p. 176 | A Bishop Made President by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 20, 1913

A Bishop Made President

By C. M. S.

LITTLE notice has been taken of the action of our government in making a Roman Catholic bishop president of Santo Domingo, and keeping him in the presidential chair by force of American arms without regard to the wishes of the people of either republic concerned. As soon as the American marines left Santo Domingo the inhabitants of the little republic began to manifest their dissatisfaction, the bishop-president signified his intention to resign, and then the United States battle-ship “New Hampshire” was immediately despatched to Santo Domingo to maintain the statu quo. The papers of Santo Domingo published the following letter from President Taft to the bishop-president:—

I am greatly distressed in knowing that the duties you assumed as provisional president have become so onerous. I can

not but believe that all the good elements will unite in supporting the provisional government, thus fulfilling their patriotic duty toward the republic in whose welfare the United States has a vital interest. Meanwhile I sincerely hope that in the service of humanity and peace you will continue in the provisional presidency during the time provided, and you have the assurance that your efforts in favor of the Dominican people will receive the most sincere and decided support of this government.

This act violates the political principles upon which the nation was founded, and the principle of the separation of church and state as well. The president of one republic sets up a president over another republic and promises to keep him in place for a definite period, no matter how the people may feel or what their wishes may be, or even what the wishes of the individual may be who is thus elevated to the presidency. But in addition to this violation of all the principles of republicanism, there is also the violation of a principle which Americans have prided themselves in since the nation was founded,—the principle of the separation of church and state. The military forces of the United States have been used to establish one of the dignitaries of the Roman Church as the ruler of a sister republic. Such a divergence from fundamental principles should help Americans to see the fact that they are not so strongly anchored to the fundamental principles of the nation as they had fondly supposed. And such a divergence as this in the interest of a great ecclesiastical organization shows how easily other and greater divergences may come, until our boasted religious liberty is taken away and bitter persecution comes again; and all in the interest of the same great ecclesiastical organization. C. M. S.