The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-22

he remarks, that very many people OF
exemplary morality In all communities
do not 90 to church at this time. a. you
will find II you take pains to inquire In the
towns and cities Of this country generally.
How Ia IL in New York;
Tho Civil Power and the Church In
Franco.
The Combes Cabinet had q narrow e.
cape from defeat on Wednesday, March
IS, when, after four days debate, the
Chamber Of Deputies approved the re-
port Of committee refusing authorize
ton TO fifty-four monastic orders. In
an unusually full House. the Govern
mont could only obtain a majority Of
forty-three, which means, Of oourse.
that . change Of twenty-five votes from
one side TO the other would have COM
PEELED It to resign. Will the Radical
and Socialist supporters Of the Ministry
content themselves with this hard-won
victory, or will they push still further
their campaign against the Catholic
Church?
To an outsider II would seem that no
further defensive measures are needed.
The plea for the enactment and the en-
forcement Of the law against religious
associations. many Of which have been
long engaged in teaching, was that an
education exclusively secular il indis-
pensable to the stability Of free institu-
tons. 1t was charged by the authors
Of the law that the religious oongrega-
tons which have exercised educational
functions have studiously endeavored
to ALLEVIATE the rising generations from
the Republican regime. It Ia undoubt-
edly fact that a large majority Of the
Reactionists are graduates Of schools
and colleges that were conducted by
religious societies.
80 far as girls are concerned, II will
still b possible for the daughters Of
earnest Catholics to receive instruction
at the hands Of certain monastic orders.
Boys and young men, on the other hand.
must henceforth 60 abroad for their
education, or they must seek 1t at home
in State institutions from which religious
teaching Of any kind will be vigorously
excluded. Christian women and nom
Christian men-that is the curiously
mixed ideal which is now contemplated
by the law in France.
There still remains formidable weap-
on in the armory OF the Anti-clericals,
the abolition Of the Conoordat.
but the vote on March IS indicates that
. majority for the employment Of II
could not be obtained in the present
Chamber. The reluctance OF many Re-
publioans to resort to a measure 30 ex-
treme Ia due to several causes. In the
first place. the oircumspect and con-
ciliatory policy Of LEO XIII. has az
forded no pretext for q complete di-
vorcement Of the State from tho Church.
While firmly declining to authorize
Italian Catholics to recognize the legiti-
macy OF the Italian monarchy by taking
part in Parliamentary elections, he has
repeatedly urged French Catholics to
accept the Republican regime, and to re-
frain from taking part in oonspiracies or
intrigues for the restoration Of the Bour-
bon dynasty or Of the Nspoleonic en-
pire. II Ia hard for the most suspicious
Radical to dispute the sincerity OF his
advice, inasmuch as II In known to have
been rendered against the wishes OF not
a few French Bishops. Not even the
enforcement Of the law against religious
associations has provoked the Pope to
assume an unfriendly attitude toward
the French Government. He has I'M
expressed regret at the treat
ment OF the teaching orders. but he has
made no vehement protest against il.
A quarrel requires two parties, and. APP
parentiy, the Pspacy viii not make one
Of them 40 long as LEO XIII. 10 Pope.
II Ii also certain that whatever infiu-
enoe msy hs posseased by N. DRLCAssf
will be strenuously exerted against an
abolition Of the Conoordst. Nor In II
probable that a different position would
10 taken by any occupant VI the Foreign
Ofiioe, no matter how violent the anti
clerical sentiments with which he might
have entered upon the duties ~ that post
The foreign policy of France 10 trAdi-
lionAlly pro-tAtholic. The eldest sou
NJ the Church thu naIns immsmorlslly
sitAch.d To ths executive head ~ ths
French IeoIle. has r-Iestsdly rescued
Ihe rspacy from peril. aud has han
Ios c.n,uries the s.ssp,sd protsctos NJ
liaihollc interests in ,hs Near and ln the
Yer tAs,. The psesilss aad tbs innu-
saas sncri,ns fran soch professionally
No sn y.ed snd chall.asrd by chs 0ermss
lxaplrs. and so f.nohmAn. asas 70.
'alllsS 9th ,hsu ssiv y wiling IA -
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b, us tlspulllasn ssslas sa.si,sSdiy,
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s.sls n ssisaii~s M tl~ .stssA sss.
49, "a ls.I..-as. sxI.IL~ A A. s..s.l A.