The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-05-09

them, i'll season and out of season, pro-
tested as if their life blood was being
drawn. The arguments With which
it was asserted the archbishop had
softened Rome, We're eX parte. He
had hNpnotized the pope. it was said
and no greater tribute has ever been
paid to the forceful character of this
prelatc than the readiness with which
his opponents agreed that even the
venerable successor of st. Peter could
not resist him-even when he was
wrong!
In a country less Iree than the
United States, the question of the ap-
pontment of foreign bishops speaking
Il foreign language to peoples who had
become American citizens, would have
been matter for state consideration.
| With us, any interference on the part
of the state would have occasioned ill.,
dignation and resentment. And, now
the question has been Qui .'tly settled.
it seems strange that Archbishop Ire
land should have been so misundcr-
stood. Who will not agree with him
when he says:
NO encouragement must be given
to social and political organiza tons or
methods which pcrpctuate in this
country forei gu ideas or customs. An
IrisE-Amcrican, Il Geiman-American
or Il French-American vote is an i'll
tolcrable anomaly We receive from
America the right to vote as Amcri-
cans, for Aneric;'s veal, and, il VIC
cannot use our privilege as Americans
we should surrender it. Efforts to
concentrate immigrants in social
groups and to rct:lrd their Americans
ization should be steadily frowned
down. There are in America self Con-
stitutcd leaders of foreign-bnrn citi-
zens who speak of Americanizaton as
Il term of reproach; with such men
public opinion should deal severely"
1T was represented that Archbishop
Ireland was the enemy of the German
people in America, that in his opposing
segregation opened the hool-gatcs of
intidelity. that Germans, Pol S, French
Canadians could only remain good
Christians as long rs they spoke the
language of their infancy 1t was for
gotten that the language of their iii
fancy did not save Noltaire or Karl
Marx. But the archbishop made no
attempt to defend himself: his friends
who We're German We're hopeless in
this tide. though they knew that he re-
%hrtled them us Il most valuable addi-
ton to the power and prosperity of
America, Time has softened the as
pcritieS of battles of opinions and tho
IDEAS of Archbishop Ireland as to the
legitimate Americanzation of the I'M
migrants-which were also the IDEAS
OF his colleagues in the episcopate-
are no longer coltrOverted seriously.
and the mists of misunderstanding
have cleared away.
Archbishop Ireland was, as we all
know. in favor of compromise of the
school question. The welfare of the
country. he believes and asserts, de-
ponds Oh harmony among it's citizens:
the air is full Of bitter mllrmurings
and recriminations. There was prac-
tically "a school war" The children
of the people ought to enjoy all the
| advantages of education the state pro-
tons for the giving of free instruc-
ton. supported by all the people, let
the children of all the people enjoy the
benefits of it.
But there comes a great difficulty
here. 'rle American people at large"
| the archbishop said, care Christians:
but they are divided among them
selves. Not to speak OF other differ
cnccs. there is the vital and radical
one between Catholicism and prOtcs-
| tantism of all forms"
The remedy of this difficulty pro-
posed by some honest men who do not
sufficiently consider the relations Of
Catholcity to education is the teach
ing of Il common Christianity. "This
will not do" the archbishop says; Gin
loyalty to their principles, Catholics
| cannot and will not accent a common
Christianity. 10 Catholics what does
not bear on it's face tho stamp Of
CnthOlicity is Protestant in form and
in implication, even il. it he Catholic
in substance. This being a settled
fact. American Catholics will not, Of
course. impose Catholicism upon Pro
tcstant children, and. with similar
ir-mindedness, American Professionals
will not impose Professionalism upon
Catholic children. \ compromise be-
comes necessary. Is it not Il thousand
times better to make Il compromise
than to allow secularism to triumph?"
Archbishop Ireland protested most
earnestly against the Charge that Cath
olics are opposed to the system Of
free schools. mot one stone of the
wOndrOuS cditice which Americans
have reared in their devotion to cduca-
ton would Catholics remove or permit
to be removed. They would fain add
to its splendor and majesty by putting