The Irish standard., 1898-12-03

| erty, which are the foundation stones OF
our republic, are both the results Of
Christianity. The dignity Of man was
never fully manifested to the world until
Christ came. This dignity is the COM
mon heritage Of every man and from it
arise the principle of equality and lib
erty. Our colonies were founded Under
the inspiration of that thought, though
the Catholics of Maryland were the
first to introduce religious equality into
the statute law of the colonies. We
need more of God and Christ in our
lives. and nothing should be done to
lessen or weaken the religious faith Of
the people.
"A danger threatens from the de-
crease OF integrity in public and private
life. Intelligence and morality are
needed in our citizenship; but it Is an
Intelligence which springs from Il
knowledge Of God and morality which
comes from Christian virtue. This was
Washington's thought in the first days
of the republic: 1t is also the thought Of
our present worthy chief executive
President Mckinley, who said within the
last year: Nothing makes more for the
government than intelligent and virtu-
GUS citizenship. 1t is the foundation of
governmental success and is essential
to the highest dignity of the republic
Good citizenship demands vlrtuous
lives.
''''There is danger from n lack OF in
tercst in government. Politics should
not be left to the professional politician
alone, who is generally not n close ad-
mirer of tho ideal government. All
men should be interested in the govern
ment, and especially men of business
and education. Parties are necessary,
but ut all times the country should be
preferred to party. False social and
financial theories are apt to corrupt the
political morals of the people. aud we
should not forget that what is morally
wrong can never be politically right.
1--WE need never fear the people; an
intelligent, a patriotic people may al
ways be trusted the danger lies in the
few, and not tho many. Never was
there a time when coolncss and good
Judgment and close attention to the
fundamental principles of our govern
mcnt were more demanded than ut pres
ent Humanity always appeals to the
American heart, but conquest should be
given no place in our national artcc-
tions.
at was never intended IN our scheme
Of government that we should become
imperialists for territory, und no I'M
perialism should be recognized except
the Imperialism of ideas in self govern
ment and the imperialism that comes
with trade. We have no mission to set
tie tho political differences of The world
except by advice and eXamplc--ncvcr ms
conqucrors. Large standing armies are
the accompaniments and curse of nb
solntism-therc is no place for them in
a democracy. We have serious, vital
problems to work out among ourselves
Let us fear an increased greed for
from our ideals and allowing glasping
syndicates and political advcnturcrs to
lead us into the governing Of peoples
who are as much entitled to self govern
mcnt as we arc. Colonies and alliances
arc foreign to the ideals of American
government"
DR.. Conaty spoke Of the danger from
bigotry, which ought to find no testing
place in n nation built upon the rights
of conscience Ho alluded to the rcla-
tions Of the church to the nation, and
dwclt forcibly upon the strength which
the Catholic Church brings to American
principles. He drew a picture of the
ideal American, and said:
"The ideal American should be Il high
minded and just man, demanding lib
crty for himself and dcslrons that it
should be enjoyed by others; protecting
liberty for himself and ready to pro-
tect it equally among his fellows; full of
religion; a man with faith in God and
confidence In his fellow men; honest and
manly, giving to every man credit for
good motives, as he would desire every
man to give him; living up 20 the best
ideals OF human life; generously Offering
to the bcticrmcnt of humanity all that
he has of good in his nature; anxious to
do his full share in building up and
Identifying this political fabric OF lib
crty. where all may sec true manhood
according to the Christian ideals rec
ogniZcd before the law