The New York herald., 1874-12-02
@ E r M A N v.
The Latest Phases Of
the Church War.
The "Man Of Blood and Irons
Fighting in ArmOr.
CATHOLICS RESISTING EARNESTLYs


Germany. This country became the battle-ground
Tor the two Powers in the Middle Agss wnenl
Pope ana Kaiser disputed about the right Of nves1
nture; ana 1t seems likely that In the somewhau
similar contest between uitramontanism and tha
civil powers 1t Will again enjoy It's old distinction,
Then the question was one about fat acres. To3
day 1t is one somewhat more spiritual and so far
the world is gamer. How far the priest owes
allegiance to the government under which he3
lives which ievies taxes for his benefit and
which endows him with privileges denied
to his mock. is the question OF to-day, and
none win deny that 1t is an important one.]
Whether he shall be permitted to make tribunel
OF his pulpit and proceed to pass Judgment upon
those who provide for his maintenance. appears to
be the light In which Prince Bismarck views III
That be came 10 the conclusion that II the KaiserY
is not superior to grammar he is at least superioH
to clerical crlelcIsm must under the circumS
Stances be considered very natural.
1t is now three years since the Prussian govern1
ment, under the guidance OF Bismarck. entere0
on its crusade against the priesthood OF the Roman
Church, and especially against the Pope and the
supporters OF his lnfalioillty. Tue Folk laws
passed oy the Prussian Chambers nearly
two years ago, though ostensibly directed
against the clergy OF all denominations, were i'm
reality aimed at the ulframontane partisans Of
the Papacy only. As the readers Of the HERALn
know, they make 1t an offence Tor any ''servant oe
religlonn to promulgate the dogma OF inialihiutya
on the ground that the dogma ls . denial OF thu
authority OF the King. Further, tney prohibit thd
discussion OF any political question from the pulpin
or the advising or the congregation in any mates
wherein the State Is concerned and provide varl>
Gus penalties in the shape OF nne and imprison<
ment and removal. The prosecutions which havd
taken place under them have been given TO our
readers rom time to time They were imttatedy
IN accordance with hints from Berlin, In varloua
other states Of the Empire. but the governmentS
there being Catholic no earnest efortS have BEEN
made to enforce them as IN Prussia.
The Catholic population In the kingdom Is In q
small minority, and by themselves they have no
chance % 81 escaPna rom suGn Legislation put sne
been put into operation among them have aroused
the sympathy OF tner corellslonists IN the varcu1
parts OF the Empire to such extent that for en0
sake OF not alternating them entirely, as he has
already done In part, Bismarck may be compelled
TO ask for their repeal or, at least for their mods
fcatlon.
II must be confessed that If we look at the char
acter of the man who IS at the helm OF affairs, we
can discern but little ENCOURAGEMENT ior such y
hope. Wnen. eight years ago, Bismarck set 0ua
he IS popularity credited with taking With
him IN his vest pocket small revolver carr
Ordinary mortal to the bitter side OF eternity. I1
other WORDS IL was and ts still belleved tnat II
Austria nad been successful Mt sadowa Bismarck
would have been iOund among the Pru5san slain
on the field OF battle. THIS may be true or It may
not but 1t certainly shows the quality OF the MANI
Wnat be undertakes TO do ne means to do. Sue
cess is essential to him. Now he has undertaken
TO rule the priesthood and the chances Of his giv
Ing up the task SO long as there Is possibility on
bis accomplishing 1t are very sight Popular dis
satisfaction he has withstood before. When ne set
out on his purpose oI making Prussia the ruler Of
Germany and the foremost military power ne en-
countered the almost solid opposition OF the peo-
pie outside OF the ranks of the NOBILITY. He stood
1rm then; Is he likely to do otherwise now9 Aud
u he does not what are the probabilities OF hla
being driven from p0werY
AS hts supporters he has the vast majority OF tho
German middle class merchants, bankers, manu.
professions; next the artisan class In the clties-
Upon these ne may count implicitly. They Deheve
sury. They have seen him successful in every
thing he has undertaken SO far, aud has good ior>
his greatest enemies tney now give nlm credit ior
seeing further into the luture than themselves
They are prosperous, and ascrlbe large snare o1
their prosperity 70 his policy. But they do notl
Iorm q majority OF the nation. They cannot, with-
out extraneons aid, give him majority in The
Legislative Chambers. That AID can only come from
one source, and that is the rural districts. BuE
there the "Junker" is still po werlu Feuda notions
OF personal loyalty still survive among the peas
an,ry, and they are very apt to vote as the thor-
oughly put narrowly educated lord Of the manor
wishes them to. And hence the attitude oil THIS
class becomes a matter OF the drst Importance
The 'Junkers" according 10 their own account,
the direct descendants OF the knights VINO aid the
foundations OF the present Prussian Kingdom an
consequently entitled by right divine to all tina.
good things in 1t, are almost orthodox Protestants
to man. and consequently bear not mucn love to-
the Catholic Clergy but they see with aarm thei
liberal tendencies OF the day encouraged BY tho
man who began political life IN their ranks and
Who Is now at the head OF afairs. Like Won Arnmr;
VINO Is one Of themselves. they view. witS
stay such a calamity they join with anybody
in opposing every one whom they fancy does
very many OF them are, they do not fancy the idea
OIL giving up tae practical monopoly, which they
w,tn officers for the army and ior the varioua
clvil departments. They are only wise In their
ANY greater progress they will have to scrambIol
with the common herd for tue crumbs that fal4
from the governmental tables. Whether they CAM
those whose complaint against The Prince Cham
ceiior ls OF more dlsinterested nature Is ques-
tion which every one can answer Tor himself. Tnog
OF Won Arnlm seems to have been taken up by4
some OF their journals as a good cause ior =
formers popularity at the court he seems likelya
TO become tnelr leader-provded. Of course, thaSs
he gets out OF his present embarrassments with-1
out any damage TO his reputation as a man OK
That the "Jupkersr hold the balance or power
between tne Catholcs aud the supporters OF tnes
ecclesiastical policy OF Prince Bismarck there -,
no doubt. Ine only question sss n s. can or wul
form an alliance with the former, conceulng tU
them modification or repeal OF the Folk laws in
consideration or support IN checking liberalism.
Won Arnim himself has expressed OPINIONS mores
hostile 10 the Catholics than Bismarck, and now;
he and any party which accepts him for eaderj
can ally ITSELF with ultramontane champions %
Papal lnlalilbity is not easily seen.
ana his an-clericai policy are safe from parila-'
mentary interference, ana IL remains with him,
whether he Will bow before the storm which h0i
has raised or whether he VIII weather 1t. Catholix
south Germany is evidently viewing with some-
thing ike uneasiness the proceedings OF Prot
estant Prussia, iearIng that her turn may come
some day that her own governments may Dc
compelled TO vigorously enforce the laws aiready
on the statue books. and thus deprive an lnfalli.
Bile Pope OF all but surreputious means ior CONE
municating with the faithful. But at present
south Germany IS put indirectly interested IN tho
matter, She still chales under the thOughc
that tue hrst place IN the Empire belongs
to the Prussians, people VINO, although
speaking the same language as thcinseives, tneN
never have regarded with very kindly Ieelings-
the brilliant victories acnieved under Prussian
leadership over unfortunate France, In grea1
measure oolterated their own defeat fOur years
before, but the old sores are again being opened
aud II Is Just possible that Prince Bismarck Wn
see tue dangerous nature OF the coast on whicH
he Is steering the new Empire. II he does not, id
Ia