The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1901-01-31

Cant to resort to riots anu laWleSSneSS
The destruction of respect and ad-
herence to religious principles was ac-
complished with great facility. The
crazy theories and false teaching of the
modern natiOnalism spread like wild
fire, not only in France but over entire
Europe. 1t became fad to denOunce
God and scott and mock everything
which for centuries had been held
sacred. God was myth, Christ a
swindle, the Trinity an absurd lie.
1t is regretta5le but true that the
Church itself was largely responsible for
the success of the new doctrine. It
had prepared the field for this smut,
which gave such bountiful harvest.
On this charge Catholicism and Pro-
testantism must be arraigned alike.
The Catholic church was at that time
very subservient and very arrogant.
Arrogant to Rome, subservient to the
State of France. The Protestant
church was drunk and beside itself on
account of recent victories victories
obtained not tisfottgh- preaching the
truths of the gospel, but through un-
holy wars and bloodshed. Both fac
tions favored the court, and were in
turn favored by it. The churches
owned one-ffth of France, but paid no
taxes. On the contrary most of the
taxes collected from the poor, half
starved people went to the already
Overfed officials of the Church.
One more factor perhaps as impor-
tantas any of those mentioned certain
class had come into existence, class
which kept on growing and growing.
VOltaire called it cancer which con-
taminated the whole body. History
calls it nobility; nobility by birth. For
its maintenance it robbed the poor of
their last hard-earned pound. This
nobility demanded the sacrifice of the
widows mite in order to enable itself
to live in opulence and spIendor. They
were exempt from taxation, but ruled
the nation. Exempts from military
duties, from all duties and burdens,
but enjoyed all possible privileges,
favors, and immunities. From this
class alone were chosen the judges, the
bishops, the chancellors, representa-
tives-all higher officials. The courts
of all Europe fairly swarmed with
these pests with their Ill smelling
powdered wigs and princely, velvety
robes. The commoner could not obtain
justice; his wrongs were never righted;
for his grievances there was no redress.
This nobility was an, enemy of the
state, of the common people, of itself.
Especially did it spread it's roots in the
soil of fertile France. 1t threatened to
sap the nation OF all its life and vital
ity. But fortunately for mankind the
day of reckoning is nigh. The people
the common people-will now hold
court.
| It is to be regretted that th3 results
could not have been obtained through
more humane and less violent remedies.
Had the enemies of that enraged
people shown more justice in the days
gone by, the punishment would have
been different.
This brings us to that period which
commonly is called the French revo-
luton, but which maintain is the ex-
cesses Of the revolution proper.
We will pass by Ahose sickening
scenes at Paris. We see how the
people, through agitation and bad
leaders, become crazed and irrespon-
sible. We shudder as we behold the
wholesale murders, the robberies, the
sackings, the arsons and the suffering,
! in hundreds of cases of the most in