The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-05-11

no pO8luOn 10 dispute tne COmp0tenCO OI al
Italian court to conRscate Church property
And even II Mr.. FERRY could take any de-
cided step on behalf OF the Propaganda with
out losins his control OF the Chamber Of
Deputies-which 10 hardly conceivable
such demonstration would excite only OBJ
duracy and resentment, owing to the strained
and acrimonious relations which already
exist between France and Italy. The Papacy
must find some moro weighty mediator In
its quarrel with King HUMBERr than the
country which deies the principle Of nation
alities by retaining Nice and Savoy, and
stiles the hope Of italian ACKNOWLEDGEMENT by
It's seizure OF Tunis.
It is to England and tho United States.
even more than to the two great powers Of GEN.
trial Europe, Germany and Austria, that the
Catholic Church must look for help In It's ex-
listing difficulties. As regards the building
occupied by the American College In Rome,
which was exposed to sale under the judg-
ment rendered by the Court Of Cessation, our
State Department has appealed successfully
to the Italian Government. But the real
estate now recognized as the property OF tho
American College represents only an insig-
nihcant fraction OF the sums subscribed by
our Catholic fellow citizens In aid Of the edu-
cational functions discharged by the Propa-
ganda, and the reason assigned by Mr.. NAN
CINI for relieving particular building from
the operation Of the Suppression act may be
Justly put forward to shield all the assets Of
an essentially educational association. There
IL ground for believing that the interest Of
English and Irish Catholics In maintaining
unimpaired the resources of the Propaganda,
derived as these partly are from their own
contributions. have not been overlooked by
the present British Ministry, which knows
that without the good will Of the
Catholic Church Ireland would be un-
governable. There Ia no likelihood that
any British Cabinet would now exhibit
the discreditable indifference shown some
years ago, when the Irish College was
sold, and lands on the Esqulline purchased
by Father DOUGLAS were summarily confis-
Gated. The promptness and frmness. how
ever, with which the Governmspts Of the
United Kingdom and the United States may
be led to protest against the spoliaion OF
property accruinR from International SUBJ
scriptions and devoted to educational and
missionary purposes. will depend, manifest
ly. on the earnestness with which American
and English and Irish Catholics defend the
cause Of the assailed society.
Weincline to think that O concerted appeal
by the representatives OF the United States
and Great Britain to considerations Of equity
and expediency would Of itself prevail on the
italian Ministry to stay the execution Of the
spoliative decree. There is, OF course, no
doubt that ut q word from BISMARCK the
Governments OF Germany and Austria could
bring to bear pressure on the DKPRKrIs-
MANCrN1 Cabinet that would prove irresisti-
BILE. But whether he will speak the word
will depend probably upon the course Of the
Clerical party when tho anti-Sociallst bill
comes up for final action in the Reichstag.
Catholics, therefore. who do not feel that
the fate Of tho Propaganda ought to hinge on
the vicissitudes Of German politics, will do
we'll not to walt for the uncertain help Of
BISMARCK. We repeat, that by organized
and strenuous expressions Of public opinion
they can elicit In this country and In Great
Britain such proofs Of ofacial sympathy and
support as may obtain from King Hum
DERT's Government suspension. II not an
annulment, Of tho decree by which the re-
sources and the usefulness Of the Propaganda
would DO gricvously curtailed.