Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 19, 1912

It Pleased Them

THAT Catholics are well pleased over the exit of Mr. Valentine from public life is unmistakably evident. The New World (Catholic), among some other very uncomplimentary things regarding the ex-commissioner, has this to say:—

We are not one to gloat over “the down and out” of any man, whatever his sins of omission and commission may be. But we always rejoice, even if we do not invite our friends to share in the joy, when a narrow-minded bigot has been cashiered from a public position.

Indian Commissioner Valentine is one of these bigots. He is either a bigot or a weakling, or perhaps both. Little souls cramped and withered, who can see nothing save through a colored glass darkly, have evidently for some time been making a tool out of Valentine for the purpose of stirring up religious feeling in our land. The whole story of Valentine’s action is told in a sentence. Without consulting the head of his department, Valentine rescinded the regulation or agreement of the government whereby Catholic sisters were to remain in charge, for some time, of certain Indian schools taken over by the government.

Commissioner Valentine was neither a bigot nor a weakling. Indeed he took a much broader view of great fundamental principles of government than did some of his superiors, and he possessed the courage to put into effect his convictions.