Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-12-21
France Destroys Power Of Churches.

The Separation Law, which went
into operation in France, on the Eth
inst. has created quite Q turmoil be-
tween that government and the Roman
Catholic church. A year ago, a law
was enacted which provided that all
religious sects should within one year,
turn over all church property to pub
lie worship associations" and by that
means separate the government from
all official connection with religious
sects. The Catholics by direction OF
the Vatican, refused to form such as
socia,ions. While the church prop.
erty in this instance, valued at $780,
OOO, 900 has been lost to the church,
the State has year, until Dec. ii +,
1907, within which TO retransfer re.
ligious property to these public wor-
ship associations. 1t may seize, sell or
destroy all OF the church property not
complying with the condition, or 9th.
erwise put in in liquidation.
The Act of Disestablishment not
only sewers all connection between
church and State, but restraints or
prevents the future rise Of privately
endowed church as rival to the
State, by limiting the amount OF en-
dowment which any church may &C.
cumulate to three times its revenue
when the annual revenue exceeds
5000 francs. The financial manage
ment of the public worship associa.
ton" is subject to control of the State,
and whatever possessions they may
acquire are to be taxed. Property
devoted to charity are handed over to
the charitable institutions acting for
the public at large.
The State will save annually 49,.
500 900 In salaries, but portion of it
will be awarded in life pensions, to the
Catholic clergy. This movement I'M
der the Act of Dismemberment, is the
final step in abrogation of the con-
cordat signed by the first Napoleon
and Pope Plus VII, on July Is, 1901,
which re.essablished the church as
an institutian OF State, after its COM
plete overthrow under the Reign Of
Terror. Napoleon's modification of
the concordat placed the church al
most in condition of a department of
the government.
The gradual uprising OF Socialism
in France has been q constant menace
TO the church as an institution of the
State, and in 1881 law was passed
which hampered the meetings OF
religious congregations, and in 1901 a
decisive legislative blow was struck at
the bond uniting church and State.
This was the Associations Act"
prompted on part OF the government
by numerous couspfracies against the
Republic, to which the militant orders
of the church were alleged to have
contributed largely in funds. The
above act required the heads of all
religious orders to report to the gov
eminent the covenants Of each assoc.
iation, secret or otherwise, place OF
meeting and names OF ali members.
Penalty was dissolution of the order
and confscation Of its property. The
Pope instructed the religious orders
not to submit to the government their
ancient rules and constitution. The
result was the virtual extinction of the
great orders of the church. Some of
them placed movable property outside
the jurisdiction OF France. Out of
16, 400 religious establishments, all
but about 5000 have been outlawed
under the act, which went into effect
last week.