Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-15
ARCHBISHOP IREhAND's LETTER.

Globe Democrat TcpD: Archbishop Ire.
land is s,il the same honest and patriot
man that he was when serving the country
as chaplain in the union army.
Chicago Journal rcpJ: Archbishop Ire.
land did not thunder from the pulpit" He
| stepped cut from the sanctuary and spoke
as man and citizen, without any appeal
TO the authority Of his sacred Office He
did not ccnfound preaching and politics
ana his splendid address is all the more
effective on that account.
Iniianal oils News 0nd. demD The great
preacher does not eXaggerate when he says
that not since the days Of the civil way
has the country been threatened by so ErcaJ
peril as tina: which confronts 1t today. Ger
tanly this is the most important political
struggle since 1864. 1t is important, not
because Il financial question is to be de
cidc1, for we have had many financial quCs-
tons to decide, but because social order
and national unity are felt to be imperilcd.
Chicago Post repD: Speaking as an Amer
lean citizen and moral guide rather than an
ecclesiastical authority, Archbishop Ireland
sounds a note OF warning against the polit-
ical and social menace embodied in the
reckless propaganda of the silver pOliti
clans Without impeaching the good faith
Of the advocates of the Chicago platform,
and rigidly coniining himself to just char
acterzation OF doctrines and tendencies. the
archbishop solemnly declares that the spirit
and platform of the Chicago convention
threaten the country with destruction, law
lCssncss and anarchy"
Detroit FREQ Press Cdem0: The popular
prelate OF St. Paul commands the admra-
tiOn and confidence of the people of the
northwest to such a degree that no sus-
picion OF self-interest or unworthy prompt
ings OF any kind attach to his utterances
no dsClaims any idea of speaking as re
liEiuus teacher. but says he speaks entirely
as a citizen without warrant from his &C.
clCsiastcal Office. Even as such he does
not project his views before the country un-
solicited. but formulated his letter in re-
sponse 10 the request OF number of dis
tnguished business men of Minnesota.
Detroit Free Press demD: A statement
from such a highly respected source and
submitted under such circumstances Is bound
to command wide attention and exert II
positive Influence for the integrity of the
nation for social order, for the prosperity
of the people for the honor Of America and
the permanoncy of free Institutions Con-
ceiyed in such a laudable spirit as it is
and dealing with the Objectionable features
OF the ChiCagO platform in a manner so
cogsnt, clear-cut and convincing, the letter
will play an important part in the verdict
of the American electorate soon to be made
up.
Chicago Tribune Gep) Strong as is The
archbishOp's defense of sound money the
central theme OF his letter after all is NOR
ality as an essential to the existence Of
government Without il there can only be
population, robbery, dish0nOr, dishonesty
and anarchy The platform of the BryanittS,
every plank of which Bryan declared at
Cedar Rapids he would stand by and enforce
if elected is essentially immoral because of
the dishonesty which pervadcs it and the
riotousness and violence ii invites. The
success of a party advocating such doc
trines would be a denial that honesty is
essential to government Therefore. the
#l,1. .f .pn1f 10 tIst oil
others to discuss this question from the
moral side regardless of what candidates
may be helped or hurt.
Kansas City Star (Iem) Archbishop
Ireland's address on the political situation
is one of the clearest and strongest state
ments made during the campaign, and 1t
can hardly fail to carry great weight with
tho thousands of people in this country who
look upon the archbishop as one of the big
Drained patriots Of the age He sends forth
against the Altgeldism of the Chicago plat
form this warning: Many adherents OF
the movement do not perceive its full mean
ing, but let them beware. They are light
ing torches which, borne in the hands of
reckless men, may light up in this country
the lurid flames OF commune" He epito-
mizes the financial issue in this short SEN
tence: "Of what use is 1t TO have a dollar
instead of a half dollar II the dollar can pur-
chase no more than the half dollar?" With
all its vigor and force the address reflects
the gentleness and modesty of its great
author.
Chicago Times-Herald (rep): The pronun
ciamento of Archbishop Ireland of ST. Paul
comes in the nature OF a ringing answer
to those who have had the temerity to chal-
lenge the right of the church to- take sides
on a question OF national honor But the
archbishop speaks not as an ecclesiastc,
but as a patriotic citizen of the republic
The great prelate regards the utterauces of
the Chicago platform as a menace to our
free institutions and as an assault upon
national prosperity. He Is not unmindful
Of the objection made against churchmen
speaking at any time on matters which have
entered the arena OF politics. But when a
platform means disaster to the country and
when politics is closely connected with NOR
ais or religion, the churchman must be a
patriot without allowing a moments thought
to consideration of eXpediency and must TAX,
in hand the moral or religious issue, even il
1t be vested in the garments of politics"