Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-29
THE POPE ON SOCIALISM.
By Adopting Conciliatory Attitude and
Adhering to the Golden Mean, His Hoii-
ness Aims to Place Catholicism at the


Adhering to the Golden Mean, His Hoii.
ness Aims to Place Catholicism at the
Head Of the Social Movement.
ROME, April pa press representative has
had an Interview with prominent dIgnItary
of the Roman Catholic Church regarding the
Forthcoming encycling letter of Pope Lee XIII
on the social question. This gentleman is
especially well qualified to give an opinion on
the subject, as he not only has ecclesiastical
rank. but gave the Pope assistance in drawing
up the long-expected document
In reply TO the Question, rs the encyclical
letter readyf" he sald: "Yes. the Pope has
finished il. but he has decided to wait Till the
lst of May is past before giving it to the pub
lie. The work of translating it into French,
Italian and German is also almost completed,
although it will not be absolutely ended till the
day on which the date of its publication is
definitely fixed, as the Pope has been modify,
ing his writings by omissions or additions up to
the very moment Of publication"
| Question-What do you think of this
encyclical,
Answer-It is the principal work Of the
Pontifcate, the synthetic resume of the whole
political and social teachings of the Pope. He
has worked at it for many years, sometimes for
| long periods without interruption. He has
condensed the doctrines of the greatest doc
tors and theologians on the matters, and
adapted them to the requirements and con-
ditions of the present epoch.
Resources the Pope Draws Upon.
He has also brought into requisition the
| leading intellects of the United States and of
| Europe. Incidents of labor and the generous
Intervention of Archbishop Gibbons contrib
uted no small degree to establish and fix in the
mind of Pope Leo III. the definite form of his
document. which will mark an epoch in the
history of our times.
His aim has been to define the doctrine and
soothe the minds of those who have been hith-
| erto undecided as to what side to take in the
present democratic movement, and he will sue:
| ceed, above ali, with the Catholics who in some
| countries and especially in France ana Bel
| gium, are far from being in unison in regard to
these points SO important to democratic lite.
| The Pope has aim ed at finding superior syn
thesis, a fruitful unity of all the various doc
trines. He insists with equity on the rights
| and duties of all, of capital, of labor, of the
State, and of the individual. He is utterly i'm
partial. and neither for nor against the interest
| of any school, He gives the truth and pro-
claims justice upon all and for all. One of the
princlpal ends that the Pope has in view is that
| Catholics OF all countries may have common
| ground of action. He greatly deplores any
/ divisions in the Catholic parry, tending as they
| do to diminish the social influence and moral
action OF the church. He desires to deprive
his adversaries of the slightest pretext for pre-
| tending that the church has only charity, and
| nothing definite or precise to otter society. The
| schemes which manifested themselves at the
| Congress OF Lege, and also in France, have
profoundly grlefe1 the Pope, have diminished
| the prestige of the church. and obscured the
| social benefits wrought by the church.
Adapted to Modern Requirements.
Question-Is it adapted to present circum-
| stancesP
Answer-Perfectly Leo XIII. also speaks so
as to be understood by every mind. He has
| quite given up the ancient ecclesiastical
| phraseology. His idea is to harmonize the
teaching of the traditional doctrines of the
church with all that is great, good and gen.
erous in the social and intellectual currents of
| our epoch. His nature is eminently harmon
| ious sympathetic, conciating and pacific.
l. cannot tell you all that is III the present encyc-
lical, but can say that it will make a favorable
| impression, for It's an enlightened work, aim
| ing solely at unity ard Cancellation.
During his labors Of specifying the respect.
| i've position OF capital and labor, of the state
| and the individual. of bringing into relief The
strict justice and infexible rights of all those
| factors that go to make up society, industry
and work, Leo Kill has seen the conflict be-
| tween all kinds of human passion. despotisms
| and revolutions. His encyclical will not be
| cry of trotest against all these elements which
| form modern life. He seeks to coneilate them
all by the acceptance of all legitimate interests
aud by reciprocal respect of all rights.
Question-Does not the Pope speak of charity
in this encyclical?
Answer-Yes: but he delimits its sphere of
action. He has devoted much space to set forth
the greatest claims. but his object above all
things has been the teaching of social justice.
The State Should Intervene.
Question-What are the Pope's views In re-
gard to State intervention?
Answer-That Is the delicate point 1t is in-
contestable that the church cannot give upon
these purely historical contingencies absolutely
definite instructions The social problems are
continually changing and modifying. Each
period has its particular needs its own
economic conditions. Things that are good
and equitable to-day are old and napplicable
tomorrow. Therefore, Leo XIII. will be
found from doctrinal point of view, some-
what reserved on this matter, even although it
be leading subject of our time. But, never
theless, he demands this intervention, chang
ing according to places and circumstances,
whenever justice legitimate interests and dis
regarded rights require 1t.
Thus, for our particular epoch. Pope Leo
Kill. demands State Intervention in favor of
fixing the maximum number of hours to be
worked each day, of fixing day of rest of
prescribing the minimum wage of regulating
the work of women and children, and of inter-
vention in matters regarding hygiene and the
conditions under which work is performed in
factories. In these respects the Pope strikes
the exact medium, as far from the doctrinsm
Of those who aim at raising this intervention of
the State to an absolute principle as from the
fear eVinced by the old parties, who affect a
ridiculous dread of any intervention whatever
on The part of tho State. Leo XIII. strikes the
true note-the eQu1librum-while he Carefully
avoids in any way prejudicing such social
problems as may arise later on under condi-
tions, and which will require other solutions
Questions-Whati is the supreme inspiration
of the document?
Answer-To put Catholicism doctrinally ana
intellectually at the head of the social move
ment Leo XIII. is convinced that the DEM
ocracy of America, imported under other
forms, Will be the mold by which the future
society and politics of Europe will be FASH
ioned. The democracy. the people, will be-
come the preponderance power, and the church
should constitute itself the guide of this ideal
and this new social development
The Funeral of Won Moltke.
A dispatch from Berlin says: The funeral
services over the remains of Field Marshal
Count Won Moltke took place at II o'clock this
morning In the ball room of the General Staff
Building, in which building the veteran died
and where his body has been lying in state
Emperor William, the King of Saxony the
Grand Dukes of Baden. SAKE Weimar and
Hesse, the principal members of the Royal
families of Germany together with the leading
German generals, were present.
The services lasted 45 minutes The casket
Containing the great Field Marshaps remains
was then carried with much ceremony to the
hearse, which was drawn by six of the Empe-
ror's horses. After passing through streets |
lined with troops and packed With spectators
the remains arrived at the IIehrte station at / |
o'clock in the afternoon and were placed upon |
a railroad car draped in black, which was there |
in waiting.
Along the route of the procession to the sta |
ton the hearse was preceded by Colonel Goss- |
Ter. carving the Field Marshaps baton, and by |
all the officers of the general staff carrying the
insignia and ordets conferred Count Won |
Moltke during the course of his distinguished |
career. The casket was covered with large |
numbers of floral wreaths sent from many |
parts OF Europe. Emperor William, the men, |