The Irish standard., 1895-03-02

STA at its head. The Franco Prussian
war, in 1S7O-1S71, completed the unlti-
cation Of Germany, and placed on the
throne of the German Empire the
king of Prussia, the leading Protest
ant prince .tof Europe. Then it was
that the Kulturkampf was established.
In 1872 Prussia secularized the school
system by depriving the clergy of their
Office as school inspectors, to which
position only laymen were now to be
appointed.
In the same year the German Parlia-
ment passed the Jesuit law. which
expelled from Germany ali non-Ger-
man Jesuits and members OF, allied
fraternities such as the Redemtlorists,
the Lazarites, the Priests of the Holy
Ghost, the Society of the Holy Heart
of Jesus, while the. German members
were forbidden to labor in their minis
try, and were put under police sur
veilance. In May, 1873, the famous
May Laws, which applied only to Prus-
STA, were passed. These laws were en-
acted to deprive the authorities OF the
church from controlling the education
of priests These laws enacted that no
one should be appointed-a clergyman
in Prussia unless he was a. German
subject, and had studied three years
at German university, and was able
in Prussia uni ess he was German
history and literature. These laws
also limited the power which bishops
would exercise over their priests. In
1874 the sanctity OF the marriage re-
lation was attacked by the passage OF
the civil marriage law, These in the
main were the laws which were en-
acted to destroy the Catholic church
in Germany. While they were great
detriment to the cause of religion and
education, yet they did not destroy
the church. Fines did not bring sub
mission, the leading officials of the
church were imprisoned and finally
deposed from their positions by the
state. Every outrage against the
Catholics Of Germany only made them
more determined, and the object, Of
the Kultnrkampf YVES never attained.
In the very first German Parliament
a Catholic party known AS the Centre
party made it's appearance and voted
as solid body,
This party today holds the balance
OF power in the German Reichstag tant
can at any time defeat the govern
mant. The "May Laws" have been
repealed, but the school laws, the
Jesuit law and the civil marriage law
are still in force. The pacifying at
titude of Leo XIII has done much to
liberalize the German Empire iii its
actions towards Catholics. Yet the
Catholics of Germany have yet much
to contend for. The continued pro-
scription Of the Jesuits seems nnrea-
sonaoIe. Herr Windthorst, while
leader Of the Centre party, succeeded
in getting the Reichstag to consent to
the admission of the Jesuits, but the
German Parliament, the BundesTaah,
rejected the proposition.
The .yesuits have always been teach
ers. At the time OF their expulsion
from Germany they were prominently
TIE students and scholars OF that ma
ton of scholars. German scholarship
and literature have suffered by their
exile. The day cannot be far distant
when the religious tolerance Of the
German people will demand their
prescription to cease, This result, to-
gether with favorable school laws, is
what the Centre party is now con-
tending for. The Emperor needs the
help of the Catholics OF Germany III
resisting the rapidly increasing So
cialisn of Germany, He needs the
,Ies,lits more at this day than he needs
any other force. Let them take their
accustomed place as the teachers OIL
the neople and rampant socialism will
cease He needs the Centre party to
help to maintain The German army.
They Will resist every increase in the
army and every appropriation to main
tain its present standard unless the
Emperor grants some right Or accedes
to some demand as the people in days
some by forced English kings to grant
bills OF rights. The Catholics OF Ger,
many have stood up for their faith
as Well or better than the Irish. The
Centre party has done for Germany
what the Nationalist have done for
Ireland.