The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-02-07
CARDINALS HURT
THEIR OWN CAUSE,
BY Appealing to Loubet They
Have Hastened Separation
of Church and State.
PRESIDENT CAN DO NOTHING.
Constitution of France Gives Him
No Initiative and He Is Power
less to Check Movement
Against Congregations.

III y ''th-SElsf
Special BY Cable T, THE NFW YORK.
HERALD AND THE 81. Louis EEPUBIIr
Fairs. Feb. e. Copyright. 1901 We
have. so to speak, passed the whole week
hyrnotized on account of The letter ad-
dressed to the President OF the Republic
by the Cardinal Archbishops OF Rheims
and osarius, who ask rat Loubet inter
vent against legislatios ppressing teach
ing of all kinds by Members of religious
orders.
This letter was useless. for NJ. Loubet
Is deprived by the Constitution of all in
~itiative. He is entirely powerless TO hin
der the Ministers from proposing a bill
or the Chambers from voting it. The Car
uinals would have been able TO and should
have addressed themselves TO the law
maker himself. and their letter would
perhaps have had a good reception in the
Senate. where the majority Is not cut
ana dried. like that of the Chamber of
Deputies, in favor of n. Combes's prof.
ects.
And it happens that Senator Eugene
Guern. who has been chosen President of
the Republican Left Senate. made dec
larations in favor of freedom of teaching
and blames the Government for Ringing
ol iS iyhNy ph tIS iutSNIeIl VI lell5IouS
orders.
This conflict OF the Cardinals. then, can
have no effect. Bat 1t has been able TO
emhitter. and it has embittered, the rela-
tons between the church and the state,
because many Bishops have made it a
point to publicly support the latter.
IRE Radical press has invoked the Gov
ernmsnt to punish what it calls the in
geration. for the Bishops have not been
insolent. 1t is certainly regrertable that
they have allowed themselves to criticize.
even by devious methods. the acts Of the
Government. hut there is no il.solence.
MAY HURT THE CHURCH.
Nevertheless, the Bishops may assure
themselves that they have brought nearer
10 fruition the separation of the church
and the state. At present there is no ma
JorIty In the Chamber of Deputies to carry
out this separation and the majority in the
Senate is opposed to it. But that is not
saying that in the next elections the cues
tton VIII not be raised for settlement by
universal suffrage; nor even that it will
opposition Of the Senate. This ia why the
tardinals' letter has been considered tact
Iess-fir.t. because it was useless. and.
second, because IT may become dangerous.
The Government has two kinds of weap-
onS against the Bishops. 1t. may cause
the Council of State to declare that an
abuse exists. and can, if 1t chooses to be
strict. suppress their salaries. But these
purfshmsnts are deceptive. for the faith
full will at once subscribe to nay the saIe-
RES suppressed.
There are many other weapons. such as
those which We're inverted by the First
Consul when the concordat was agreed
10. but the Government does not dare to
make use of them because they are too
severe. The imperial legislation, in fact.
aims at once at the imprisoning of Bish-
ops. But the imprisoning of Bishops would
appear excessive when Journalists can
with impunity call NJ. Combes an agent
of Prussia ard General Andre a danger
Gus drunkard.
TIT Minister of justice. therefore, has
stated that he is going to propose that
the chambers pass repressive laws less
abuse exists and less severe thai the i'm
psrial legislation. That is the beginning |
of a dispute which will end in the divorce ,
OF church and state.
NEWSPAPER CONTROVERSY.
Paris is just now amused at an angry
discussion which had its origin in the |
question of the monopoly of stock broker
age The former Able Charbonnel and NJ. |
Henry Berenger had founded a paper. |
which they called Action. and which repre- |
scnted all kinds of opposition to the Gov |
srnment. Nine. Marie Durand having
Win Action. became president of the Fy.
ecntive conamittee and took the occasion
10 eXpei the former Able CharbonneI for
the benefit of NJ. Henry Bereneer
The former Able founded n new n, MOI,
entitled Reason. in which he accused those
VINO had expelled him as being subsidized
ny the curb brokers. and all Paris rrobs
at these papers which are so cnie.9ed
against each other. las
"A more serious matter is NJ. Loubet's in
tentlon to leave for Rome. where they are
preparing for him = magnificent rscan
tl9n. which will accomplish the reconc:ti-
ation ct France and Italy. This trim car
Iol nave the same result as far as The
papacy is concerned. The customs ~ me
Vatican do not allow the pope To receiue
the heads of Catholic states who 90 "
WISH the King of Italy. and this inciSonWt