DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - NEWSPAPERS - Washington Post April 4, 1910
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Washington Post April 4, 1910 Clergy Page 2

CLERGY LAUDS STAND

Protestant Ministers Praise - Roosevelt's "Spunk."

POLITICIANS ARE SILENT

Admit Incident Is Sure to Have Deep Significance, but Do Not Care to Discuss 
It - Papal Delegate Also Reticent. Former President's Pastor Says He Must Be 
Right.

 Washington clergymen last night were hearty in their indorsement of the 
stand taken by former President Roosevelt, when they learned that the former 
President's engagement with the Pope had been canceled.
 That the issue involved is bound to have a political significance, was the 
opinion expressed privately last evening. Official Washington received the 
news of the incident with surprise, but no one cared to express publicly 
what the outcome of this and the Fairbanks incident of a few weeks ago will 
be.
 The Rev. Dr. Wallace Radcliffe, pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian 
Church, laughed heartily when told of the incident. Then he said:
 "The only thing to do is to laugh. I thought the Pope had more wisdom. His 
predecessor would never have made such a mistake."
 The Rev. Charles Wood, pastor of the Church of the Covenant, said:
 "Mr. Roosevelt is absolutely right. Of course, no American could allow his 
itinerary to be laid out by any one else. I am very glad Mr. Roosevelt did 
what he has done, just as I was glad that Mr. Fairbanks took the stand that 
he did. Of course, the Pope has a perfect right to decline to receive him."

Says "Good for Roosevelt"

 Said the Rev. E. Hez Swem:
 "Good for Roosevelt. I am proud of him, just as I am proud of the gentleman 
from Indiana."
 The Rev. A. H. Thompson, pastor of Waugh Memorial M. E. Church, said:
 "The incident is characteristic of the men, and while I think he was a 
little abrupt in stating his position. there was nothing else for him to do 
as an American citizen but give expression to his independence of spitit, 
and not permit any man to say what he should do or who he should visit while 
in Rome. Mr. Roosevelt is a thoroughbred American. He demonstrated that to 
the world while he occupied the presidential chair, and that he is 
independent now as he was while President is no surprise to the people of 
this country and for that matter the thinking people of all countries. I 
think Mr. Roosevelt's action in declining to have his itinerary while in 
Rome shaped by any man or body of men is commendatory, and that it will 
receive the approval of all Americans who appreciate the free spirit of 
Americanism."

Admires His "Spunk."

 The Rev. J. Howard Wells, pastor of the Mount Vernon Methodist Episcopal 
Church South, said:
 "I admire the spunk of Mr. Roosevelt. It is just like the man to stand up 
fearlessly for what he believes to be right. It is another evidence of the 
broadness and fearlessness of the character of the man and the patriotic 
Americanism that has made Mr. Roosevelt one of the great fig­ures in public 
life, admired all over the world for his frankness. I think the incident 
will tend to do the Methodist Church in Rome a wonderful amount of good. 
Roosevelt is no mincer of words, and what he says he means. That he has 
de­clined to permit any one to dictate or suggest to him what he should do 
while at the capital of the Catholic Church comes as no surprise to the 
people of America. Had he taken any other course the surprise would have 
been general. I believe his position will meet with the approval of the 
fair-minded and unbiased people, regardless of denominational 
af­filiations."

Papal Delegate Silent.

 The Rev. U. G. B. Pierce, pastor of All Souls' Unitarian Church, President 
Taft's place oŁ worship, had nothing to say, and asserted he probably would 
not even after he had carefully read the telegraph dispatches covering the 
subject.
 When the cablegram announcing that Col. Roosevelt would not meet the Pope 
during his visit to Rome was shown the apostloci delegate, Mgr. Falconio, 
last night, he declined to make any comment. In the absence of official 
information, he said, it would be impossible to make any statement.
 "I know he must be in the right." was the comment made by the Rev. Dr. John 
H. Schick, when informed that former President Rosevelt [sp.] had cancelled 
his meeting with the Pope. Dr. Schick, of the Grace Reformed Church, was Mr. 
Rosevelt's [sp.] pastor dur­ing the entire period the latter was in 
Washington. Dr. Schick did not desire to comment at any length on the 
mat­ter.
 The Rev. A. John Reid Shannon, pas­tor of the Metropolitan Memorial 
Metho­dist Episcopal Church, said:
 "Good for Mr. Roosevelt. I think it insufferable, immeasureable conceit in 
the Pope of Rome to think that Theodore Roosevelt; in order to have an 
audience with him - the Pope - would cease really to own himself while in 
Rome. I glory in that backbone of Theodore Roosevelt which leads him to say 
to the Pope, 'I'll do as I please.'
 "The incident will be of imnmeasurable good to the cause of Protestantism 
that is seeking to gain a foothold in the cap­ital of the Roman Church. It 
has made clear the necessity of, and the object of the Methodist missionary 
movement in Rome."