New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-20
STATE CHURCHES IN FRANCE
POINTS AT ISSUE IN THE RECENT MINIS
TERIAL CRISIS.

coeded IN mise il I'D with the other by refusing
70 vote tbe order of the day proposed by the
par;isans of the separation in question. IL VIII
ho s,rr. therefore. that the situation is COM
niicatcd one. and one moreover. Of considerable
difficulty. There is one way ont OF H. but &"
will not be adopted until the Government mas oeeh
obliged 10 recognize that there is no other ISSUE
All that would be necessary 10 solve the qheS'loh
is 70 cut il into two parts. and 10 keep the Con-
cordat distinct from the State Budget OF fnDlic
Worship.
Since the time when Bonaparte held The Once
of First Consul Of the Republic, the french OoV-
eminent has been bound with regard to the court
of Rome by Tie Concor1at Of le02 TINS treaty
is TO all intcnts and purposes, one-slded con-
tract In reality il has only 10 he subscribed 70
by one OF the two contracting parties. FOR the
pope has never agreed TO il in full and has always
declined 70 consent 10 the famous Organic Arti-
cles " which were added by France after the
official negotiations. The Pontil was perfectly
nstilird in assuming this attitude, and the Roman
Church has never taken any account OF the addl-
tional clauses, the French Government closing It's
eyes 10 the neglect Of the Church 10 CONFORM 10
the provisions contained therein
In orr eyrs however the Concordat il only
law of the State in its integral condition, that
is including the Organic Articles. lnasmuch,
However, rs one Of the contracting parties falls
10 AGREE or 10 accept il in its entirety the contract
becomes invalid, and the French law embodying
il null and void. All the great lawyers of the
world would assuredly be of the same opinion
on this point
II is by virtue Of this invalid contract. of this
law. that the French Government has paid, ac-
cording 10 the Budget Of 800. which is now he
fore me, the amount Of 44,573,55s.0O francs, for
the use of the Church. II is only fair 10 add
that the sum in question includes certain pay
mcnts not provided for by the Concordat. namely,
the subsidies granted TO the Protestant, the
Hebrew and the Mahomctan churches. For we
really have four distinct budgets under the head
Of Public Worship, namely, one big one and three
little ones The latter are, however, but of small
account For. all three together, they do not
figure for more than 100000 francs, whereas
the Catholic Church receives the whole OF the
balance
The phrase separation OF Church and State
il therefore incorrect. One should say scpar'-
ton Of the Churches and the State since there
are no less than four churches that figure on
the annual budget, three Of them receiving state
assistance without being guaranteed by any Con-
cordat Why should we not place the iOnrth
church namely. that of Rome upon the same
annual subvention just as we do theirs - them.
freeing Ourselves from the thradoIn Of the Con-
corlat laws or at any rate from every portioo
thereof which in any way ntcricrcs WITH ana
hammers our liberty Of action ? Hy doing 80. We
should merely Dc following tho example OF tie
Vatican. which only submits to those clauses OF
the treaty which II cohslderr iaN"r""ic Az" WI"
vencnt 70 it~clf.
lie. h.,,-o
called since We sulsdzc not one but four and
sec no valid reason why We should coniine o"r-
solves 70 four. Oar Public Worship Budget cam
not therefore he considc, in The light OF an
affirmation for distinctive religious creed for IL
il manifcStly impossible to profess four separate
and contradictory religious crccdS It I'll" same
time The only object of rho Budget OF Pnblic
Worship is "a provide for The regular working OF
a branch Of public service 10 which the french
nation has become accustomed. Inc oihcl"s
budget. which | referred 10 above. bears on nc
title page the words Department OF Pnolic
Nor-lip" II is therefore not - the churches. -
churches. TINT the forty five millions Of francs have
been paid. hut TO their congregations and adj
hcrents. who are French citizens, and ~ such
entitled, by custom which has had the force Of
law since the beginning Of the century. TO enjoy
the use of tie subveution in question for their
public worship Nor DO they show any DISPOSE
tion 10 rcnouncc the benefits which they derive
from this custom. In order 10 convince oneself
of this il il only necessary 10 20 and ask TIE
French peasant who has voted for the Republic.
t DAY the stipend Of the Village priest Ont OF his
own pocket Nor would YOU be any better re-
ccivcd if You were 10 propose 90 the peasant TO
close the church Of his village There are TOO
many of them like that. having votes for 1t 10 he
prudent 10 attempt 10 suppress either the state
stipend. OF the clergy the churches The most
ardent Republicans realize this 80 well chat they
instinctiycy rccoi from The prospect of any i'm
mediate application of their theories. ana thcy
propose instead an adjournment If execution untll
q time "lat,r on" II 10 difficult, however, TO see
how that time can come, for The present situation
is not By any means one of thosc that change
from day 10 another.
one thing that | would suggest is that the
State should continue 10 pay thc stipend 10 any
priest who retains the good will Of his parish
toner's, but who may happen 10 have incurred
the dsplcasurc Of his bishop by protesting bis
loyalty 10 thr Republic-l mean that Republic
which is identical in all the essential particu-
lars with the French Revolution, namely, as con-
Germs the sovereignty of the nation and the
emancipation of conscience and Of human reason.
These essential particulars the Natican will never
agrec TO- aud The COncOrdat prohibits Us from
having among our peasants priest who Is
patriotic enough 10 accept and profess these
features of rpubIicanism! We should remember,
however, tina, the Concordat only binds u 50 far
as we desire b. be bOund-that Concordnt with
regard 10 which the Vatican has been guilty Of
50 MANY iniractions. IT, therefore, The parish
oner who votes is content with his priest, moth
ing further is necessary.
This is the real menace with which W. should
cool the ardor OF the militant element of the
Church. We should call their attention TO this
sword of Damoclcs hung over the head Of the
Church, and not threaten them with the suppress
sion of the Budget Of Public Worship For they
know full we'll that should never dare to put
the latter threat into execution.
But these free uses by the State of the Budget