The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-12-24

and judiciary of the land with all its attendant
evils. under present conditions.
Even much more radical and vitality signih
cant measure of reform is that denominated the
single tax" system. Under this system. it IS
claimed it would be impossible for any ore ind
vidual to control millions of wealth.
1t is because this reform savoro of Soniscatiou
and socialism--when but specifically viewed-that
it is regarded with suspicion, if not with well de
fined sentiments of adherence, by many good and
honest men, Assuredly if the plan be proven to
be an inherently immoral one, 1t must stand con-
demned of all cody men, but this it Is safe to
sert is impossible: 1t has received not only the de
hberate and unqualified endorsement. but also the
ardent advocacy of so loyal and Jealous prelato
of the Catholic church as Archbishop Walsh.
"Marxian" socialism-which, unfortunately
seems to be the type for emulation by many would
be reformers in this countrv-is Justly denounced
and condemned by our churchmen. because it aims
to found It's reign upon denial of God and his holy
Church, and is therefore intrinscally as well ex
picitly immoral. Its ancendancy must necessarily
infct upon the nation the blight of spiritual and
moral paralysis. and the church must therefore, in
pursuance of her divine mission combat this dread
monster with all the power and zeal that heaven
may vouchsafe unto her
Does it not hence follow that it is most de
porable mistake for Catholics to comfound with
and denounce as goddess socialism in such pro
posed political reforms-advocated in the interest
OF the tolllng and producing masses--aS are. Ill
fact neither essentially immoral nor inherently
goddess IT, it may we'll happen, some of us are
disposed to combat such proposed reform measures
rational grounds, let them confnc their avowed
motives to their true character and not libel
Holy Church by attributing to her denunciatory
doctrines which she has never promu gated If her
doctrines in the essence are to be our guide. why
not frankly confess that in pursuance thereto
must ever array ourselves on the side of the weak
and oppressed against the ruthlessy powerful
and the INSCRIPTIONS oppressor!
If righteousness, peace and divinely-ordained
good will shall again benefcenty reign in this
cherished land, it must be (can only bel contempt
raneously with the supreme sway of the holy inhu-
ence of the Catholic religion. And how can this be
accomplished, if the great mass of people be not
convinced that the church is ever the staunehy de
voted exponent OF the sacred of the weak and
the oppressed That We who have had her divine
spirit inbred into our consciousness with our every
moral and intellectual development know all this
not sufficient; this truth must be brought home to
the minds and hearts of all ere she shall be permit
ted to egitimately exercise her divnely-savng in
hnence In behalf of this stricken nation
Shall not, therefore, Catholics piously see
to it that the attitude of Holy Church be not misn
terpreted by the struggling masses because of
public utterances and actions ). 1t Is indeed,
solemn duty that devolves upon u.s. Let us be
heroically faithful to this sacred duty, and the
dread cataclysm that ominously threatens to en-
gulf our cherished republican institutions and to
all but utterly destroy this, the greatest of the
worlds democracies shall be happily averted. and
there shall ensue glorious restoration of this once
glorious (moraly as we'll as politically and indus
triallS) American nation. A. c. LAYMAN.
Fort Collins, Colo. Dec. -.