The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-09-19
FRENCH PERSECUTION
Such Is Now Taking Place Against Re-
ligious Orders.

The tug of war between the French ad-
ADMINISTRATION and the religious commun-
tiles appears to have come at last, says
the Rome correspondent of the Liverpool
Catholic Times. From various quarters
we have news of visits paid by bailiffs
to superiors of religious houses, and Of
the threatened seizure of property to sat-
isfy the claim put in by that bugbear of
France, Gle fisc." If what took place at
LIE Puy is generally repeated throughout
the country the government will be sore
ly embarrassed, for it will receive in this
way the most convincing proof of the un-
popularity of the fiscal law forced
through parliament by the Ribot cabinet
with the obvious motive of sapping the
and bringing about the grad
ual ruin Of the religious establishments
in France. 1t is too early yet to predict
what the general conduct Of the country
in regard to this question will
be, but it cannot be denied that what re-
Gently occurred in the department of the
Haute Loire is hopeful beginning. No
genuine sale can take place without gen
uine purchasers. 1t is conceivable that
the fiscal agents may have recourse to
to protect spectators whose
cupidity is excited at the prospect Of a,
good bargain from exposure to the re-
sentiment of the local public; but to perse-
we're in such practices in opposition to
expressed public opinion would
be too dangerous game to be played by
any government. We shall soon see of
what sort of stuff millions of French
people who call themselves Catholics are
really made. The operation Of the fiscal
law becomes impossible if the nation puts
a sentimental veto upon it, for the Re-
publican statesmen recognize at least one
form of relig.on--the worship of political
power. They are too opportunist to run
the risk by imprudent riding of hobby
horses. At present, however, they seem
to be of the opinion that the majority Of
the public are either enemies of the re-
ligious communities or do not care a
straw what may happen to them. For
several days past there has been much
excitement in Lower Brittany 49, the
classic ground of all tourists in this most
conservative province. The myrmidons
of the treasury have opened the cam
paign there In earnest against the re-
lfgious communities and those bits Of
paper so much dreaded by the French ON
account of the government stamp that
they bear, have been ra.ned upon the
superiors Of convent schools and hos
pieces. At Plougastel- Daoulas name
familiar to thousands Of tourists on ac-
count of the exceedingly curious Calvary
of the Sixteenth century within the limits
of the burg--there is hospice belonging
to the religious Of st. Thomas de Vile
neuve. Here the sisters devote their
lives with the utmost self-abnegation TO
the aged and inflrm. They nevertheless
received q visit the other day from a
bailiff, who demanded about 10 pounds Of
them, las a droit advertisement. The
superior refused to pay, and the bailif
left with the promise that he would re-
turn in eight days unless the claim were
satisfied in the interval. Judging from
the state of feeling in the locality, he is
likely to meet with rather warmer re-
cept!on on his temperance. Not that
he personally is to blame, for he is an
insignificant limb Of the law and has to
do his bidding Or lose his bread, but it
is the pleasant destiny Of the meanest
representative of the higher authorities
to accept in the quality of proxy the
blows and insults intended for those who
pull the wires in a safe place. There is
considerable effervescence in various
other parishes Of Brittany, and much is
taking place that points to the conclusion
that the Bretons, at all events, will not
remain Indifferent to the persecution of
the religious communities in their midst
It is subject of much surprise that re-
ligisus institutions, devoted in special
and remarkable manner to works OF
charity, should have been precisely those
on which the opening fire Of the treasury
has been directed. Whether this fact ts
to be attributed to accident or not it ie
undoubtedly favorable to the cause Of the
religious orders.
Seattle, Wash. Charles F. Fisher. one.