The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-27
s,r,, oe,,aes higher univeroltlc. and lycees.

:s...-----.--
sir1s, besides higher unveroitics and iScees.
which !, the priests control absolutely.
These institutions have been hotbeds OF
royaisn and have deliberately set "them-
selves Is teach doctrines and courses OF
conduct which are regarded by the great
majority OF F'rcncllinen as hostile to the
true Interests or Tho republic Of France.
Notwithstanding this, the French peo-
pie were long in coming to q belief that
ouch a state OF affairs existed, but when
once their minds we're made un they acted
with vigor and efficiency.
Tho first step was that by the late M.
Waldecle Rousseau, who introduced OF,
July 1, 1901, the celebrated association.
bill. This bill was the first time when
the Chamber Of Deputies had agreed to
repeal tho aot which prohibited more
than twenty people from forming them
selves into an association. To take, the
place of this repeal II was ordered that
all associations should be under the su-'
pervislon OF tho government, and 1t was
thought by M. Naldeck Rousseau that
by giving the state the control over those
religious associations, both the chartered
aimed tho difficulty would be in a large
measure solved. Upon close examination,
however, 1t became apparent that 1t
would be most difficult and tedious to go
through the debate md argument neces-
sary to the Incorporation OF each insti-
tuition II they were taken up singly, and
that the real object OF the' bill would
be defeated II n blanket measure wero
passed that would allow them all to come
In. In addition to this It was seen that
II tho state authorized an institution It
entered int a contractual relation which
would make any future act looking to-
ward the closing of such institution very
difficult. 1t WIS this feeling that led NJ.
Combes, who succeeded Nj. yvaldecls
Rousseau as premier, to take the radical
step Of ordering the expulsion Of all
religious orders which were at that limo
unclartered. 1t was never believed that
such a bill would DO enforced. and the
church was strong enough to see that
the first enforcement Of this bill was
tried In Brittany, where tho populace
speak almost no French, and whore the
gentle and Simple nuns who We're marked
out for expulsion could not by any range
of ina gination been regarded as fomen-
tiers OF treason. However, the church
party utterly misunderstood tho temper Of
the French people, and instead OF gaining
sympathy and support for their. cause,
the nuns, by refusing to obey the law
and by using every means in their power
even to the emptying Of Stops upon the
soldiers, who were forced to break in the
doors, lost much sympathy they might
have gained, and NJ. Combes came out
OF the conflict much stronger than he
went in. The work of removing the rell-
gous organizations has gone on rapidly |
since tllen. and It now seems as II the
state church would be disesta blished.
This does not by any means imply that
the French people or the French govern
ment desire to deny the comforts OF
religion to the people, NJ. Conbes him
self is a Deist, and large mum bers Of
those who vote with him re Catholics,
but both NJ. Combes and his supporters
feel that the activities Of the Roman |
Church have for a long time been in |
the nature Of d political propaganda, and
were in no sense religious The difficulty
of the situation is found in the presence
OF the sinll1e French cures, who have
been more sinned against than shining in
that they taught only what their bishops
told them. For all SUCH 1t is proposed to |
apportion for the next five years the pres
ent stipend OF 900 francs, after which
time each municipality win be required
to supply the funds in It's own church,
either BY taxes or by private subscrip I
ton.
The cathedrals and churches, being the
OF the state, will be given to
the municipality in which they are located
for such use as the local authorities see
fit to make of them. It has been well
said that a cathedral is only good for
ecclesiastical purposes, for which the re-
ply is obvious that there is no inten-
ton to use it otherwise
In the rural districts and even in the
cities the great majority Of the French
people attend some church and use the
~ d d Z g s q . ! - =
Roman Catholic ritual TO such the deprl-
walton OF all religious service will not
only be q hardship but an impossibility.
and SO far from believing that the pro-
posed action By. the French government
meaas lesseuing Of the power of reli-
gior. it would rather seem that it would
be the longest step forward ye: taken in
France for awakening and aulckening
of the real religious spirit.
In France, AZ elsewhere, tSs church will
to It's bexr work VIXEN d.sassoclated from
tfse s:atf. for then us presence, energy
and effort can BE- applied to the spiritual
things zssich arc not and cannot be of
s1ss Eor5S.
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