The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-08-02
PARIS LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
PARIS, FRANCE, July IS, 1900.

about the Fourth-what will the
writer's OF thousand years hence do
when everything that can possibly be
said about Washington and Independ-
ence will have been said a thousand
times. Still, there was one remark
able thing about the Fourth in Paris,
and that is the way the French cele-
brated it. Yes, celebrated is the
word, for the Stars and Stripes in
miniature were seen on almost as
many French Eosoms as American.
spare you the speeches made at the
Washington and Lafayette ceremon-
ials but may notice the idea expressed
by NJ. Delcasse, minister for Foreign
Affairs, that France and America
never can quarrel. 1t is probably true.
The two republics are not, and are
not likely to be in competition for
trade or territory, the two chief causes
of modern wars, though it is always
possible, and many say probable that
America may one day have to stand
shoulder to shoulder against France
and other Latin countries IN an Anglo
Saxon struggle against the world.
1t was part OF my duty to see the
Minister OF Commerce on. Millerand)
few days ago IN connection with the
SAID Fourth, and while waiting for him
/ passed the time looking through
Fernand Labori's "Grand Review" as
he calls his monthly magazine. Lab
ori is we'll known to Americans as the
heroic advocate of Dreyfus-a tall,
hurley young man with immense Wit
ality and strength, and any amout of
fighting power. He is married to an
Englishwoman and speaks English
better than his wife speaks French, no
DOUBT, as he tells you himself, because
he makes her talk English so that he
may not forget that language. "If
she wants lesson in French let her
come and take one in the courts, he
adds.
Well, in the Grand Review another
Dreyfusite you know of in America,
Yves Guyot, suggests rather than
prophesies that France will some day
become Protestant. Does that sur
Prise your Yet it is not so surprising
you think of it. The qualities of
the French mind and character are
eminently adapted for Professionalism
shrewed, logical, not easily deceived
once the first glamour of some pre-
cious dogma has worn off, such are
the French. But first let me say that
when | speak of France l do not
mean Paris nor when speak of Paris
do / think of France. They are two
countries, almost two natlonalities, and
though, politically and artistlcally,
Paris rules France, it is only superhci-
ally and she gives France neither re-
lgon nor morality. That is done by
Rome, for the priests educate the in
tellectual and normal forces of the
nation and the priests take their in.
structions from Rome. But for Ma
poleon the First-a prlest-despiser if
ever there was one-France might
easily have become Protestant at the
Revolution; in fact Napoleon was
widely reviled tor supporting the fore
Ign influence of the Pope and for sign
ing the Concordat with him in 1901.
The Concorda. is the base of the
present French religious system. But
Napoleon could not do without the
Pope, or rather his ambition made
him suppose he could make the Pope
his vassal, and through the Pope tore
Ign countries. He brought the Pope
Of his day to Paris, you remember, fol-
his coronation and when the Pope Of
tered to place the crown on his head,
he very cleverly seized it, placed it on
his head himself, and then on that ol
his Empress. Now the result of the
Concordat is that the foreign Catholic
system has grown into the French
mind and habits and the government
cannot get rid of it if it would. The
government, 1t is true, nominates the
90 French bishops, but the Pope has
an absolute veto, and as the 5000
cures are irremovable, and the 1000
wears entirely in the hands Of the
bishops, the government cannot dis
possess them. am far from sayinl
or thinking there is disposition on
large scale in France to turn to Prot
eStantlsm. Country life in France i
the adomination OF desolation and th'
Catholic Church with its glitterinl
ceremonial, its fetes, and its cleve
priesthood are almost the sole mean