The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-01
RIVALRY In THE CHURCH
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND ON TIE
LUCERNE MOVEMENT.

This Country Is Ruled by the Irish
SONS Demands hot Objectionable.
ST. PAUL, MINI, May 3l.-Ths recent
memorial Of the eastern Catholic emigra-
tion societies to the pope, requesting the
following of distinct national lines in the
work among immigrants in Ameri-
ca, has attracted great attention.
Probably the only man In tbs
northwest who is capable of giving inside
views Of the recent Catholic movement in
Europe is Archbishop Ireland.
Honeer Press reporter called upon
Archbishop Ireland and asked for a state
ment regarding the matter.
WHAT THEY DEMAND.
After indorsing the truth of the Asso-
ciated Press dispatches from Rome, the
archbishop said: 80 far as Mr.. Cahensly,
the bearer Of the Lucerne petition aud de-
crees to the vatican. and his
friends aud coleborers are concerned
they have well defined the object in view.
and they mean to work for it with might
and main. 1t is to harness the church in
America into the service OF recently arrived
immigrants from Germany, other Cath>
ole interests in the country being
| apparently looked upon as quite secondary.
Some of their demands are quite admissible
in themselves, although it is no business OF
German parishes and German schools for
German speaking Catholics.
CAN'T BE TOLERATED..
"In addition. however, to these, their de-
sire for German priests for all parishes in
which there are German Catholics mingled
| with Others, aud German bishops charged
with exclusive care Of Germans, or of ex-
elusive German Jurisdiction, cannot be
| tolerated; aud then number Of
foreign bishops in regular episcopal
sees Their demands are based
on a supposition that the bishops and priests
of America are Irish and neglect the Ger
mans. Mr.. Cahensly calls for a reversal of
what he imagines to be the case, and by
clear implication asks that the Irish be put
in charge Of German priests and bishops.
oAHENsLY's IGNORANCE.
"We have to note the actual or assumed
| ignorance of Mr.. CRhensly as to the condi-
tion Of the German-speakiug Catholics in
| America. In asserting that they are neg
lected he does most positive injustice to
the bishops of the country, whose constant
effort has been and is to provide for all
Catholics Of foreign tongues priests Of their
own nationality.
SINGULAR MALICE.
"There is singular malice, too, in his at
tempt to represent the Catholic church in
1
to succeed in a dispute between the Irish
and Germans then in one between
| Americans and Germans AS a matter
of fact, bishops horn in Ireland
are few in the American hierarchy,
and those few have spent nearly all their
lives in America and are thoroughly identi~
fed with the country and its Institutions
| The bishops OF America are in heart and
soul Americans They have no more idea
Of making the church Irish than they
have of allowing 1t to be made
German. The mass Of our Catholics to-day
have been born in America and, whether
their fathers were Irish or German, they
are Americans, and they resent with indig-
nation any effort to class them into Irish OF
Germans, or as foreigners of any stripe.
A STRANGE FEATURE.
"What is a most strange feature in this
whole Lucerne movement is the impudence
of the men in undertaking to meddle under
| any pretext, in Catholic America. This is
simply objectionable, and all American
Catholics will treasure up the affront for
future action. We acknowledge the
| Pope of Rome as our chieftain
in spiritual matters, and we are
glad to receive directions from him. But
men in Germany or Switzerland or Ireland
must mind their own business and be still
as to ours. Nor is this the most startling
the work ir Europe comes, the dispatches
| tellus from a clique In America.
THE MOVEMENT NOT NEW.
even If the dispatches had been silent
on this matter, we would have known that
this is the truth. For the last five or six
years there has been determined effort on
| the part of certain foreign Catholics in
America. priests and laymen, to obtain con-
troll Of Catholic matters in America.
| The Poles in the west, the French Cana
dians In the east, the Germans west and
| direct ion. The Germans sent in 1856
representatives to obtain pro>German legis-
lation, and they have since formed societies,
notably the Observation-Disclosures
Priester Verein, for this same purpose. l
am quite sure / am right, when I bring
home to this verein the whole prompting OF
the Lucerne proceedings.
CONFINED TO A FEW.
"This foreign movement in America, it
must be well understood, is confined to a
comparatively small number. The great
mass of the German-speaking Catholics,
| laymen and priests. are totally op-
posed TO all plans and intrigues to
retain foreign ascendancy, and are most
heartily In sympathy with everything
that is American. As a body, there is no
more loyal element than they in this popu-
! Iatton, and IN religious matters they are
thoroughly in accord with their bishops
| We have Catholics from all countries of
Europe; yet they all work together
with signal unanimity and are united in
patriotism as Americans, as they are in
faith as Catholics.
PROMOTERS OF THE MOVEMENT.
"The promoters Of German foreiguism in
America are certain journalists whose trade
is gone if the German language loses its
hold, and certain priests who on coming to
America in advanced years never
learn much English and scarcely
know that there is an
American country outside Of the German
| village or quarter surrounding their par
sonage. OF course where these men are
allowed TO work they havea following who,
misguided and misled, clamor against
fancied inferiority and fancied persecution,
but there is not the slightest possibility
that any result will come from the Lucerne
conference except il be this result, to lead
to the utter extinction OF all foreign animus
among u.s. The bishops of ADierica are
fully able to ward off ell foreign invasions
and to maintain the church on thorough
American lines.
FEELING OF THE PEOPLE.
"If they did not themselves have the cour-
age and common sense TO do SO, the Catholic
people, of whatever race or origin, would
compel them to do their duty. Nor Will the
authorities in Rome listen to Mr.. Cahensly