Evening journal., 1896-10-27
EVENING JOURNAL TUESDAY, OCTOBER q, 1855


Delaware needs dredging in several
shoal places to meet the needs of mod
ern commerce. and that unless the
dredging is speedily done the commerce
of this port must suffer seriously. The
big steamship has come to stay and it
is going to grow bigger rather than
smaller in the future, and if the big
steamers can't safely reach Philadel-
phia they will trade and sail from other
ports. 1t is not a question of what has
been that confronts us now, but Of
what is and is to be, and we must con-
form to the new conditions or be rele-
gated to the rear.
The United States Engineers survey
shows that there is but about Is feet of
water at low tide at the shoalest place
in the channel, at Cherry Island flats,
and but "a feet at high tide, and that
much the same conditions exist at Dan
Baker shoal. To meet the needs of
modern commerce there should be not
less than 30 feet of water at high tide
I'm the shoalest places. There is no
serious obstacle to be overcome in
dredging the channel to any depth
wanted except the expense, and this
must be met somehow. The commerce
of a great city and state like ours is
too important to be permitted to suffer
serious or permanent loss for lack of a
moderate expenditure for dredging the
river shOals.-Philadelph Times.
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND's APPEAL.
There are very few men in this coun-
try whose public utterances command
more attention or exert more influence
than those of the archbishop of St.
Paul. Among prelates of his own
church his position is almost unique,
being shared only by Cardinal Gibbons.
That is to say, he is recognized both
within and without the communion of
the Catholic Church as an American
Catholic. On any point upon which
American sentiment and Catholic in
terests seem to be opposed, we will not
assert that the archbishop is sure to
take the American side, because that
would attribute to him a prepOssessiOn
that would much impair the impartial
ity and therefore the value of what
he might say. But we can say that he
is always sure to show a comprehen-
sion of the American side, and a SYM
pathy with it, which mark him for a
patriotic citizen, as well as a loyal
churchman.
The respect in which the archbishop
is held in his own diocese is attested
by the fact that the public expression
of his opinion on the political issue
was not volunteered by him, but was
ELECTED by a written request for It.
signed by twenty-seven of the leading
citizens of Minnesota and representing
both political parties. Men of each
party hoped of course that the reply
would favor their own party, but mer
of either party are estopped from deny.
ing that the archbishop's opinion car
ries weight by the fact that they have
asked for it. In fact, the mere express
sion of his opinion would be of great
influence in the Northwest, and this
weight of authority will be increased
by the inherent force OF the reasoning
by which his opinion is supported.
1t is strange that anybody in Mime
sofa should have expected or hoped for
any other reply than that which has
been returned. Archbishop Ireland is
not a political preacher, but he needs
TO make no apology for upholding the
/ Eighth Commandment when 1t as as
sailed and the assault upon it is justi
! fed by political party ana not by IN
dividual criminals. Upon the none.
question he points out how contradic
tory are the contentious Of the advo
Gates of the free coinage of silver ant
how perfectly without basis in reasoi
or experience is their prediction tha
/ free coinage will raise the market pric
of the metal to the face value of tn
coins made of it. He shows, too, hoy
surely the heaviest loss will fall upoi
the laboring classes, which are at tn
same time least able to bear it ant
most confidently urged to do them
selves an injury. Like a patriot
American he rebukes the attempt O
Bryan and Altgeld to array clas
against class, and the attempt of Till
man to array section against section
When finally he says that the presen
agitation is the great test of universe
suffrage and of popular sovereignty,
he is too much an American to dout
the result of such a test. That it wi
be victory and vindication of popI
lar sovereignty is now assured, and
that victory his appeal will be an in
. portant cOntribution.-New York Time