The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-17
WAS IT A MISTAKEf
FRANCE AND THE POPE
A German Diplomatic View OF the Vatican
aud the Recent Frcnch Elections.

KtssISaEN. Aug 24-No<v that the result G
the legislative elections OF last Sunday II
| France is known definitely. Catholics in Ger
| many. at least are beginning to ask them
| selves whether the interests OF the Churcl
Universal have been helped or harmed by the
! Interference OF tho Head OF the Church in tn
internal politics OF France. This Is. of course
a very delicate question. not to be lightly
| answered. or by the first man In the street
| In spite OF tho Huguenots and OF the revolu
| ton OF 17SA. and OF modern scientific atheism
| France Mt the end OF the nineteenth century
like France in tho twelfth century. IL still the
eldest daughter OF the Church. The Catholic
faith is not only professed. hut held by a mucl
greater proportion Of tho people in Franc,
than In any other country oi the first rank in
political importance The annual oblations
OF the French Catholics. under the namo oil
Peters Pence. have constituted. down to very
recent period. the chief financial support oI
the Papacy at Rome We're these offerings to
fall of in amount seriously and permanently,
the Vatican would probably find itself in an
exceedingly awkward position and the los
ton OF considering the financial ALLEGATION
offered by Italy TO the Pope so long
ago and SO steadily rejected. might easily
assume very troublesome shape. Such.
at least. is the opinion not only OF
familiar with Roman affairs. but OF Ger
mans in the public service who. without
being devout Catholics. have had large prac-
teal experience OF Roman affairs. and are
seriously Interested in the position and in the
policy OF the Vatican. II may be oprortune.
therefore. for me to send you the substance Of
the Views on this subject Of a parsonage who
has resided n good deal in Rome and has had
not little to do with the relations between the
Vatican and the German empire. You will
easily recognize his identity with the good
natured critic, whose Obie! dicta on the l}ehr-
ing Sea Conference sent you the other day.
You ask me what think" he said. :" of the
probable effect OF these now French elections
on the position ofthe Church in France That
is n question of prophetic insight. and am no
prophet. Would it not be more to tho purpose
to ask me what l think OF the effect OF the
position OF the Church In France on the recent
French elections? II you put the aues-
ton In that way 1t interests me. and
perhaps my answer may be not wholly
without interest for you. Moreover. You
will put the question. as II happens on q
day full OF appropriate and instructive memo
ries. This Is the festival. is it not, OF St. Bar
tholomew? Well the Pope OF 1872 took
stronger hand in the domestic French politics
OF that day than his Holiness OF 1893 has taken
in the domestic French politics of to- day. But
the intromission Of the Vatican did not better
matters for the Church very much in the
struggle with the Huguenots: and it remains
to be seen how far the intromission Of the vati-
can will better the position OF the Church in
the France of our time In the struggle with the
free thinkers. Let us leave that to the future
What can be said to-day with some assurance
is. l think. that the position OF the Church in
France in August 1893 as determined by tho
personal will and policy Of Pope Leo NIL. has
put the French Opportunists and so-called
Moderates. who are the chief professional
traders in France. into much stronger posi-
ton than ever for making bargains with the
Radicals and the Free Masons. all avowed enc
mics OF the Church. These bargains. OF course.
will be made at the expense of the rights and
liberties Of French Catholics."
Then You think that the recent policy OF
The Pope toward France has been mistake ?"
From the point OF view OF the vast ma
or!ty OF French Catholics It can hardly be |
as success. And. therefore. per- |
haps 1t would be rash to assume that It will |
prove to have been success from the point OF |
view OF the Pope himself. What are the two |
main objects OF the French Catholics in regard !
% the actual legislation OF tho republlc2 |
clearly the school policy and the military
policy 81 the Government The French Catho-
les want the control of their own sch oos. and |
hey object to the systematic war against all
'eligion carried on through the educational
avs OF the republic. The French Catholics
90. demand the exemption OF seminarists
lifting for the Church from service in the army
md the exemption OF ministers OF religion
rom military service. The Radicals insist on
he war against religion. aud oppose the
recognition In any shape Of religious
hGracter as ground for exemption from the
Military service. Now. II the recent policy Of
he Pope toward France had any visible OBJ
ect. it was to weaken the systematic opposi-
ion to tho republic as q form OF government
I the French Royaists ard lmperiaists.
nd to do this under the impression that
he position OF the Church in France
'ould be strengthened II great numbers Of
rench Catholics could be induced by the ad-
ice and exhortations Of the Pope to leave the
oyalist aud the Imperialist parties. rally
} the republic as form OF government get
u strong representation in the
legislature, and so compel the French Gov
rnment to make bargains with til en- by con-
eding what they wish In regard to the schools
nd to the military service. Perhaps this
light have been wise policy II it had
irned out to be successful policy But what
70 the facts as shown by the elections OF last
unday. and foreshadowed by all We hear
bout the probable upshot OF the supplement
ny elections still to be held2 The two most
'nspicuous leaders among the French Cath
les who accepted tho instructions of the
ope. both OF them very able men, NJ Pion
I'd Comte Albert de Nun. have been :
IDLY beaten. The places which knew them
the Paais Bourbon will know them no more !
st now. Anti-Clericals and Radicals have
FRIED Of thanks to tho policy OF the Pope !
'arly half tina seats held In the last | ,
'ench Legislature by Royalist and In !
'rialst Catholics II the Pope had left the a
'ench elections alone. these seats would still
, held by Catholics. whose votes would have I
be considered by the Government. What Q
Q Pope or his advisers were aiming at in u
ance. eyidently.was to build up ~ that coun- =
Y strong Catholic party on the lines OF our i
eat Catholic party. the Centrum in Germany. Z
IT they forgot that In France the existing re- =
bile has been shaped and mainly controlled u
men who object to the altar as much as Q
ey object to the throne. or course. there h
70. by alternating thousands OF French voters 8
10 cling to the throne we'll as to the altar. q