Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-15
RESISTANCE TO LAW.

The situation IN France does not APP
pear TO improve, Notwithstanding the
change Of ministry. The Pope is re-
ported TO have expressed himself to the
effect that he sees bad days ahead
for the Catholics of the country.
Tho clergy seem determined to resist
to the utmost the execution Of the sep
aration law, az relating 10 the taking
Of inventories Of church property. The
bishop Of Marseilles. when the local aii-
thorities attempted to carry out the
law met them, clothed IN his ecclesi-
astlcal vestmcnt. as a Roman pontiff Of
OH IL said 20 have gone out to meet
the conquering hordes from Asia who
oyerran Italy lie ordered them not
to enter the cathedral, and denounced
tho law And then he added Here
before the altar, | announce that | am
prepared to suffer Imprisonment exile
or death, In defending the rights of
the church, And. undoubtedly. the
venerable prelate meant every solemn
word he uttered.
The effect Of this bold stand by one
Of the leading clergymen will be to
arouse imitation. From some places
In the country It is reported that the
people are preparing for armed resist
anCe to the authorities. Doors OF
churches are being barricaded, and
strong gratings are being fastened
across the windows. The civil author
tiles viii have to use force, TO enter
such places, and II they do, there will
IN all probability be bloodshed. In
fact in one church armed men have
been installed. prepared for long
siege
The situation Is peculiar The cath
Ollie leaders appear to be In undisguised
rebellion. in their resistance to the
Inventory clause OF the separation law.
Bur they may give this excuse for their
position: In France the majority Of the
people are Catholics. The law, there
fore, does not express the sentiments
Of the majority, as It certainly ought
TO do IN country with republican
form OF government It was carried
against tho wishes Of great portion
OF the taxpaying citizens, and may
therefore Justly be considered a tyrau-
meal measure, although regularly en-
acted by the lawmakng body. We may
believe IN the necessity Of keeping
church and state separate and hope for
the final triumph Of that principle In
every land, but for minority to force
the majority into submission 10 any
regulation affecting largo interests IL
not right or consistent. at least I'm a
republic. To do so Is but to initiate
Russian methods by which very few
aristocrats condemn all the rest of
their fellow.countrymen to virtual
servitude The Catholic priests In
France speak for the majority OF the
people, when they defy the particular
law in question, That is their defense.
We hope the new French ministry
VIII find way Of reconciling the varl-
Gus factions In the interest Of the coun-
Try. No one can find pleasure in acts
Of religious persecution, and particu-
larly not In countries that should lead
in the progress OF mankind toward a
universal brotherhood such acts mean
rerogression, And they viii finally
hurt the authors and originators Of
taem. Bismarck engaged IN "Kulmr-
kampf and thought he had tu-
umphed, when he succeeded in incarcc.
rating a high ecclesiastical anita gonist.
But he had ample time afterwards
when hurled away from tho affairs OF
state ns WORKOUT glove, 10 reflect
upon the mistake Of persecution. The
French ministers should profit by such
examples