TEN years ago Henry F. Durant, founder of Wellesley College, predicted that in less than twenty years the leading journals of our country would be in the hands, or under the control, of the Papal Church. At this early day it may be said the prophecy is fulfilled. Professor Townsend, of Boston, says:—
'Recently there has been published the fact that the Catholic Truth Society is 'to beg, borrow or buy space in the secular papers, the dailies, weeklies and monthlies,' all over the civilized globe, that it may thereby defend and extol the Papacy. Another purpose of this society is to overrun newspaper offices with Roman Catholic employees. Another is to control, in a quiet way, the utterances of those publications which are owned and controlled by men who are nominally Protestants.'
The extended notice which is given to all Catholic matters in the leading newspapers, is a subject of general remark. That the doings of this church receive so much more elaborate press notice than all other churches combined, shows one of two things,—either that the Romanists have a greater influence with the press than other denominations, or that the Papal Church is more lavish in the expenditure of means for newspaper space. The secretary of the above-mentioned Catholic Truth Society said, at the World's Columbian Catholic Congress, that 'one of the objects of the society is the publication of short, timely articles in the secular press (to be paid for, if necessary) on Catholic doctrines.'
The influence of the Catholic Church with the press is in part accounted for in the fact that Catholics, of whatever standing or calling, always have in view the interest of the church. Protestant politicians and Protestant business men, often cater to the interests of the Catholic Church for political or business gain. But it is a rare thing for a Catholic in any position, to favor Protestantism in any way. Consequently Catholic patronage always, if possible, is extended to the individual or the institution that favors Catholic interests. Newspaper men know that Catholic patronage depends upon favors to the church, either in elaborate notice, or in suppression of disagreeable or deteriorating news concerning the church. They know that Protestant patronage is not so sensitive, hence the newspapers are made to cater to the Catholic good will. It was stated at the Catholic Congress, that on most of our great dailies there were Catholic writers and reporters, and Catholics in the business departments, who were ever on the alert to further the cause of Catholicism.
It is not only so in the United States, but also in nominally Protestant England. The London Weekly Register says:—
'There is not in London a single newspaper of which some of the leading reporters and one or more of the chief persons on its staff are not Roman Catholics.'
To this testimony may be added that of the Catholic Times, which is indeed significant. It says:—
'The number of Catholic journalists in London is very large. The anti-papal Punch has its F. C. Barnard, who was at one time on the point of entering the priesthood; and even the Standard, which was established with the special intention of attacking the Catholic religion, now includes Catholics on its staff. On the Times, Morning News and the Daily Chronicle, Catholic pens are at work; also on the Saturday Review, the Spectator, and lighter weeklies, such as the World. The monthly magazines have many contributors of the same creed.'
