have become the oppressor of Ireland. But, although we felt inclined to doubt the justice <)f the ' Pilot's ' views, we did not for a moment hesitate to insert in our columns the article that contained them j for we felt that we should be conferring a benefit upon our readers by placing before them an open question dealt with in the masterly manner common to the writers in the journal to which we refer; and we held the matter to be amongst those on which Catholic journals may n agree to differ," and which they may discuss from opposite sides amongst themselves TOtb. all friendliness. There are, however, certain subjects which it belongs to the office of a journalist to comment on, and concerning which all newspapers rightly termed Catholic must of necessity put forward like views, in whatever language or style they may be couched. Such, for example, is secular education, which is and must continue to be denounced by the whole Catholic press; and such are the secret societies. Should an editor admit into his columns an article or a paragraph advocating the one, or excusing the other, or should he publish an apology for the Falk laws, or a commendation of the Government of Victor Emmanuel, we should at once say that he had forfeited his title to rank with Catholic ! journalists, and that his show of being one, if he were still to make such, was a mere pretence. On all other secular subjects, except such as are of like [nature with these, it is lawful for Catholic journalists to differ as other writers do, and the columns of Catholic journals may be expected to contain opposite views on many points.