The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-19

ReactIonarys
Special Cable to The Globe.
PARIS, Oct 1S-Violent as The
popular attitude is and has been to-
wards the republics reactionary pol
icy in expelling the nuns it is but the
eforerunner of far more serious trouble
This coming warfare will have wide
political significance and may prove
to be the source of civil dissensionl III
France, the full result Of which no
man can foresee. The republics pol
ley toward the various religious orders
has involved 1t with the Vatican in a
question which, in France itself, will
find both espousers and opponents
that is to say, conflicting convictions
on the point, at issue will divide the
nation into hostile ranks, concurrently
with whose fierce battle for victory
the general welfare of our people will
suffer.
Many there are here who at present
recall the days of BisInarck's opposi-
ton to Catholic ascendancy in Ger
many, and these readers of history re-
member how Bismarck can hardly be
said to have won the game. There
were Of course differences in the great
German chancellor's anti Catholic cru
SADIE, but what real difference is there
between any defeat when the finale
shows a record of internal national i'm
rest, with nothing. but injury accom-
plished to the losing side. If the re-
public Of France-or rather those who
direct it's observation-disclosures policy
he 70 nf
ernment-the fault may be theirs, but
the party aggrieved and injured are
the people at large.
This expulsion Of the religieuses; is
regarded by people Of various shades
of religious opinions as impolitlc at
any time, but more especially so while
the advocates of monarchial reStora-
ton are active as they are known to be
at present. To antagonize the rural
masses Of so Catholic country as
France is to offer a premium to the
supporters of monarchy-an institu-
ton which here has throughout his
tory, as a whole, been faithful to the
church.
His Personal Animus.
It Is easy to attach a sinister sig
nificance to any movement which Is
fathered by one who, like Premier
Combes, in pursuing political course
anagonistic to the church, is open to
the charge that, having himself once
been an ex-priest, he is actuated by a
personal anin1us.
A striking example Of the truth OF
the remark have just made as to the
stimulus given to royalist agitation by
this anti-religeuse policy, is wildly il
Illustrated by the popular spirit shown
todaysin Brittany. OF all parts Of the
country, Brittany is loyal to the bour-
bon tradition, largely because the
throne means the dominance Of the
church in France.
Well, in Brittany the people have
literally arisen in their might and
wrath against Premier Combes and his
ministry 2
Barricading of the sisterhood schools
at Roscoff, and yictualing of the be-
leaguered sisters by the peaSantry;
Pol de Leon demonstration in the
highways, Of crowds bearing emblems
of religion and rending the air with
cries Of give Les Soeurs;;" the adult
and adolescent males of Landerneau on
school structures, obstructing the pas
sage of the most innocent wayfarers
lest the latter be en1issarieS of the
Goddess" republique-all such signs as
these should open the eyes of Conbes
and his associate reactionists to the
perils they are creating for themselves
and their country.
Scenes at Lyons.
Take an important urban center such
as the city of Lyons. 1t is there that
the disgraceful scenes have been wit
messed in the streets of adherents of
the social and the church parties bonn
harding each other with decayed veg
etables. Lyons has all but escaped
she may still have before her-a condi-
ton of most dangerous riot.
Throughout the communes are oc-
curing a repetition of violent scenes.
Citizens declare that they will inau-
gurate a system of resistance to the
enforcing of the law of expulsion
which will make the streets resemble
the condition of Paris during the reign
of the veritable Commune itself In
1901. They will fight the armed
forces of government behind pavement
barbados.
Oman is one Of the historic spots of
France. It still preserves with reyer-
ence the memory of the great Ber-
trand du Guesclin, who nearly six
centuries ago saved the place from the
long English. The unwilling Of his
statue In Oman had been for some
time a great event in prospect.
What was the realization?
After big preparations had been
made to turn the unwilling of the
statue into a great religious ceremon-
ial and Oman had filled with visiting
priests and laymen there came down
from Paris the present minister of
war, Gen. Andre. Then what a change
was there All the religious part of
the ceremony was hastily abandoned.
and. as If the heavens were telling"
of the displeasure of Providence, the
day turned out disInaIly wet. Dense
crowds totally dispersed, and, with an
audience of one or two weather defy
ing and doubtless disobedient small
boys, the chief director of the nation
al military system perfunctorily per-
formed the duty of unwilling the
statue.
Gen. Andres Attitude.
Rack of all this Generalization of
the popular enthusiasm stood-not the
torrential rain-but the fact that Gen.
Andre was known to be disbeliever,
a son of the church who had long since
cast off his allegiance.
IL one asks, as I did on several oc-