Notes

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 9, 26 February 1903, Page 17

Notes

A Two-edged Argument.

Consistency is called a jewel, because of its rarity. And the consistency of the Yellow Agony in reference to tho position of Catholics in the public service in these colonies is just that of the bibulous lout who — according to Joe Miller^was wending his tortuous way homewards, towards the midnight hour, determined to 'lick' the wife of his bosom if he found her up, and likewise to lick' her if he found her abed. The regime of persecution in France has resulted in the cruel and heartless dismissal of large numbers of State employes who were guilty of sending their children to Catholic schools, or of attending Mass, or performing other duties of religion. The places of a great number of them have been taken by Protestants, who are, numerically, quite an insignificant portion of the French population. Some \iolent or thoughtless religious organs beyond the Tasman Sea have been exulting over this result of the bitter persecution now raging in France. Two Australian Anglican papers have, however, seized the true inwardness of the situation, in so far as it affects these colonies. Here is what one of them, the 'Commonwealth,' has to say upon the subject :—: —

' The Protestant papers have recently been exulting over tho success shown by Protestants in France, as compared with Roman Catholics, in obtaining leadership in all branches of the public service. One and all they justify such success on the part of the small minority as 'showing vividly the superiority of a Protestant training <n cr a Catholic one ' It is only a few weeks ago that a perfect howl was ascending from the Orange Lodges owing to the (supposed) large percentage of Romans in our civil service. A plague o' both your Houses ! but, on which ever side you may be, please bo consistent. "What is right in France cannot be wrong in Australia ! '

Anothen Protestant paper, the 'Arena,' in its issue of February 5, pinks the inconsistency of the yellow party to the following tune :—: — ' Protestant church newspapers are given to loud shrieks of indignation at an alleged (but by no means proved) undue proportion of Roman Catholics in the

public service of Australian States. Now they raise a shriek of exultation over the statement that Protestants in France have a number of leading positions in the French public service quite disproportionate to their numbers, and they explain it as "showing vividly the superiority of a Protestant training over a Catholic one." There is plenty of human nature here, but not much logic or justice.'