The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-14
ON FRENCH CRISIS.
ASKS AMERICA TO PROTEST
AGAINST OUTRAGE TO CHURCH.

Says were NusinfDrmcd and Explains tho
Kssue--IacObin Hatred Of McliSiuu
BACK of Persecution Pope Forced 90
Resist. Fesrfns Dissolution Of Church.
BALTIMORE, Dec. ts.-"The American pub
/ Ito does not understand b present crisis
In France said his Eminenoe Cardinal
| Gibbons when asked this evening for his
opinion on the situation in France. q
am getting to be al old man now, and 1
think ! know my countrymen. They love
fair play; they love liberty: they love to
see human dealings OF man with man. And
the late years have shown how cordially
they hate injustice, tyrannyand inhumanity.
And yet France has treated her noblest
citizens with injustice and inhumanity, and
America, which has sympathy for the
oppressed OF all nations, has raised no pro-
test nor uttered a word Of sympathy" The
Cardinal added:
n / believed that my countTymen would
knowingly see a great and benefcent or
eanization unjustly deprived Of its property
aud the means of continued usefulness. would
knowingly see tens OF thousands OF honest
men and noble women robbed OF their just
income and means Of support, would know
ingly see hundreds OF thousands and even
several millions of people brutally wounded
| IN WnuN IDtN HDlu utdTtFN buu ulOt' NuNiNNs
would knowingly see a majority in the Cham.
hers utterly disregard and trample on the
rights OF the minority and the rights of mill
ions OF their countrymen in the name OF
liberty. would knowingly see tens Of Thousands
OF men and women. who happen to be priests
and nuns. turned out of their homes for no
crime but that OF loving God and serving
their %neighbors | say II my countrymen
can see and recognize all this injustice and
tyranny and cruelty. and refuse genuine
sympathy 70 those who suffer by them be-
cause Of their religious belief. then | will
leave life without that faith in American
love of justice and liberty and humanity
which has been my comfort and support ana
hope during a long career.
AMERICAN Pr BLIC MIsINPoRMED,
But the American people have not had these
things put fairly before them. Our own
press has been to a considerable extent the
reflex of the Parisian snti-clerical press.
Most people over here have little conception
OF the French anti-clerioals. They look on
the leaders Of this party as enlightened states
men. seeking to preserve the republic from
the attacks of an aggressive clergy.
There have been honest and sincere lovers
Of republican government among ant
Gals. / admit; but the majority of them have
far less love for the republic than they have
hatred OF religion. ! am weighing my words
and ! say with deliberate conviction that the
leaders Of the present French Government are
actuated by nothing less than hatred OF re-
ligion.
We have no spirit akin TO theirs in this
country. We have here much Indifference to
religion, but we have no body OF men, no
great party. that makes it a chief aim TO
weaken the power of religion and II pos
sible utterly to destroy 10 out OF the lana.
But in France the Jacobin party il not dead.
Their spirit is as living to-day IA II was in the
last decade of the eighteenth century. they
hate God, they hate Christ. they hate his re-
ligion as much as ever their fathers hated
them. But they have learned a more prudent
and measured method OF attack. They are
almost scientific n the means they take to
suppress Oh christianity. And yet the utter
ances of such men are received az unsus-
pectingly by many Americans a. would be a
discourse by Mr.. Cleveland or Mr.. Roosevelt
or Mr.. Taft, men who recognize the powerful
inf uenoe that religion has in promoting the
welfare Of society.
NO SECRET OF THEIR HATRED.
The anti-clericals, the Cardinal said
further, make no secret Of their hatred OF
Christianity, airing il in he press and in
the chambers. Then he gave some ex-
amples OF the language of these men. He
quoted this extract from a speech made
by the Socialist leader, Jaures, in the Cham-
Der of Deputies:
II God himself appeared before the multi
tude in palpable form, the first duty OF man
would be to refuse him obedience. and TO
consider him not as a master to whom men
should submit. but as an equal with whom
men may argue.
NJ. Vivian, the new Minist er OF Labor.
speaking also in the Chamber Of Deputies,
said:
All Of us together. first by our forefathers.
then by our fathers. now by ourselves, have
been attached to the work Of anti-clericalism
and irreli gion. We have snatched the human
conscience from belief in a future life-do
you think that the work is at an end2 No.
IL is but beginning.
The discourse from which this extract is
taken was ordered by the chamber to be
France, the Cardinal explained. He quoted
from the present Minister Of Public Wor-
ship and the most strenuous advocate OF
the law of separation" M. BRAND, who said
In an address to school teachers:
The time has come to root up from the
minds Of French children the ancient faith
which has served its purpose and replace il
with light of free thought II Ia time to get rid
Of the Christian idea.
We have hunted Jesus Christ out Of the
army, the navy. the schools, the hospitals
insane and orphan asylums and law courts.
and now we must hunt him out OF the State
altogether.
Cardinal Gibbons asked what we Amer
I leans would say II a Cabinet officer were
10 propose this as the great aim Of his
|, administ ration. For some reason the SEN
timents Of the anti -clericals were not re-
produced in our papers. But let a French
statesman utter ~counsels of moderation and
sentiments Of liberty when he wishes to
check his followers and prevent them from
foiling his plans by too great haste and zeal
then his fair words were spread before the
' eyes Of our people. The Cardinal went or
to say:
SPIRIT OF THE REVOLUTION REVIVED.
For a spinner OF beautiful discourses
breathing humanity and Justice. the French
demigod cannot he surpassed. It is a common
observation Of historians that in the mos
/ bloody seasons of the French Revolution thu
|, air was full OF sweet words about fraternity
and liberty. coming from the very men who
, made the streets run with blood,
These men who inherit their spirit car
! talk more divinely and act more diabolically
than any other On earth. They do not, Of
! course. want bloodshed. but the spirit o
hatred exists in them just as strongly.
I In order to understand the present situa
ton IL must he horne in mind that befOr,