Connecticut western news., 1890-04-23
THE POPE INTERVIEWED.
An Audience Given to a New
 York Journal.
HIS HOLINESS TALKS OF AMERICA

He Loves Both Protestants and Catholics
 in the Land of the Free Where He Is
 Respected and Christianity and Morality
 Rule-His Old World Enemies. NEW YORK, April 21.-The Herald says: "As an expression of his friendship for America and his confidence in the liberty which her institutions give to religion, his holiness Leo XIII has accorded The Herald correspondent a special private audience, and consented to the publication of his ut terences. 'I have have claim upon Amer jeans for their respect" he said, with kindly eyes, "because love them and love their country. have great tenderness for those who live in that land, Protestants and all. Under the constitution religion has perfect liberty and is a growing power. When the church is free it will increase, and I bless, l love Americans for their frank, open, un. affected character, and for the respect which they pay to Christianity and Christian morals.
 The Enemies of Christianity.
 His holiness asked how the Prostestant part of America received his utterances, and was assured that the people, without respect to particular churches, listened with deep respect and sympathy to his appeals for more charitable and unselfish spirit in society. "I feel sure that it is so," said the pope 'I want the Protestants as we'll as the Catholics to esteem me. They may all be sure that have very deep and real affection for them. In America the vicar of Christ is respected, but it is not always so in Europe. Here there are in control those who have nothing but hatred for the head of the Christian world and offer insults to the holy see. Enemies of God who occupy high places desire not only to offend the person of the holy see, but utterly to break down the influence of religion, to disorganize and obliterate the church and to overthrow the whole system of morality upon which civilization rests.
 Times of Social Unrest.
 s"These are times of social unrest and inn pending disorder. There is no power that can deal with the Anarchist socialism and discontent but organized religion, which will restore morality to society. The result of the efforts which have been made to throw aside Christianity and live without it can be seen in the present condition of society-discontent, disorder, hatred and profound unhappiness. have studied how to bring about a change, and while l live will labor to relieve the world of this terri ble confusion. The suffering and helpless ness of the working people are sources of great anxiety and grief to me. Their troubles have been largely due to the ene- mics of Christian morality, who want to see Christian history ended and mankind returned to Pagan life.
 Slavery and the Social Question.
 '.There are two things in the world at present that need especial attention-slav- %1,a o1 oh 19oh slavery have established colleges and am sending out missionaries into Africa and wherever men are held in bondage. An enlightened man cannot be enslaved. For that reason shall devote the ener"ies of the church to the spread of knowledge among the poor savages.
 "The social question can only be solved by increasing the morality of the world. While Christian morals governed there was no such condition of affairs as we see today But with the efforts to destroy religion be- gan the evils which are agitating society. The social troubles cannot be cured unless mankind comes back to the same principle. But if the foes of Jesus Christ and his church continue to attack and revile the religion which teaches correct morals and has civilized the world these disorders will increase and overwhelm them. .. The Pope's Plans. ssThe governments of the various nations l must do their work and must do mine. Their work is local and particular, but my work as the head of Christendom, must be universal and on different plan. The moral condition of both the workingman and his employer must be raised I intend to have committees formed in every diocese in the world. Each committee shall have the bishop at it's head and shall consist either of workingmen or those who sym | pathize and associate with them. On fast l days and whenever there is rest from labor | these committees will call the toilers to- gether, discuss their duties and teach and | inspire them with true morality Sound rules of life must be founded on religion" The Military Incubus.
 His holiness spoke with emotion about his desire for the disarmament of Europe. | The existence of these vast armies is a source of displeasure and sorrow to the | holy see. The military life is injuring hum dreds of thousands of young men. It sur l rounds them with violent and immoral in- fuences, it crushes all their higher spiritual life and tends to harden and degrade them. So long as Europe is filled with soldiery so long will all this labor be withdrawn from the soil and the poor will be cverburdened with taxes to support the system.
 ''These great military establishments set one people against another and intensity national jealousies. long to see return of peace and charity Huge armies con- fronting each other in such times as these cannot leave good spirit behind them. They are anti Christian"
 Here suggested that the doctrine of ar bitration, for which the Vatican is laboring, was accepted as a. national principle in ] America.
 "Yes," said his holiness, ''that is the true ] principle, but most of the men who have got control of affairs in Europe do not de sire the truth. See how they exalted godle- ness! Look at the men whose names are selected in Italy for honor after deathl Men who died opposing Christianity; men like Mazzini and Saffi!'
 Army Decreasing.
 WASHINGTON, April 21-The reports re- ceived at the war department for the nine months beginning with the fiscal year July 1, 1889, and ending March 31 1890, show that there have been 1,578 assertions from the regular army during that period. For the corresponding months of the previous year there were 1895 assertions reduction this year of over 16 per cent. The deser tions for March were but 151, compared with 285 during March, 1889. Secretary Proctor has taken active personal interest in this subject and has labored diligently to remedy this evil, with some success, as the figures show. In his annual report he showed that it was not only question of administration, but that there was also legislation needed. The house has alrea dy passed bills in the line of the secretary's suggestions and it is believed that if the same pass the senate and become laws they will enable him to accomplish much more in this direction. Not only is the preva
 lence of desertion in the regular army de