The Washington herald., 1906-12-14
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

the great aim Of his administration? For
some reason the sentiments OF the anti
CIericals are not reproduced by our pa
pers.
''But let a French statesman utter eoun-
sells of moderation and sentiments of lib
erty. when he wishes 10 check his fol-
lowers and prevent them from fling his
petition by too much haste and zeal, and
his fair words are spread before the eyes
of our people They are taken as the
expression of wisdom and fair play.
DiaboIical While COnciIiatOry.
For a spinner of beautiful discourses,
breathing humanity and justice. the
French demigod cannot be surpassed. II
is a common observation Of historians
that in the most bloody seasons of the
French revolution, the air was full of
sweet words about fraternity and liberty.
coming from the very men who made the
streets run with blood.
These men and those who inherit their
spirit can talk more divinely and act
more dia5olically than any other on
earth. They do not. of course, want
bloodshed, but the spirit Of hatred exists
In them just as strongly.
IN order TO understand the present sit
befofe the French revolution all churches.
all ecclesiastical lands and properties be-
longed 10 the church by as just a title
as property is owned in our own country
by the Catholics. Methodist, or any other
religious denomination. AT the revolution
all buildings, landed properties, and funds
were confiscated by the revolutiOnists, but
the injustice of this was soon recognized,
and the constituent assembly publicly and
solemnly pledged itself to render some
sort Of Justice TO the church by giving
for the support OF the clergy and the
maintenance OF the worship in annual
budget This amounted TO a little more
than / per cent on the values appTOpri-
ated by the State
Let Il be remembered. too. that ru1s
act Of quasi-jusUce took place twelve
years before the conc0rdat between the
holy see and Napoleon /. The payment.
therefore, of the clerical stipends was not
dependent so much upon concordat, but
was a recognition Of a Just debt owed
by the state to the church for appro-
priating funds, which had been producing
q revenue for the support of the clergy
and the maintenance Of worship.
Dates from the Year 1880,
"The present conflict dates from the
year 1880. When a large number OF re-
Hgious houses were closed by order Of the
government, and their occupants dis
persed. and were forced to seek religious
liberty in the land Of strangers. From
that time scarcely a year has passed
without some annoyance to the church
series OF petty acts Of discrimination
that were bound in the long run 10 call
for a protest The protest came in the
form Of a personal letter from Pope
Leo XIII to President Grevey, IN 1SS3.
which was answered courteOusIy enough
indeed, but the answer was a mere waste
Of time and paper, SO far as results were
concerned. In spite Of the pontlns rea-
sOnablc objection, the injurious laws were
passed. As far as possible. God and reH-
gion were banished from the schools and
hospitals. the oath deprived Of its reli-
glCus character. and clerics impressed in
10 the military service.
Law of 1901 Caused Untold Misery.
Next in 1901, the law Of associations
was passed. law which. as interpreted
and executed by Combes. caused untold
misery TO the thousands. as by it the
schools in charge Of religious teachers
were forced out Of existence The MEM
bers Of the different religious congrega-
tions, not only male. but female as well.
were sent forth, cast out upon the world
and obliged either 10 exc out an existence
as best they could in their own native
France, or 70 go into exile.
Many Of these were old men or old
women who had spent a lifetime within
the convent walls and were now driven
out no longer able TO begin a new career.
and with no means Of support. Finally, In
December, 1865. the concordat was dis
solved and separation Of church and
state proclaimed.
1T is essential TO bear in mind that
the concordat was genuine contract.