Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-17
THE GARRISON OF ROME.
Continued from Page Oneo

themselves justified in doing nothing
TO express their submission thereto.
IL is lnconceivablc to the American
people that the Legislature of New
1ork' or. indeed Of any other state of
tHlS great and free republic. should en-
act any such law. Yet that is precisely
what the French government has done
Article of the new law of separation
provides for the forming of Law associa-
tons to take title to the ecclesiastical
property in France. Now if these asso-
ciations of laymen were intended solely
Tor the administration Of the Temporal
riiitles of the church and if the law
provided that they should be composed
OF Catholics. there Nigh. be no obiec-
tion to them. though it is unreasonable
TO exclude. as the law does bishop and
priest from membership and from a
controlling voice in them In America
catholic laymen are represented on all
the boards of trustees invested with the
management of the funds and property
OF the various churches. But the new
Ffench law renders it impossible for
people of Christian denominations but
Toes OF The church in question: to Sc
cure place in these associations and
actually converts the clergy into their
docile Instrument as regards the adj
mini%tration of their ecclesiastical Of
flee. Moreover. it Is provided by the law
that in cases where rival associations
are formed. claiming the churches and
thee hurCh property Of any particular
parish. il is the Council Of State that is
to say. a purely lay body and a crea-
ture Of the executive for the time be-
ing, which shall determine their re-
spectivc professions. In one word, the
new law requires of the church the
alienation of all its property to boards
OF 1aymen. i'm the selection of which il
has virtually no voice; this board to
have full and perfect control. not only
over the funds but over the religious
cdiiiC2S. and over the exercise of Di-
Vine worship itself. independent OF
bishops and canon law.
The property at stake consists CT about
aD.Coo churches. Of which less than 800
have been built with the aid of the state
or municipalities. and amounting TO GER
ta'nly over 800 100000. Only o portion of
Thu, vast property is destined for purely
ecclesiastical purposes. the great major.
ny oi III" iul!uS beInS Designer and used
for purposes II charity and philanthropr.
OF this property the clergy are IL. trus-
toes by virtue of the conditions under
which it was donated and bcuuea he'd!
Their acceptance of the now law and
their transfer of this property Of the
trust to the association cultucllcs. would
eliminate forever the estate of the church
i'll Difference to an iniruitous law which
may be repealed by another Parliament
''Aristide BRAND. The minister of odu-
cation in France and tho author and ex-
ecntor of this ubiquitous law. has solemn
ly declared that without written consent
of the clergy to the establishment OF
these boards. or asSOciations cultuelles
and without the transfer by the clergy OF
the properties of the church to these
bodies. they could not only be no public
exercises OF Divine worship. but Their?
! would also follow the confisca ton Of the
| sacred cdificcs. the rectories and Other
, ecclesiastical property to the state This
minister. Aristide BRAND is the states
man who. in addressing congress OF
! teachers at Amens the other day. told
them that the time had come to root our
from the minds of French children tn:
ancient faith which had served its time
and to replace it with the light of free
| thought. winding up his discourse witt
the words: We must DO away with al
| the Christian ideas
There is no question, therefore, of tn,