The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-11
AMERICA AND EUROPE.
JyFLuEYCE OF OUR IDEAS UPoS
TIE CONTINENT
ausrican Ideas at Romo-aEr. Keane at tho
vatican - Hts Innuenco with Leo XnIH.-
check for the Rsactionary Party.

..srtcan IdeaS at Rouo-NEr. keano at tho /
vatican = His Innucsco with Leo XIII
check for the Reactlonary Party.
RoxE, June 27.-MRr. Keane 10 leaving Rome
N b. present at tho annual meeting Of the
American Bishops and to visit his beloved Uni
yersi,y OF Washington, the work Of his zeal and
mis- Intellectual maturity. 1t is perhaps tho
ri,ht time to cast a retrospective glance over
the " first Roman year" OF the ex-roctor Of tho |
new ciriS Rontdnus. When Mgr. Keane fret
entered upon his Roman career THE suN
poln,ed out tho Importance OF the establishment
IN Rome OF q great citizen of the United States
and an enlightened representative of the young
and fourishing American Church. Mgr. Kcane
has lived up to the promises OF his beginnings
and OF his action in Rome. lie has maintained
bis place Of honor with distinction, tact, and
fruitful influence. He has won the heart and
the esteem Of Tho Pope. lIo has forced respect
from the court OF Rome. Ho has gained the adj
n,irAtiOn of The foreign colonies. He has been tho
symboi " an idea, of a cause. OF an interest. He
has shown BY means of the serenity and straight.
forwarincss OF his conduct, tho holiness Of his
Me, the natural carnations OF his soul. what an
American priest can do and Is worth. He has
been the living demonstration that the people of
che United States arc n race with n future before
ii;that American Catholicism. ceasclessly carl.
caturel by the party of reaction in order that 1t
may the better resist It and disgust Europe with
It, Is Catholicism without qualification, without
AdmiNture, without the continuation of histori-
el and political details that over and again
have harmed religious parties in the Old World.
lie has thus been n ~rallying standard. and has,
In consequence rendered n service of the high.
est order to his country and to his Church.
When tho partisans of absolutism. OF motion.
less conservatism and dying royalty, hailed his
dismissal as u triumph and tho beginning of a
reaction at Rome and in the heart OF Catholi.
cism, they betrayed the thoughts they wished to
hold back and enlightened tho Holy Sec on the
aim they pursue with the obstinacy common to
eli lost causes.
Leo XIII. has felt his affection for America
grow deeper. thanks to this sympathetic repre-
sentative. The lectures and speeches OF Mgr.
Ecano have pleased the Pontiff. Repeatedly he
has expressed his satisfaction. In order to
leave Mgr. Kcane freer to act, he granted him q
G!spensution from choir service, in his capacity
Q; canon of st. John OF the Lateran. but Mgr.
keane. as is well known, has made no use of
this favor. in order to show clearly his firm In
tontion of carrying out In the smallest details
his duty and his mission. This strict punctual.
ity has inspired u feeling OF veneration, which
creates, as 1t were. II higher atmosuhero around
man and widens the sphere OF his influence.
The behavior OF the ex-rector and the Pope's
friendship for him have not, 1t is true, disarmed
49, bt'ss oNt ~ h"S put "h NAAA W
some ridiculous stories. Though the reaction
lars have spied out the slightest actions Of the
sanity Bishop, they have been able to find nc
handle for attack. The struggle between tn.
ideas of advance and of recoil will be an eter
nal one. But We may say that Mgr. Keane
has created an atmosphere favorable to the de
velopment of American ideas.
The recent revelations Of Mr.. BlowitE II
the Times. on the fear inspired in the Ger
man Eaisar hv tina rOuraa nf American In
fuences, show up we'll the coalition OF imperial
Ism and reactionary conservatisms agains
the starry flag. The Continent Of Europt
Is the stage on which is being fought a passion
ate, historical duel between the old royalist
conservative ideal and the young. triumphan
cause Of democracy. The German Kaiser. tn
Junkerthum, and the French ~royalists are tn
mouthpieces Of the reaction. That is why Prot
estant Germany and the absolutism Of the ole
legitimist parties have declared war agains
Americanism and are trying daily to cast int,
discredit at Rome the American Catholics, ant
Especially Mgr. Keane. Mgr. Ireland. and Car
linal Gibbons.
But by the side of this violently hostile curren
ne grateful sympathy Of the young men" an
he democratic Christians OF the Continent as
Ierts itself. Just as the reactionists fear an
Eight against the spread of American ideas l.
Europe. the pure Catholics. those faithful t
Leo KILL, and the progressive democrats hal
"Americanism +" as q ~rallying point, and at tn
same time as an Example To any one who TO
lows with steady gaze the intellectual. political
and social currents, 1t 10 clear that America
at present playing a part of the first Importance
God has granted to every people its mission;
mission that is carried out at the proper tim,
These are the climacterics Of history. The missio
OF the United States is to furnish its contingen
OF forces and influences to the cause of the futur
and Of progress. The young French Catholics, tn
rcpublican-democrats are the imitators and mos
ardent friends of the American idea. The re
ception given In France to Father Elliot's boo
on Father Hecker ~testiies to this sympathy an
to the command which Americanism exertl
Tho United States would commit a blunder an
Q fault In taking no account Of the ebb and flo
Of ideas between the two worlds. They hav
then a moral responsibility. an increase of IL
6uence. Strong nations. who take their place !
the vanguard. should look ~jealously after thsi
life and their action. A people has no right I
preponderating influence unless 1t Is lavish |
benefits. and serves tho cause of progress, {
liberty, and Of the moral and intellectual In
provement o: humanity. America has reache
the point where nations flourish. They are the
Like trees, whose fruits should nourish the gel
e~rationA. must lay stress on this law of hi
tory because tho better mon have built grea
hopes on 1t.
That is why the presence of Mgr. Keane q
Rome has been doubly beneficial. He ha
favored the cause of pure Catholicism. tn
American idea, the ebb and flow between EuroI
And the United States. A new atmospheI
arises about US, and Mgr. Keane has been one
the factors in the renewal.
Mgr. Keane will return to Rome after havin
FULFILLED his duty in America. He will be accom-
panied then by Mgr. Ireland, whom Leo XII
and Cardinal Rampoila wish to consult on II
affairs Of Catholicism.
COZ. STONE WILL DO THE HANGING