The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-05

HE HOLDS RADICAL VIEWS
They Have Been the Cause of a
Great Deal OF Dictate.
THE PRELATE AND THE POOR.

Goldman Potter, Episcopal bishop of tn
diocese OF New York, because of his re
marks the other day concerning extempo
raneous sermonizing and the nation
tendency to imperialism.
For tho benefit OF readers who did no,
ohance to see report of tho bishop 8 ad
uress on these-twe- questions ii may bt
Stated that he expressed the strongest On
Jections to "offhand prcachincs and the
gravest fears Of an expansive policy with
regard to tho Philippines OF the first he
said that it was often vulgar and un.
grammatical. OF tho latter he declared
that it was tho gravest danger now menac.
ing our government. At any time bur
one like the present, when tho papers are
nlled with political news, a vast amount
OF discussion would havo been precipitated
by his words.
Bishop Potter's Views.
Bishop Potter never hesitatcs to sgy
what he thinks, and his expressed Thought
is often decidedly ct odds with that of the
men with whom he Is most closely I'm
touch-the rich and those in high places
fhus In 1880 hc stirred up the whole
country In sermon delivered before Presi.
ueht Harrlson and "A number Of other per-
eonagcs who had come here TO attend the
constitutional centennial In this sermon
the bishop put forth the most pessmistic
views with regard to the state of the gov
ernment, social conditions and nearly ev
erything elseAmerican, and for weeks the
papers were loaded with able editorials
and interviews with prominent personaees
com Dating what no said In the course
OF that address no made some decidedly
pointed references To tho growing money
power, ana from those remarks and fire.
uuent subsequent and equally radical
utterance5 he has moro than once been
spoken of by his critics as being on the
verge OF socialism.
Two or three years ago he created al.
most as much of sensation when on be-
Ing asked by both parties to the differences
IN question TO arbltrate pri nters strike |
ne favored the employees and not the en- |
pioyers. Latc I'm April last he excited al |
rost unbounded surprise by signing an |
address to workingmen i'm which he de- |
ciared, IF there Is a war with Spain), you |
will furnish the corpses and pay the taxes
and Others will get the glory Over and |
over again on other occasions he has given
voice TO sentiments of the most radical
sort, upon political, social and economic
questions, until ho now has tho reputation
Oh Delng ore OF the most outspoken, most
radical churchmen I'm America.
Yet Bishop Potter Is not only on the
most Intimate terms with very large
number OF very rich men. as he must nat
urally be, holding tho position he does. but
ne Is also rich man himself; not a mil.
iionaire in all probability, but certainly
possessed OF y adecidedly respectable frac-
tlon or million in real estate, stocks.
bonds aud many other forms of the accu-
mulated labor Of others. In appearance he
Al |
wealth.
Possibly it is his own wealth that causes
the rich mon of New York to make no
overt objections to his radical views. and
possibly his high standing in England has
something to do with it. At oil events.
though some of his earlier radical utter.
ances causeda good deal OF protest from
the 'plutocrats, they now say littlo about
them, at least In tho hearing of the rest of
us, leaving common folk such as newspaper
writer's and the like TO do all the criticising.
That his talk about Imperialism is some
what unsatisfactory TO many men Of affairs
who are also Episcopalians is more than
likely, however, but unless certain rumors
'ro unfounded no will probably soon speak
WITH even greater emphasis than he has q
nus FAR upon this subject. Possibly he
nay say something interesting on this v
ubJect during tho current church gather h
ng In Washington. e
bishop Potter and the Poor. G.
Bishop Potters sympathy with the un- j
or cog IN the ilght for existence Is based "
n much, closer knowledge of workaday II
ondltions than most sympathy on the o
art of the rich, for lie has devoted n great
cal OF time and attention TO personal first 81
and study of these conditions. Every W
immer Inc takes great interest I'm tho W
'rvices of the procathedral, n little church in
anding I'm the midst OF that great region IL
nown ms the east side, sometimes consid. 10
ed as the headquarters of all ungodli- bC
'ss, Dut moro properly regarded as the
'me or tho hardest worked great man of
imanity on this sido tho Atlantic. His
cial and economic views, whether right
wrong have been gained by close study ST
tho real thing and not by tho pcrusal of co
oks. vs
Naturally his contact with the roor and in
Q toilers has mado him liberal In all 10. dr.
innate charities, but hcis by no means n sti
70 mark for those who make profession we
begging financial assistance, as the fol- ,
wing two stories will show: n
When ho was at the head of Grace ,,o
llrch parish, then being assistant bishop ,or
his uncle, tho late Bishop Alonzo Pot. -,
= 'N VhO t'SIihk fttclNtu. u NlSltnf. ~ I -.
m well along In years and neatly though or
orly dressed, who had sort of general
ter to attest his rcspectablity Careful Se'
reading IL, she bishop discovered that ~, ue'
letter was one his own father had writ i.l'
some 2l years earlier. IL told Of re- OF
ses that had befallcn tho man and So
ted assistance, and after bit the ina
hop recalled tho case perfectly. But on TIN
King with the man DIR. Potter became wa
WINGED that this letter had actually Gee
rted Its recipient I'm career Of profcs. I
lai mendicanoy, and this the bishop its
we'd by saying that while hc could not il
MN any money he would gladly pay aft,
$40 for tbeeurrender Of The lcttcr. IL SAID
lartiIy nccessary 90 say that tho offer by
refused with scOrn and that the man :.
lmped at once. Tho bishop would bo
hty glad 10 know whether the lcttcr is reie
being used whcrowith u pick up an 30
living. wou
hsrr ~ Il