Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

to the corruption in the government OF
Catholicism that vas eating away the
heart Of religion and destroying human
rights. II seems peculiar that the Slav
was the first to assert this principle and
yet the last to accomplish It. Yet what
was the fight for religious liberty than
physical and mental freedom as pointed
out by Huss? 1t is also curious fact that
the greatest lsw-giver in the world was a
slav, viz Justinian. on his code is all
modern law based.
ROme's Influence on World.
Growing up from the ruins Of the Roman
Empire are the modern European nations
and one universal system Of religion, Ca
thOlicism.
The Catholic system is the direct out
growth Of the Roman city of state, hav-
ing assumed all that was good of the old
system, and cast of all the evil The
papal government at the Eternal City
may, indeed, be designated as the Re
public Of the World. 1t is today GER
tainly the most judicious and lust sys-
TENS, wherein taxation, the foundation of
all government, is substituted by volun-
tary contributions. 1t was the most dem
ocratic in form yet despotic in power;
system built up by the voice of the
people, yet ruled over by one man; a
system that crowned kings, and de-
throned them with as much ease; n sys-
tenn that had the power of life and death
over its subjects; a system that recog-
nized the divinity OF it's ruler, and the
consanguinity of its subjects; a system
that had hourished and grown in power
only to fail by internal corruption a sys-
TEN which had advanced the civilization
Of the world and converted it to its own
w~Nm WN.TW
robbery for its cardinal principle of vol
untary contribution and thereby became
rotten to the core.
When Freedom Was Born.
Then the strike for civil liberty came
for what was religious freedom but
civil freedom? The peoples, stripped OF
their wealth, became slaves of the Cath
Ollie lords. The system became the most
corrupt where the lands were the richest,
where the peasants worked the hardest
The priesthood volunteered to serve these
lands, for the spoils were the richest
Productive Woodworking, little Bohemia
was the common prey of all, and from
here burst forth the cry of Freedom"
Internal corruption almost destroyed this
system; the power of the pope became
limited; he lost his army. but he has yet
millions of followers.
Religion and Patriotism.
History has proven that religion is even
stronger tie than race. Can we not see
that this system is playing great part in
the union of the nations by protesting a
brotherhood of the races? 1t may be true
that the system is today catering to the
masses, but have not the heads of govern
ments bowed low to the will of the people?
Is not today the most absolute monarchy
Of modern times bowling to the will Of
the people? "Vox populi vox dei'-the
voice of the people is the voice of God)-and
must be heard. Had Russia listened to
the voice of her people she would not have
been so disgraced today. The same judg-
ment had been pronounced against her
that has been pronounced against all ma
lions where the people were not heard, and
needed.
Listen to the voice Of the peoples of the
world today, they all assert common
brotherhood. and cry out for universal
peace. Governments may demand from
their peoples national patriotism, but within
their hearts there beats a love for hui
manity that makes the universal patriot
Build up this love and It will destroy sec
/ tional differences which cause international
war Commerce is drawing the peoples
1
| beginning to understand that every human
conscience has the same conception of right
and wrong.
Russia's Future.
The future diplomatic question of Amer
lea is the broadening of the Monroe doc
trine. the future question OF Russia is
| internal development. She was mistaken
in the notion that she wanted more I'M
developed territory, and sea coast. OF
what use is sea coast to an undeveloped
country? In fact, it will prove one of the
| fortunes to Russia that she has but little
coast to defend in a final reckoning. Russia
| is on a continent where she needs but
railroads, not seaports.
Russia is not the only nation dreaming
of a world empire but the minds of all
great statesmen are bent by this idea as
they have been in the bygone ages.
Expansion by annexation is a common
procedure of obtaining dominion, and the
predestined empire is the one that will be
the most successful in colonization. Coloni-
cation is certainly a matter of evolution,
as all nations are the product of confedera-
tions for a common good. A common faith
has been the cement that had bound these
loose ties together. and made them more
compact by the idea of brotherhood. We
can see that the spreading of this idea of
universal brotherhood has brought not only
solidity TO nations, but has brought all the
| peoples closer and closer together; colonies
| merged into states, states into nations and
nations are merged into one universal en-
pire compact. The peoples of the earth are