The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-01
The English Had a Problem
With Church Monopoly.
A LONG, STUBBORN FIGHT
But When Determined ard United the
People Won Then.
ARE TWO WAYS 10 DESTROY TRUSTS
Pass Good Laws and Execute Them--We
Must Not Constitute the Fox the
Guardian CT the Chickens.

Guardian CT The Chickens.
TO the Editor: There was time
in the history Of England when the
Roman Catholic church owned over
fourth of all the land in the country.
The land was held by the monastaries
and the church owned vast properties
besides. These monasteries were
great aims givers and the church had
hold on the affections Of the people
that many thought could not be brok
EN-. The thoughtful men of that age
realized the fact that the large hold
ingS of land in the dead hand of
the church was a menace to the prog
ress and prosperity of the nation, and
they determined 10 find a means to
prevent the growing power of this
organization that threatened the per-
petuity of the government. They real
lied that these more than 1000 mo-
nasteries where open hospitality was
dispensed and nearly 10000 people
were maintained (and were in reality
part and parcel of this great system
of church c6ntroN. presented a prob
lem for solut ion that demanded ladi-
cal treatment.
They felt the influence of those who
stood up and demanded protection for
| these agencies OF the church. because
of the good that tney did. They were
not unmindful OF the arguments that
We're advanced TO permit TO grow
stronger and more powerful this
dead hand" that was bringing upon
/ the people OF the country stagnation
and Industrial paralysis. One class said
that the title of the church to these
lands is in accordance with precedent
is legal, and no flaw can be found in
it, Our fathers before us have up
/ held its title--We can do nothing, let
| us sit still and pray the Lord to soft
| en- the heart of the Pope that he may
! deal gently with the nation that he
carries in the hollow of his hand.
| Another set of Jobs comforters"
| said that you will disturb the peace and
| good order of society if YOU attempt
/ to change existing conditions. If YOU
! attempt to uproot the system that has
! been so thoroughly engrafted on the
! body polite. YOU will do injustice TO
! some poor begear to whom aims has
| been given at one of these monaste-
ries. ut is better to endure the ills
we have than fly to those we know
not Of
But there were a few in that day,
/ Just as there are in every age. who
would not worship at the shrine or
| Mammon. even though il wore. the
purple robes of the church. These
| men who determined that the grasp
! of material death should be broken,
| said that they would find way, and II
| they could not tind-precedent to Justl-
/ fy their action, that they would make
! precedent. They said that If this or
| GanizatiOn is permitted 10 continue
! it's accumulation of land in short
while il will own all the land of the
| realm and it can and will control gov
ernment and dictate life and subsist-
ence to the people. They set about to
| find way. and they were in earnest.
! Whenever people set about TO find
! way TO redress wrong, and they are
| in earnest and have no other thing in
view. they usually find ii. So it was
with the statesmen OF that age. They
! found a way, and they uprooted the
! oiant evil that threatened the very
| existence of the nation.
| blackstone. in speaking of the eff
! forts to alleviate the evils of church
/ domination, says:
SIT will be matter OF curiosity to
| observe the great address and subtle
contrivance of the ecclesiastics in
| eluding from time to time the laws in
| being. and the zeal with which sue
| cessive parliaments have pursued them
| through all their illnesses; how new
remedies were still the parents of new
evasions: till the legislature at last,
though with difficulty, hath obtained
a decisive victory.
by the common law any man
might dispose of his lands to any pri
vate person at his own discretion, es
pcciallv when the feudal restraints of
alienation were worn away. Vet in
consequence of these it was always,
and still is necessary. for corporations
10 have a license in mOrtmain from
the crown TO enable them to purchase
lands. Yet such We're the influence
and ingenuity of the clergy, that
notwithstanding this fundamental
principle we find that the largest and
most considerable dotations of relig-
ious houses happened within less than
two centuries after the Conquest. And
when a license could not be obtained
their cOntrivance seems to have been
this: that as the forfeiture for such
alienation accrued in the first place to
tic immediate lord of the fee. the ten
ant who meant to ALLEVIATE first con-
veyed his lands TO the religious house.
and instantly took them back again
to hold as tenant to the monastery: