The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-01-07
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND.
Interview With Him About Going to
the Cars Conference,

Interview With Him About Going to
the Cars Conference.
The Washington correspondent of
the New York Freeman's Journal says in
letter dated Dec. 80:
Rumors have been rife here in regard
to the distinguished archbishop of St.
Paul, who was in the city short time
ago. The latest report says that Mgr.
Ireland will be designated by President
Mckinley to represent this country at
the cars disarmament convention. This
rumor is very interesting, but alas! it
cannot be verified from any responsible
source. The archbishop himself told
your correspondent that he had not given
the subject any serious consideration;
that such an appointment had been men
toned to him by some friends in Chi
sage, but that so far as he knew, the mat
ter had never assumed a tangible form.
II find," he said, that my name is
mentioned in connection with that Or.the
other plan, both ecclesiastic and politi-
cal. Now, all this Is done without war;
rant from me- 1 am attending to my
duties as the head of the St. Paul arch
diocese, and l can assure the good peo-
pie who are so concerned about my
movements, that find no time to attend
to these various schemes with which I
am supposed to be occupied"
Mgr. Ireland has made no secret of
the fact that he is going to Rome the
first of the New Year. This visit has
been in contemplation for nearly two
years now, but this is the first time that
the archbishop could spare the time from
his many arduous occupations.
Anent the appointment of Mgr. Ireland
to the cars disarmament convention,
very eminent authority in the state de-
partment said to your correspondent re-
Gently:
II see no reason why the distinguished
prelate of st. Paul should not be ac-
corded this honor. We have in our ma
tional annals one great precedent, which
may we'll serve to create sentiment ia
L
lude to Archbishop Hughes mission to
the continental powers, at the beginning
of our civil war. Those who now are
charged with the direction Of our af-
fairs of state know what stupendous ben
efits this grand Catholic churchman OBJ
tanned for his country in her hour of dire
need.
"The situation now has no aspects sim
liar to those when Archbishop Hughes
undertook his mission. but it is SOL
emn moment when the great family of
nations is called together to consider the
practical means of multiplying the horrors
of modern warfare.
''It has been urged to me that such an
appointment would be an innovation.
Yes for us it would, but on the CONT
nent nothing is more ordinary than to
send prelates to represent their coun-
| tries in a convention such as the car
wishes to hold. l think we would do
we'll to initiate this continental custom,
for no class of men as rule are better
trained or have higher moral principles
than ministers of the gospel. 1t is lift
| ing our politics from the low plane of
personal ambition to the heights of i'm.
tellectual power.
| "Of course the cars convention is
still in tentive form. No date has
been set for the meeting, and conse-
| quently no one has been selected by the
state department to represent the United
| States. But should the president desire
to name Archbishop Ireland, when the
time is ripe for doing so, do not think
there should be the slightest objection
raised to prevent it. The time has long
passed when religious prejudices or party
bitterness should influence us against
acknowledging inherent worth of char
acter whenever or wherever it is found"