Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-04-30
ROMAN CATHOLIC ON FRANCE,
The Demands That the Priests and the
Orders Shall be Honest.

| OTuSFS Sndii DC EIOHSSt.
The Combes cabinet has won par
Elementary victory. 1t remains to be
seen whether the victory will be an
advantage. There is lay side as well
as church side to this question The
side of the laity is well put by Fer
dinand Brunetiere, the editor of the
Revue des Deux Mondes.
OF the different systems imbibed by
the minds of men and consequently
swaying humanity, We demand the
right TO make cur choice, to assign
reasons therefor. and through either
verbal or written instruction. to make
these reasons prevail. It is this right
which for years past has daily been
outrageously violated. and if there be
none more essential to liberty of
thought, surely it is this right which
we must obstinately defend.
| The laity may well rejoice to have
their case so clearly presented by the
brilliant editor. There is, however,
one very discouraging feature in this
warfare, pointed out by your impartial
editorial of Sunday in these words:
1T is undoubtedly a fact that large
majority of the reactionists are grad.
yates of schools and colleges that
We're conducted by religious societies.
| am very unwilling to believe that
you would state it if not undoubtedly
a fact" Truly, this is most painful
Ipredicament. | must candidly say that
| see no formal public declaration of
| loyalty to the republican form of GOV.
eminent made by the united bishops.
| priests, religious orders and their
pupils in the laity. Can it be possible
that they are still guilty of the crimi,
nal folly of clinging to the putrid
corpse of the monarchy?
Georges Clemenceau of the French
senate says in the London National
Review: But every one who stops to
think cannot fail to see that the dan
ger lies far less in the doctrine taught
by the orders, which is, after all iden.
teal with that taught by the church
herself, of which no one demands the
suppression, than in the political and
social interests of which the orders
are the center"
Here is, certainly, a direct chal-
lenge from a sufficiently high source
Therefore, an uneQuivocal declaration
of loyalty to the republican form Of
government is clearly a most essential
preliminary to an active propaganda
such as NJ Brunetiere advocates.
Everlasting complaint is contempt
ible. Let them act They say that
this charge of clinging to the mon.
archy is only a pretext; that it is
Catholic Christianity which is at
tackled. Put it to the test, then; put
it to the test. Make your declaration.
Force them to show their hand pub
licly.
To this they may blubber that the
atheists will prosecute them. I'VE
will lose our income" they say. Lose
it. But we will be poor" Be poor.
But they will leave us TO starve."
Starve. But they will abolish the
Concordat." To hell with every bribe.
But they will exile us all, bishops
and priests" Be exiled. But they
will put us to death" Die-you cow
ards-die, And the glory of martyr
dom would be more than you deserve,
| for you could not say it was for the
greater glory of God so much as for
the favor Of a rotten monarchy
Michael Corcoran in the New York
Sun.