Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-05
ROME AND BRAZIL.
Pope and President Not in
Churchly Harmony.
THE THREAT OF EXCOMMUNICATION

PieSntto, His Cabinet, and the Brazilian
Congress to Come Under Anathema if
They Refuse to Return to the Old ReIa-
lions of Church and State-The Russian
Famine Exposes Piece of Business Ras-
caIity in Export Flour - Gladstone
Thanks Hi. Well-Wishers.
ROME, Jan. st is rumored that the
relations between the Vatican and the
Brazilian government are SO strained that
rupture is imminent. The pope, it is
said, has iutimated that he will eXcum-
municate President PieXotto, his cabinet.
and the members of the Brazilian con
grcss, unless measures are taken to renew
the former relations between church and
state in Brazil. The Vatican has received
numerous complaints from the Brazilian
clergy of the disastrous effect upon church
interests of the policy of separation
adopted by the republic. 1t is said that
many churches are without pastors, and
the Seminaries are being deserted because
the government refuses to continue CON
tributions for the maintenance of the
clergy, and of chairs in the seminaries.
The Priesthood Becoming Alarmed.
The prelates and priests who were in &C.
clesiastical service at the time that connec-
ton between church and state was abol-
ished are still nominally in receipt of sal
aries from the federal treasury; but when
a bishop rctireS or dies the salary is not
continued to his successor, so that the
death of priest means the cessation of
salary TO his charge, and perhap, the clos
ing Of church. The Brazilian hierarchy
did not at first feel the effect of the change:
but as time progressed, and salaries ceased.
the bishops have become alarmed.
Asked the Pope'> Assistance.
ArchbshiD de MacedO Costa, primate of
Brazil. has sent statement of tue facts
and an earnest appeal for the assistance of
the pope in restoring the church TO its
former place. In this the primate has been
sustained by the whole hierarchy. Ii il
said on behalf of the eccleSiastics that
there l. no apparent prospect of voluntary
support from The church The people
have been SO long accustomed to the state
church that they viii not contribute to
the maintenance OF the new priests APP
pointed without a state salary and thrown
upon the people to support, and attempts
to take contributions for the priests sala-
ries have generally failed.
The Provinces DO Not Provide.
Although the provincial governments
are permitted by federal law to provide for
the support of religion they have omitted
to make any such provision on the plea
that if the church i to have public sup
port. the old system should continue Bis
hop Count de Saint Agos,inho, of Pernam-
buCu, l. among the most earnest of the
prelates struggling for a restored eStsb-
liShment, and it is said that the deter
mined attitude Of the Vatican is largely
due To his influence. 1t is reported that a
papal ultimatum Will be presented to the
Brazilian government. and if il i uufa-
vorabiy received it will be followed by ex-
communication.
Brazil Not Likely to Yield.
Among South Americans in Rome the
opinion prevails that Brazil will not Weld
and that hostile action by the Vatican will
provoke retaliation and bring about a COM
plete withdrawal of state support This
opinion is founded on the fact that the
Brazilian clergy have generally SYM
pathized with the depoSed imperial family,
and that some of them are charged with
aiding to keep alive the sentiment in
favor of restoring the emDjPp