The Washington critic., 1886-11-22
CHURCH AND COMMUNE.

peculiar interest to laymen generally
and the public at large, because of its
declarat ions in regard TO the rights of
property, as more or less threatened
of late by certain ur.ouud principles
and theories These declarations pro-
cecd from the synod, and are based
upon deerees having the sauctlon of
the Holy See al Rome. They aca,
therefore, to br con i,o-ol as thr
authoritative views ot the Catholic
ChurCl
That portion OF the letter relating u
the ownership OF property is in tna
nature of "a solemn warning" to VS.
its own language, against the com.
munistic doctrine that The las of prop.
erty is repugnaut TO the natural lgw
and the equality OF man.
1t devotes considerable space TO show
ing wherein human equality consists,
as in freedom Of will, the faculties OF
sensation and the right which every
man has to what i, due him; also to Il
refutation of the claim put forward By
the advocates OF Socialism that no one
has right TO possess anything as his
own to the exclusion Of others Upon
this point the Archbishop says:
Among the plausible reasons brought for
ward to support this denial Is the alcga-
tion that, all being egual, no man has
right to exclude others who have as strong
rights as his own. 1t is said that no one
should be excluded from the free air and
light OF heaven, nor even from the earth
and its farm lands. Undoubtedly God
made the earth for the use OF all mankind,
but whether the possession of IL was to be
in common or by individual ownership was
left for reason to determine. Such deter
mination, judging from the facts OF his
tory, the sanction OF law, the teachings
Of the wisest, and the actions of the best
and bravest OF mankind, has been aud is
that men can by lawful means become pos
sessed OF the right OF ownership In prop
erty and not merely in its use. The reason
is because man is strictly entitled to that Of
which he is the producing cause, TO the
improvement he brings about in it, and to
the enjoyment OF both. Even such neces-
sary, abundant, and free commodity as
water-if a man by artificial means con
geals portion Of 1t into Ice Is he not en-
Titled to enjoy its exclusive ownership?
Again, says the Archbishop:
Once deny the right Of ownership in
property, and paralysis of human industry
and enterprise follows. True, indeed, is 1t
that in many painful Instances the rights of
the toiler are tramped on and the fruits of
his labor snatched away. THIS is done too
frequently with the concurrence, or at least
the conpvance of Inv. This is the OWL
that needs redress, but such redress can
never be brought about by deuyiuga fuuda-
mental right or perpetrating a radical
wrong.
The conservative position here taken
leaves no doubt as to where the Cath
olic Church stands on question that
has latterly assumed complexion not
dreamed of in the earlier days of the
Republic. 1t is identical with the po-
sition of all Christian churches and in
the line of sound public policy.
1t may be, of course, that the Church,
which is itself the holder of vast
amounts of property, is actuated in
this matter by motives Of self interest.
So are individual property owners. So,
the Government itself
1t is the instinct of selC.preservation
but in view of the immense influence
which Catholicism, as religious de-
nomination, is enabled to exercise in
many directions, where other influences
would be comparatively unfelt, the
country is to be congratulated upon
the pronounced stand which the Church
occupies. 1t cannot fail to be an ele.
ment of strength where strength Is
most desired, in the maintenance OF
our institutions and the priceless rights
which they guarantee to the citizen.
THE first National Convention of the
American Party which met at Phila
delphia July 8, 1915, resolved among
numerous other things that removal;
from important offices under the Gov.
ernment should be made, like appoint.
ments, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, or other approx
ing body, except In the absence of the
Senate, when the President may have
the power to suspend for cause" The
American Party of forty years ago was
a strict constructionist of the Constitu
tion. 1t held that the power to ap
poiut ana the power TO remove were SO
nearly identical that what the C1nsIi
tuition directly expressed in the on,
case was TO be inferentialy applied In
the other. But the party did not sur
vive long enough OF thrive sufficiently
TO settle the great controversy on this
point.
ANOTHER big strike i9 threatened
among the Connellsyile coke miners
who insist upon 16 pounds to the bushe
instead of 81 pounds, as 1t Is by wagoI
load measure. 1t would seem that
difference Of pounds in a bushe
might be settled by arbitration, but tht
operators complain that the miners dr
not live up to their agreements and they
do not propose to waste any more timt
in arbitrating. The miners, on th,
other hand, assert that there has beer
a sufficient advance of prices to war
rant an increase of wages, and they
must have IL. Whatever be the true
merits of the case, n strike of 1900
men at this season of the year is abou
as serious thing as could happen tC
them. Some other means should be
devised for celebrating the Thanksglg
ing season.
THE New York Sunday papers
showed up remarkably well in the
matter of advertising yesterday, OF
the Worlds twenty-six pages or 1872
columns. 1870 columns were edited
from the business office. The Herald,