The sun., 1903-02-08
The CATHOLIC SOCIALISM,
"FOI RTH ESTATE" TO DE MADE
Az AUTONOMOUS CLASS IN NITALY.

Y
GrOsoi and Count Medelago-P0pe
Lros AliocutiOn Last Christmas Eve
Hopes That the Church May Cut the
Ground From Under the Socialist Party
RoNp. Jan. 27.-The latest acts Of the
uoly Father direct the doctrine and activ-
Nv Of social Catholicism. While elsewhere
he allows the schools to discuss freely in
villa, degree these can be put into practice
IN Italy, where the Church mo yes directly
around the Sacred Mount he has expressed
officially, in an official organization. the
principles and the line Of conduct to be
followed. He is trying to bring about the
ilh,s,rious union between religion and
democracy. We must call particular atten-
lion to the Pontifical address OF Dec. "a.
1902, on Christian democracy: 1t contains
Leo NILS last word on this subject.
|, is due to the Holy Fathers wish that
The Congregation OF Extraordinary Ec-
clesiastical Affairs has drawn up the regu-
laions Of the -Opera del Consressi." at the
head Of which it has put. in place Of Count
paganuzzi, conservative. q Christian
democrat, Count Grosoli. At the head OF
tie second democratic group Of tho organi-
zation is Count Medolago- Albani. the
grandson OF Joseph de Mair. re. Leo XIII. e
own selection. Immediately after this re-
organization. following the example of the
popular State which the Guelphs are build
ing up in the north and at the same time
chewing The orders and wishes of the Holy
SIC. Count Grosoli and Count Medolago
have defined the socialist programme In
clear terms.
The programme draws from socialism
its healthy economic essence and the right I
strategy. Reform of the labor contract
professional unions social and labor
legislation that Is the doctr rinal side. To
oraanize the Fourth Estate into an "au-
,onomous class is the scheme and object
1t is the true Christian Socialism. essentially
and calmly reforming. without the alloy
Of false theories Of history, Of captious
philosophy and OF appeals to revolution.
The Catholics" says the circular Of the
second group. aspire not merely to resist
the spreading food Of oorrupting socialism
that exploits the people. but they strive a s
much and even more to raise the prole-
tariat the sinister product Of individualist
liberalism to the dignity of a class. The
social peril will not be conjured until the
whole Of society has recovered its eQuilib-
rum by the autonomous recOnstitution Of
all esta ablished classes in harmony on the base
of the more numerous class Of workers."
Since Ketteler announced the good new s
from the pulpit Of his cathedral and Cardinal
Manning traced the road they should fol-
low to Catholics, no more decisive words
have been uttered.
hat
very reason the Catholics do not conceal
their ultimate object. which is to build
up again Christian popular class. 1t
is thus, above all, that the Church opposes
to-day the uncertain and dangerous pro-
eramms Of democracy, in order to reform
the 'plebs Christiana' Of the future" Later
the president recurs to the main idea:
only on the basis and the high road Of
social action that is distinctly demo cratic
and wholly Catholic can we be sure To bring
about this reconstruction Of popular class. '
The memorable d. cument asserts openly
that II Is inspired by the Encyclicals Of
Leo Kill; this is too modest, it. beyond and
above all, the official programme Of tho
Papacy.
In his dealings with realities Ieo XIII.
old monarchical and parliamentary Europe;
in the soul and the conscience Of the people
he has found the roots that will survive
and be immortal. He did not wait for the
Franco Italian understanding nor the &C.
centricities Of diplomacy 30 essentially
anti.Prench and anti-Roman to sketch
out the alliance Of the Church with demo c.
racy The ideal and concrete type which
he Guelphs are putting into practice around
he Quirinal and the Vatican will also 60
roind the world without upsetting anything,
and from this collaboration Of the masses
with the moral forces a form of civilization
will arise in which the Papacy will rely
no more on the old systems to exercise its
prep undertaking power. -Duties," Joseph
de Maistre said. change with political
relations"
Above the universal domination OF
sectarian cosmopolitanism its international
ministry will rise; men will choose between
these two spirits and these two sole pow
ers. When Leo XIII published in 1891 the
-Rerum Novarum' the working
men grew cold to anti-clerical influences,
which fastened to court the Socialists.
With the progress Of light and the gradual
Of the workinRmen the
Fourth Estate will find out who are it's
friends. Little by little. through the de-
velopment of ideas and the force Of cir
cumstances. there will be clearance in
the Babel. where schools and systems
are now fighting Christian democracy
will assimilate to itself in proportion 20
it's needs the germs Of life that are held
in socialism: il will attract men OF ideals
and groups that have remained inde-
pendent
When the Papacy shall have taken in
hand the current. when after the last phases
Of oonservatis ism Catholics join in forming
the popular class" the homes" groups
will be for med. The resemblance between
our present conditions and the course OF
the great revolution in the sixteenth CEN
'ury is striking. To-day. as then. the
Papacy begins and urges reforms which,
to-day as then, clash against incidence and
III will and are only established on heaps
NJ ruins and disiIlusions.
Christian democracy will p.t an erd
finally to the stores Of hatred accumulated
Turing centuries against the ahsolutism OF
& lgs and of parties, a hatred 80 Intense and