The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-19
WHY FRANCE OPENED
 WAR ON THE VATICAN

! rhe gulf that separates tho Vatican and the Quirinai at Rome ia 90 deep that preafdent Laubet decided not to cross it and, being the at tie invita-
 tiOn and as the guest of the king. he
 did not call unon the pope, The Sardi- nals were furinus and instead of ad-,
 aressing d complaint to the govern naeut of France the cardinal secretary Of statA sent a remarkable and unpre- lcedehtea formal ramonstranca to all of the othev governments Of Europe. Rro-
 testr 7t andf orthodox Greek as wen as
 Catholic as if tbes mad anything to eo
 with the matter This was deliberate
 affront tn the president Of France and
 was so accepted. A bitter cdateorersy
 ensned. which terminated with the lwithdfawal of tho French afnnassaaor
 te the Vatican and the papAl anrbasaa- 1 dor to Paris.
 In the meantime the relations be. l tween the church and the govefnnent
 In France became less and less cordial.
 The chamber of deputies became more and more anti-Catholic. The sociaiises
 the Freemasons. the freethinkAre and materalists obtained control of fRs r "
 ernment and the parliament, ans sbe-
 gan to enact series of laws that Hera intended to destray the influence of the church and deprive it of it's propaFty. ! proprsation ta' continue the embassy to. the holy see. A law was paseed ptaeing
 the religious orders upong tho saife basis as other corporations ana tRxtux all church prOperty that vas not ac- tualiy used for worship rn order to do business the nuns aud menks were ra- auired to take out iicenkes, submit in venteries of their property and make annual returns of their earninRs sud expenditures. just the game as EatI- roads insurance companies ana other businesss corporations. All Tefgious schools were abo1ished.s All educational institutions conducted by priests
 monks or nuns, were closed on 1he
 ground that they were teaehins. the children of France unropubItcan doe trlnes and converting the coiHiine gen- eration Into fnonarrhlsts. All monhs and nuns, 92,00e in number, were then expelled from the country and theif property. amounting td hundreds of millions of dollars, VIA eonfis ,ateA Then., the government undertook to make an inventory Of all church pro- peFty. This was done as 2 prscsutlon fof the benefit and protection vf the parishes, and to avoid future complaIntst and complicat tiohs as to- ownership Of the pictures, furnituTe, altar 0fnaTi ants, vastments, relies and other movable property.
 Finally. In December 1905, what Is known as the law af separationp was passed. Under that acG ali financial support from the Roverhment was with draN from the church. and blshops and priests are now redured to look out for their own salaries, The people Of the several parishes throughout the entire republic are required to orgun- ike themselves into Corporations sinl- lar to those existing among Protey ytant Churches In the United states. called ''associations eultuelle." and to Apply to the government for charters just as if they were public library as.oeia- tions, benevolent societies. corporate colleges, nlutuai lnsursnce oomranles or other organizations that ara not in- tended to make profits for their me h- bers. Each assoelatiun mus e Get tits- | tees or vestrymen, we would call them to manage their business affairs, and when such ofieers are elected the gov ernment will transfer tn them all the church buildings, the paIsonages and