Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-20
POPE LEO XIII. IS FIRM.
Through His Influence American idens
Are Spreading Through
EurODc.

Says ~.Innominato." writing from Rome
to tine New York Sun
American ideas are spreading over Eu-
rope. From the sacred noun Leo XIII.
has understood the signs of the time. His
speech to the French workingmcn marks
the elimination of his hope and his
thought. Never. since Cardinal Gibbons
report TO the propaganda on the knights
of Labor Of the United States. has the
d, mCCraIic programme been 20 revealed
with that striking distiuctneSs. that char
acteristic decision, that marks the histpr-
zeal actions of the present pontiticate.
Till that day. in fact, Leo NIL, with
out ever pronouncing the word democracy,
restricted himself TO asserting the social
principles which must rule societies and
states. He encouraged christian, demo-
spirdcies and alliances OF courts and GOV
ernmonts that look On democracy as the
barbarian heroine OF FIR. Ventura. who
was TO be not baptized. but strangied. lie
said TO men of action: Go TO the peo-
pie but he did not seem determined 10
declare himself for the political form;
Cle@rly democratic, Of NJ. Leon Harlpei.
the leader of the workingmen. Leo XIII.
declares his unreserved adhesion TO chris,
tan democracy. He seems to know and
conceive the only two types for the future:
christian democracy and atheist democ-
racy.
action. these look To the pope like phan-
toms Of the past, like the WORKOUT mods
OF civilization. Never could christian DEM
ocracy have hoped for such triumph. 1t
is the seal of God and the white man on
the social organism of which the United
States has been the living and most fruit
full example.
The anti-American Europeans must be
strangely mistaken, who thanks 10 the ia
sued with their hue and cry Fr; Hecker.
Americanism. Cardinal Gibbons. Mgr. Ire
land and Mgr. keane. the three noble rep
resentativcs of an ecclesiastical method
from which Rome has derived such prOtlt.
Recently an arti-American rma Ger
man-lOVinG cardinal tried 10 explain TO the
icanism was exposing the church. Amer
icau!sm?' answered Leo MIL. with his
shrewd smile. DO you know what that is?
His queStioner understood and Withdrew.
Leo XIII. loves the church in America
with ardent love and with all his intellect.
which diTines what a future there IS Tor
the United States. Cardinal Rampolia ana
he have grieved and still grieve over the
attacks directed against it. They have eX-
pressed to all the wish that the polemic
Should end; but do the reactionists obey
the pnpe2 Do they not prefer to his wise
directions their foolish hopes and their
6esires for impotent reaction? Cardinal
Gibbons and Mgr. Ireland have sent
indignant protests to the Vatican against
Able Maignen's pamphlet on Father Heck
er and the church of America. The i'm
preston that they have made is the deeper
because Leo XIII. shares their indig-
nation.
The pope is not all powerful. lie is
rot a s~chooImaster. who. with a rap of
che ruler. can make the disord"rly hold
their tongues. IT takes more than "A day
to renew conservative brains and to create
q new atmosphere. Where would the merit
of the Americans he if the Old World could
do its thinking without transitions. as they
do? Patience. much wisdom and gentle
ness. = grain of mOdeSty. perseverance in
the pursuit of the ideal. frank and loyal
devotion to the pope. the gift of discern
ment. which is the first gift of the holy
ghost. that is the line of conduct to be
followed"