New-York tribune., 1879-03-10

affair, like every other matter OF public inter-
est, must be looked at from purely secular
point of view. Archbishop Purcell owes, II is
stated, nearly four millions of dollars wmch
he cannot pay. NobOdy-not even the depos-
itors-accuse the good old prelate OF lnten-
tional fraud. Even his brother is sim
ply charged with carelessness," goou-
"naturcd, needless neglect Every com
munity knows these "wel meaning men VINO
"knOw nothing of business and the havoc
they make in other peoples affairs. 1t wouid
seem to the ordinary intellect that Father
Purcell, finding the deficit Of money for
which he could not account amount to mil
lions, should have begun to suspect that
fnanciering was not his religious vocation,
and have betakcn himself to the more private
duties of his calling. SO harsh judgment
the most unbiased spectator may pass upon
him without lack of charity.
With regard however, to the wholesale
condemnation heaped by indignant Catholics
upon "prcsts as savings banks we have a
word to say. The positions OF the Catholic
priest and of his flock III this country are
peculiar. The Protestant labOrer would re-
cent the Interference of his pastor in his busi-
ness affairs rs an impertInence the Catholic
expects it, and. what is more. he needs it.
Tho uncducated IrsGman landing IN TINS
country is "a reckless and waSteful as
child. If he makes any money on Monday, he
would take Tuesday as a holiday to
spend it, provided there Is nobody to con-
trol him. In Ireland his priest managed lis
spiritual aud worldly affairs, rated HIM soundly
L. i. xnI
his wages Tor him, ha'poith at a time. and
saw that they went TO buy pig instead of
Whiskey We are simply stating facts The
Irish system was continued and enlarged IN
ths country. The omigraut carried bis wages
TO lis priest; almost all the money sent back
to 1Tiug over other cmIgrants has gone
throrg the priest. In some instances the
plan 1a, answered badly. Bishop Lynch, Of
Soutl Carolina, and one or two heterogeneous
and p .csts, have become seriously involved III
their attempt to take the place OF
savings jaub8 with their people, and to
invest cir money permanently. The reason
il also vattcr OF fact. The Jealous priest
has two ccts-tO serve his people and Els
Church. rhe system ayOwedly pursued by
this Chur h foI ears has been to strengthen
its foothold in his country by the acquisition
of real estate which would rise II value. The
priest invested the savings of his people III
schools churches and nGnneries. In nine
cases out OF ten tho investment was carefully
made, and the deposItor was paid his capital
with interest. Occasionally the priest made
mistake, real estate sank in value, and, IN a
word, the bank broke. In almost every case,
however, the Church made good individual
losses
OR readers must Judge for themselves of
the wisdom of his sort Of religious unincor-
poratcd saving, banks. The muddle in Gin
cnnati and like failures furnish an argument
against the priest as a business man; but on
their behalf it may be said that the priest by
this means has kept the men Of his flock from
drunkenness, has saved their families from
starvation, has been able to lift them into
dccenttr, more self-respecting lives. Let JUS
ticc be done; the heavens will not fail in
consequence on Catholic OF Protestant