, 1874-02-06

Germany haH refused to accopt Count
! Cnvonr'a celebrated policy, tho froo Church
IN tho FREQ sato, ,"-aud olaims tho right to leg
islato for tic Church aa It doca--and almost to
tho oxtont that 1t docs-for lis army. Gormany
l1ns ID, ,0oo, 600 people WHO acknowledge spiritual
allegiance to tho Catholic Cllurch,-a little moro
than onc-thfrd Of lor wIiolo population. W1,ot-
or or not Bismarck haa nctod tho part Of wiso
statesman in going to tho 1ongth he lInB In Lis
interference with tho Church, tho future will
| decide; but whether ho bus or not. he has gono
too fur to Withdraw from tho contest now. Tho
battle Inns developed itself to sncl, MI oxtent
that compromise Is impossible, and rotreat or
truce would 10 defeat
Tho future course of this polIttco. .eculosiasti-
cal question has boon already prognostfoato1.
'Shat Germany lan done points to what she will
do. The future can only bo tho continuation Of
tho paat. Tho Catholic Bishops Of Germany will
not accept tho conditions on Which alono tho
Government will permit thom to hold their
soats. Ono OF tho most Influential papors
OF the Emprc began the now yoar by propcsy-
ing TINT before long oyory Bishop In Prussia ut
1oast, aud probably in other parts Of Germany,
will havo bcon dcpoaed by tho Imperial Govorn-
ment; thai tho Government will find It difficult
to obtain my ono to fill tho vacant places on tho
terms 1t insists upon; TINT tho removal will not
end with tho Bishops; that it will extond 10 tho
pastors Of churches, to ordinary priests. Tho
services of tho Church will cease hore and there,
and Of course tho cllurchos romatn practically
closed. Should this condition OF affairs con-
tinuo, candidates for orders, says our authority,
will become raror; tho action Of tho Church bo
felt loss and loss. T1lis, 1t is granted, cannot
Inst always; but 1t is only question which uhall
yield frst-tho Church or the Imperial Govorn-
mont. Wc need only odd that tho paper from
which wo tako this forecast Of the future Is
friendly to and supports the Government of tho
Empire. Germany expects that Switzerland and
Italy, at loast, will follow isB policy towards the
Church. OF Austria 1t has some doubt.
Looking ACROSS tho border, however, the Empire
aecs cause Of diBquiot- moving in All
opposite direction, French honor smarting under
tho shamo Of recent defeat, French Catholicism
reinforcing French patriotism. franco now has
double grudge against Germany; for Frauco
has always been tho great champion of tho
Church, aud is rs mitch 80 to-day, II not moro 80,
than over before. Bismarcks policy towards It
is not calculated to make the great body OF the
French people love Germany any tho better, and
tho future conflict between Germany and Franco,
which is only question Of time, will find Fronoh
arms neryed as well by the memory OF Sedan rs
by TINT OF tho Gormaus treatment Of Mothor
Church. In the Franco-Prusuian war, tho Gath
olio troops Of tho Catholic Kingdom Of Bavaria
fought desperately nnd brayely against Catholic
Franco. Tho late elections III the Kingdom show
IN Ultramontano gain and 1t may DO a serious
question for tho Empire whether it's course
towards the Church may not alionato tho hearts
Of the grcater portion Of the Bavarian people.
It would aoem that Germany foara sucl con-
tingency not only for the Bayarians but for
many othors Of hor people as we'll. Whether
sllo would over have begun the strife now going
on; whotlor she would havo thought it polite
to begin 1t had sho foroscen its development
and it's consequences, We may be permitted to
doubt. But having begun it, having carried It
thus far, aho discovers that sho has moro to lose
now by rotracing her steps or standing Btill than
by advancing. The one would be certain, tho
other IL only possible, deteat.