The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-10-14
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND


L
Country.
New York Mall and Express: From
dayat to day, us the campaign nears us
close and public appreciation OF the
national crisis becomes more intense by
reading and rejecting upon the issues /
| stake. II Is gratifying TO note tho adj
vanccd position assumed by the pulpit
treatment Of the all-absorblng theme
This treatment u In direct line with our
contention from the very opening Of tho
battle. and with the development OF pub
lie feeling. that the struggle Is one prim-
nrlly OF morals, In which political policy
sinks into subordinate place and patriot-
Ism comes to the front us II has not come
since the first gun truined on Sumter
echoed throughout the states and
brought the nation face to face with that
other great moral question.
There Is widespread prejudice against
church interference In matters ofipolltl-
cal controversy. The nature OF this pres
ldentlal contest must put aside this pre-
judlce, temporarily at least, In the minds
OF all right-tlinklng and predetermined
men. The emergency Of 1896 warrants
direct treatment under cover Of the SER
mon; land to this labor many dlstln-
guished clergymen have addressed
themselvcs--wlth wholesome results, we
cannot doubt X le5 ~
II, however, our appreciation and ap-
plause IRE due to, this course, how much
more ardently must our admiration greet
these churchmen whose loyal citizenship
steps for p moment from the privilege
and protection OF the cloth.to perform a
duty which calls them into the arena of
tAn1 Al aHt,, rla..n al
with all men who love their country and
would not see Il dlshonored!
Among the men who have thus rushed
to arms. none has delivered himself OF a
more ringing appeal "a the people or n
more whitening arralgnment OF the So
ciallstic forces now in the field, than has
Archbishop Ireland, of Minnesota. OF all
churches, the Roman Catholic Is most
conservative In these matters. Yet the
present campaign has added to the list
OF clerical orators one OF the most dis
tlngulshed prelatcs OF that church. His
exhaustive statement, published to-day,
constitutes one Of the most forceful adj
dresses Yet made In behalf OF sound
money, federal supremacy. the Integrity
OF our courts aud the candidacy OF Will
lam Mckinley.
The archbIshop's address Is no hasty
or il-considered document. II Is not the
utterance Of, o Visionary or a man so
engrosed III churhly affairs as to be
unmindfuf Of the practical problems of
government or untitled to discuss them.
1t Is the expression OF a deep student,
deeply In love with his country, and a
man whose understanding and motives
are above challenge or reproach.
His exhaustive review of the financial
Issue, while mastery, is not more so
than the reviews Of many others In
deed. he makes II SECONDARY to the So
clalistio declarations contained In the
Chicago platform. In his treatment OF
these we could ask no more vigorous
blows from any campaign orator to-day
In the service OF the cause. His introduce
ton OF his appeal makes clear the atti-
tude resulting from long contemplation,
and may well be reproduced as a guide
to others Of the cloth:
81 speak entirely as a citizen, without
warrant from any ecclesiastical position.
Deep as my convictions are. hold In all
due respect to my fellow citizens who
have convictions ut variance with my
own. impeach neither their good faith
nor their honor. am dealing not with
men, but with principles and move
ments. This Justice which render to
those whose ideas / am ready to COM
bat am sure they will render to me-"
Here is no evasion, but much modesty
advancing hand In hand with n deterni-
nation that the citizen shall not be sunk
in the clergyman. Is the voice of that
liberal element which. II not al all times
pleasing to Rome, still stands for main
tanning the republic against the insidi-
Gus inroads Of European influences and
ism" The archblshnp's address should
be spread broadcast by the national
committee