The sun., 1906-12-24
WORSHIP BILL DEFECTIVE.
FRENCH SENATE mas NiNY HARD
POINTS TO SETTLE.
Abolition Of Christmas Midnight Mass
ENcItes No Protest People Seem Con-
tent with Use or Churches on Cow
crnment federation Vatican Firm.
.sp,cmi cat.c Despatch to THE sun


spfclaI CdLic Despatch 10 THE SUN.
PARIS, Dec. 23-The haste with which
the new religious bill was drawn up and
rushed through the Chamber of Deputies
is producing its natural results. 1t is now
plain that many difficult points were left
undiscussed and many contingencies un-
provided for.
This is not surprising in 80 intricate a
question. but it is moro than surprising TO
find that the bill, as printed in the official
journal, misrepresents on essential points
the hill as voted by the Chamber.
There ara two forms of Associations
Cultuclles those formed under the Law of
1901 and those formed under the law of
1905. The bill as originally drafted gave
the former a claim on the free use OF
churches, and an amendment was carried
giving the latter the same privileges. The
official version gives the amendment as
If it we're the original clause and omits any
reference % associations under the law
of 1901.
This il declared TO be an oversight, which
may he rectifled by the Secretary General
of the Chamber when he sends the text
to the Senate. but il emphasizes the diff
cult les of attempting to understand the
real significance Of the bill and gives
strength to the hopes expressed by the
Moderate press that the Senate will take
time over the bill and att empt TO lll in the
gaps which the different factions say exist.
II IL noticeable that the abo lition of the
midnight Christ mas mass has not produced
any protest. Some of the Bishops, in annul-
ling this mass expressed fear that the unrily
elements would take the opportunity to
profane il by making trouble. Critics have
said that this was done as a means to induce
the most sincere Catholics to resent the
conditions which moved the Bishops to such
a move but If such was the object il has
failed.
Columns might be cabled daily on the
Church situation, as scores of columns are
published here. They would tell little
real news, but they could recite opinions
and campaign arguments ad libtum. Paris
in calm, and up TO late hour this cvenirg &
no information has come from the provinces.
Parisans, in fact, appear 10 be more in
terested in buying Christmas gifts than in
worrying over the salvation of their inn
mortal souls
The law of hebdomadary repose. which
in few months has transformed the out
ward aspect OF Paris, although still far
from making IL a city of such Sunday dead
ness as London or Brooklyn, was violated
with impunity to-day. People made pur-
chases not, as formerly, purely for New
Years Day, but avowedly as Christmas
presents The newspapers speak in italics
of Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
explaining them as happy English ex-
pressions and people seem TO be more in
this seasonal spirit than sorrowful over the
unhappy state into which has fallen the
ancient church of France
To be sure, deeper feelings may be hidden,
but 1t is difficult for the unprejudiced TO find
any great dissatisfaction with the existing
conditions as ordained by the Government
and sustained by the Chambers action.
If the churches were closed there IL every
indication that France would be infamed,
but strange as it may see m 10 those who
have thought France bound unquestioningly
To the traditional faith as minutely declared
by the Vatican, Frenchmen appear 10 feel
that with the churches open they have az
much right in them and to them AZ Aneri-
cans feel about their churches.
The Temps says this evening it is author
ized 10 deny the statement, widely pub
lished as emanating from Rome, TO the effect
that the French Government had addressed
a note To the Powers explaining the reasons
for its search OF Mgr. Montagnini's effects
and his expulsion from the country. The
paper says the Government has no intention
of sending any such note.
A special envoy who wss sent 10 Rome
by the Temps telegrarhs that the feeling
in Rome is that private exercise of re-
ligion must he resorted to in France. as
Rome regards the churches az closed.
He adds that the feeling there is that Fri
days vote in the Chamber Of Deputies
settles nothing. and that in one, ten, or
fifty years the minimum of guarantees
demanded by the Pope must he granted.
II must he said that develop rents in
France do not indicate that the people
at large concern themselves deeply with
this thoughtful care for the more or less
distant f. lure.