We announced in the first part of last year that a book was to be published containing a complete financial statement of the St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish from its very beginning.

This book has been distributed among the members of the St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish and has been accepted without a single complaint.

And now, in order to continue this practice, the parish will publish a financial report every year.

The first one, from January 1, 1895, to January 1, 1896, was distributed on New Year's Day.

From the copy sent to us, we note that during the past year the parish's income amounted to $46,034.76, which sum includes the following: pew rent, $15,967.35; 2church collections, $10,107.79; parochial collections, $8,646.25; school dues, $8,370.63.

Expenses during the year amounted to $44,008.52. Included in this sum are the salaries of priests and church helpers, as well as daily expenditures, $8,189.75; upkeep of the buildings, $7,530.35; upkeep of other church properties, $2,012.20; upkeep of school, $13,147.31; interest on loans, $10,470.94; diocesan expenses, $1,355.00; etc., etc. The not income, therefore, was $2,026.24.

This balance will be used to pay part of the debts of the parish, which amounted to $172,489.45, as of January 1, 1896.

After considering that the value of all church property (enormous buildings occupying practically a whole block) amounts to at least $600,000 (probably much more than that), we must agree that the financial condition of the parish, considering the terribly hard times we are going through, is comparatively quite prosperous.

This financial report of the St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish is signed by Reverend Eugene Siedlaczek, who is acting pastor, and by the parish committee, composed of A. W. Rudnicki, Albert Jendrzejek, John Kortas, Frank Maca, John Lamczyk, John Kolodziejski, Frank Okon, John Maca, John Arkuszewski, and Paul Ratkowski.

As it is evident, this report--itemized, published, sent to every member of the parish, verified by a committee of experienced and honest people--is the best and most decisive answer to the scurrilous and libelous lies of enemies of our religion and our parish, enemies who want to destroy everything and create disturbances.

It would seem now that they would be silenced. Not so. Nothing in the world will stop them from lying, attacking, and libeling. As proof of this, we point to the gangster-like tactics of D. P. (Translator's note: A rival Polish paper), who has begun a campaign against the report. Its clowning articles are a long river of mud. We don't know which to admire most--their foolishness or their brazenness.

If we mention this paper here it is just to show everybody what is the object of this A. P. A. [American Protective Association] and gangster-like paper and others like it.

Their object is clear and simple: to distort the truth; to confuse logic and even figures; to paint black what is white; to muddle the waters, and, in this way, by their gibberish talk and underhand method, to lead the people falsely to the Independents' swindle, so that they may lose here and in eternity.

Their object is perfidious, and the work of these sons of evil and the devil is shameful!