The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-09
CATHOLICDEMoCRACY WIN
POPE LEo,s sooIAIIsM CARRIES
ALL BEFORE 1T IN EUROPE.

clerical Republicans sure TO via In the Com
Ing Preach Eloctions-The Have the Upper
Hand In Italy and Austria-Eveu spain ana
Portugal nseEinntpE TO stir-Downfhii or
hbsolutism Apparently Ciese at HAND.
ROME, Dec. 25.-From time to time II sun
hos noted the flow OF ideas to and fro between
the United States and the Continent Of Europe.
1t has pointed out the fruitful radiation OF the so
cial and republican ideas OF the New World on
the Old. This triumph keeps on increasing. 1t
stands out in relief from tho Catholic point OF
view and In the perspective from tho standpoint
of Rome. 1t is ono Of the strangest and most in
torcsting movements in history that, under tho
lead Of Leo Kill, international Catholicism
should have brought its ideals closer
to tho forcc.idoas of Americanism. The time
will come, perhaps, when the tiara and the
starry flag will Join in pursuit Of the same
ends, to bring about the same force OF civiliza-
ton. OF late, II wo consider only facts and re-
suits, social and democratic Catholicism has ad-
vanced under the pressure Of interests and OF
youthful intelligence. To depict the movement
OF the currents is to bring out in relief the direc-
tion that at once fits in W tn the interests Of the
Papacy Of religion and of democracy.
Two countries alone form an exception Bel.
gium. where the Catholic party in power is In
the hands Of q King who 10 liberal, utilitarian,
u Military IL NoTHuhy, WheIo NV Sohtio,
under the influence Of the manufacturers and
Of the middle class. follows the "fuctuating and
changeablo Kaiser" In his struggles against pop
ular ideas. Hero and there tho peasants and
workingmen are beginning to grumble; in Ger.
many especially the dissension between the
party of officials and the peasant associations
takes on, in some places, an acute form. and the
day seems near at hand when this dissension
will lead to separation. For this reason disinter-
ested observers fear that in the 1898 election
the Centre may lose some seats and votes. 1t
is believed in well.informed quarters that the
young sovereign, greedy for glory and in.
iuence. dreams of checking the current Of uni
versal Catholicism. and of preventing Europe
from living In a socialistic. democratic atmos-
pherc. For a moment it was assumed that the
conflict between the sovereign and public
opinion would enter upon a violent phase, but
the diversion of colonial policy. SO closely bound
up with tho protection Of the Catholic missions,
has put off the struggle. by leading the Centre
to adhere at the last hour to the naval ambi-
tions. the Wettpoltik. OF the Government.
Though checked or resisted in these two
countries. democratic tendencies arc becoming
emphasized everywhere else.
In Italy the Kulturkampr which the Ministry
has let loose upon the socialistic Catholics and
Christian democrats shows the vitality and
progress of the new movement. 1t is not against
the Conservative party; it is against tho active
and imposing party of the Christian democracy
that the struggle is aimed. 1t is against the dis
ciplined groups of the Osserrdtore Cattoiico. Of
the Cnitd Cdttolica and Of the Eco di Bergumo.
1t Is against Signor Toniolo. the prince of econ
omists," as Leo XIII. has called him; It is
against the popular associations and the social
istic works. The dynasty of Savoy and the lib
eral reactionary Government have been fright
ened at the conquering march Of the Catholics.
Young. alive. manly, disciplined, and distinctly
democratic, they have the appearance OF q power
and of q national reserve. The "old men, made
the sign of the cross as a political exorcism. The
monarchy trembled for its future. That is the
secret of the duel. Who will wini
In Austria the socialistic Christians and the
democratic party of Father Stoyalowski follow
the encyclical Rerum Norarum and Rome with
even more fervor because. being in a better po-
sition than the Italians, who are not allowed to
enter the Parliamentary elections on the Pope's
ability to make known the whole OF their pro-
gramme. The vanguard Of Austrian Catholi-
G,sH rs Pes ANA HISTORICAL sfe caf' ai fRea M,' in a0 aUstr rRe
What gives life and passion in Vienna to the
politics . of n ,aiG bntG bs Of which sh the scandals az ths
traditional. hatred against the governing
classes, which in all the, provinGes are struggling
historical parties, the bourgeoisies that are now
fighting each other. are swallowed up by the
waves Of universal suffrage and of a living de-:
mocracy, national difficulties and rivalries will
become subordinate to the inter-
ssss of at thu he r T'sent ' eias Of 'hs S %hera n This Thu f Ths
electoral college elected by universal suffrage
the old parties were crushed and swept away.
In Hungary the Magyar policy feels its power
impaired from the moment when. under tho
egis Of Rome. the he, popular Catholic party was
The same influences have appeared and are
growing in Holland, where Father Schalpmann.
fas 'o Of the Catholics ca saH seih in spain. Where Hhs S1 the car sip
nal of Valencia and Senior Cepeda are leading
the party, into the same popular lines; in Swift
Ireland and of Mgr. Keane. made a success of
that curious and suggestive international work
olics are struggling for the upper hand. In
Portugal even: where the Catholics ambitions
Rrist and dynastic groups in order to reorganize
the country, which has been the victim OF petty
p%oililtical hn At itI But the new y policy incontes-
takes on, in fact. its full historical Significance
the latter being the political form of tho former.
unite. interlace and blossom rs in a higher
Leo XIII. foresaw clearly the intimate and un.
avoidable conjunction of this recto and ,rcrso OF
it's its COMPLETE fuiness Of lie only in a repubiican
government; Formerly the ideas OF, social
equality and of the common interests of human
ity could be carried ont under a personal or
adSys this is impossible Popular soysreignty,
higher form Of existence, cnn be com:
partial absolutism Of dynastics. Wherever
courts preserve a fragment of effective
sovereignty they are .contcnding under a hypo-
critical exterior AGAINST the course of concrete
conditions; SO 1t is in Italy. SO in Germany. so in
Austria; SO in Belgium and Spain: whore tho
of building up bikes against the flood OF popu-
lar democracy. In France the republic became
tho natural political mould into which. the
democratic idea. tho democratic current, is
poured. That is why Leo XIII. preached at
once and Of necessity at the same time for har-
mony between the democratic socialistic form
and the republican political form; tho latter re-
curing the former and the former the latter.
Now the advcrsaries Of the republic In France.
with the clearsightedness born of hatred. have
been and have organized themselves as the enc
mics OF democracy. For the same reason the
Catholic democrats have become decided repub-
LEANS. and vice versa. Even the liberal Orlean-
lists. those who under the Bourbons always rep.
resented the sO-called popular movement, have
distinctly mathematical under the same ban
both democrats and republicans. From the
same grounds OF higher logic and of organic CO.
hesion the Catholics have adhered to tho repuh.
lie, and at the same time have crossed the Rubi.
con of democracy.