The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-10-24
A PRELATE'S COUNSEL
One of Americas Great Catholic
Leaders is Opposed to
Organism.
ARCHBISHOP lRELAND'S LETTER
The Chicago Platform Declared to
be a Threat Against So
cia Order

weight with multitudes of voters OF his
own faith, and II is good reading for
everybody. He does not lay special
stress upon the financial plank of the
Chicago platform. but upon it's DECLARE
ton relating to the federal authority and
the integrity of the Supreme court. The
archbishop points out in unmistakable
language the revolutionary character of
that platform. He says: "The move
ment which had it's expression in the
Chicago convention and which now seeks,
by means of popular suffrage, 10 en-
throne itself in the capital of the ma
ton, is in its logical effect against the
United States: il Is secession" He
quotes the frank announcement of arbi-
trary interference by federal authorities
in local affairs and observes: I'm these
words there is the old secession doctrine
that states are independent of the ma
tional government at Washington; there
is the annulment of the Union; there is
notice served upon the flag of America
that outside Of the District of Columbia
II is without power Of self-assertion or
self-defense." And again. 1.-THE plat
form of the Chicago convention threat
ems the country with destruction of social
order. with lawlessness and anarchy
On the question of government by i'm
junction, the archbishop tells the people
OF America that "The palladium OF
American liberties is the supreme court
Mt Washington. the counterpart OF
which in majesty and in power to en-
force absolute justice, does not exist
among the nations Of christendom.
And now convention speaks of the SUI
prem court as IL may he hereafter con-
stituted, intimating Enthusiastically the in
tention, If the party represented in that
convention comes TO power, 10 SO consti-
tute the courts as 10 make IL insensible
10 the stern voice OF the law, and re-
sponsive 90 the passing whims of politi-
cal parties"
The archbishop sees In the platform
sectional and guarded expression OF So
cialism The convention of Chicago lis
the international of Europe. now TAX
ing body In America. The war
of class against class is upon us, the war
of the proletariat against the property
holder. No other meaning than this can
be given TO the appeals TO the common
people, TO labor, 10 the poor and down
trodden, and 10 the dcnunciations
against plutocrats and corporations and
money grabbers and bankers. Many adj
herents of the movement do not per-
ccive it's full meaning: but let them he
ware. they are lighting torches which,
borne in hands of reckless men. may
light up in the country the lurid fires of
a commune.
Archbishop Ireland thinks that the
pamphlet of Archbishop Walsh Of Dub
lin on bimctallism has no bearing what
ever on the situation in America" and
haf IL A
against the Chicago platform Free
coinage he says. twill give us money
worth in the commercial market Of the
world, little over half its nominal
value. Legal tender com
peiling men 10 accept against their will
money above its commercial value in the
markets Of the world, is rank injustice
He Is absolutely convinced that the
laboring classes will suffer the most OF
all from free silver coinagcV With re.
spect To the farmer, he pertincnty asks.
.'Will they not receive a higher price
for their productsl Maybe higher
price, but not higher value. OF what
use is il TO have dollar instead of n
half dollar, II the dollar can purchase
no more than the half dollar.
The best market for the
farmcrs's product is his own country,
and IL his own country is impoverished.
AZ factories are closed. If lnborcrs In
cities are pcnnilcSs. the farmer will re-
ceivc but little for his harvests." lie
scorns the absurd explanation OF our in
dustrial and financial troubles by refer
ring 10 the crime Of 1873" and saws
that 1T is the great fallacy of the day
20 be nttributing our hard times TO the
gold standard" He thinks that under
the silver standard we will have much
harder times and that zone Of the chief
causes OF hard times today is the agitn-
ton for radical change in the currency
of the country.
Like all other men who think upon
this subject seriously. Archbishop ire
land comes at last Co consider the ethical
aspect Of the question. aud asks: is il
honest 20 try 90 pay debts with half the
money which we received when we con
trncted themf That the great
American milton will, as n nntiop. DO
clare To the world that IL will now make
n law compelling It's creditors To he sat
ished with half. cor n little more of the
money they loaned TO IL, and go ON record
In the eyes Of the world as broken
down. bankrupt, rcpudiating nation, il is
not possible To believe"
Holding these views, which are fully
md carefully elaborated In this letter.
which Is too long for reproduction here.
II Is not surprising TO hear him gny: II
stand by the platform and the prcsidcn.
tia candidate Of the Republican conyen.
ton at 81. Louis. | am opposed 10 the
platform and the presidential candidate
OF the Democratic convention NJ Chicn-
go"
The following are the closing para.
grapha Of the archhishop's letter:
Here Is the popular argument I'm
favor Of free silver coinage-we have
had hard times under the gold standard
That IN true. and what Il also .rue h
that under the silver standard we shall
have much harder times. IL II the great
fallacy of the day 20 be attributing our
hard times 10 the gold standard. The
craze OF trec SILVER as 2 cure FOR hard
that n man who has been n long time
sick despite the attentive care Of expert
physicians will call for any quack who
adyertises TO cure oil the ills Of hu-
manify. Hard times have come through
the severe aud resistlcss working Of
economic laws. which 90 their way In