Fighting Again! (Editorial)
Dziennik Chicagoski, July 25, 1896
Sad times, indeed, are descending upon our people. The fighting, which for a time seemed to be quieting down,and which caused our most prominent personages to sacrifice everything for the sake of peace, extending their hands in token of it--this fighting is again breaking out amongst our people, and is spreading rapidly.
This becomes a sad situation in principle and sadder still in fact, when one considers the methods and manner of fighting by the embattled individuals of a certain camp.
This is a fight between the Polish Roman Catholics and a certain class of anti-Catholics in the United States.
2The culminating point in this fierce fighting was the convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
From the date of this convention, anarchists, socialists, and independents decided to organize a nest in the Polish National Alliance, and this organization has tolerated its operations with a strange indifference. The fight began in earnest against everything that is Catholic. Zgoda, in a series of articles with intriguing titles, has plainly showed that it considers Catholicism and priests harmful to the Polish interests, and the paper has begun to attack them with a vigor worthy of a better cause. An entire kennel of anarchistic, scandalous, and libelous papers, filled with poisonous venom, overflowing with energy, showed them the way to do it.
The fighting has developed into serious proportions.....The Catholic party was attacked continously from every direction.
The Catholic party was compelled to defend itself. It began by joining forces and proposing a Polish Catholic Congress, which is to give battle to this enemy.
3An appeal was issued, and the controversial questions were placed on the program to be considered at this convention. This was done in a quiet manner, by placing appropriate charges against these adversaries, and leaving the matter to the Congress to decide.
This was a defensive action, not an attack.
Naturally, it was understood that the official notice calling the Congress would evoke some remarks from these whom it concerned, but nobody expected that it would create a wave of insanity, something like an Indian dance by the enemies of the Polish Catholics in America.
We feel it necessary to discuss this wild dance.
To date, although we had been personally subject to vindictive attacks, our paper has endeavored to maintain strict neutrality. We advised peace. We hoped 4for some peaceful settlement, some compromises, repentance and improvement from the agitators, and, finally, some decisive action from the party of the highest appeal, from the Polish Catholic Congress.
We gazed upon the last remnants of possible peace, those of us who are being torn to shreds with the greatest degree of suffering.
Today, when all have been trodden in the dust we can remain silent no longer.
We must condemn those who, through their open or underhanded attacks on the morals of our people, with false patriotism deny that which is the actual meaning of patriotism, these who have added fuel to this shameful and destructive fighting....We must condemn those who wish to carry on this battle in a manner that is unworthy.
Let us glance at the last issue of the Zgoda and its opening editorial article, entitled "Turncoats".
5To date this paper has fought, on the surface at least, with arguments of a general nature and character. It seemed they were interested in an idea, a cause, in various ideals, Now it has changed its tune....It does not answer arguments, it refuses to argue. It attacks its enemies blindly, like an enraged bull.
And it does not aim at the opposition; not at the party in general, but with a hipocrisy all its own it singles out individuals in the party and covers them with the and of its evil thoughts.
These thoughts are worthy of such papers as Jutrzenka (Sunrise) and Kropidlo.
A veritable artist in scurrilous attacks must have given birth to the string of abuses against two respected and prominent Polish priests, who have done a million times more for our people in America than this entire band of pygmies and stunted world imbeciles.
What isn't there in this article?.....
6Words like "scorpions," "rottenness;" "lies," "trickery," "devils," "denunciations," "turncoat career men," and God knows what else....are used. There is even a prayerful wish for these priests, that a just God take them from this earth.
Such an article in a respectable paper incites the minds.
Gentlemen of the Zgoda! Such articles never appear in papers that have an important mission to perform....Only people stunted morally, whose only dream is to cause confusion, misunderstanding amidst our people, produce such distructive propaganda. They forget that the storm may cover them with well carved bruises.
