Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-23
orhna iANDs THAN ouRs.

The remsrleabIe unanimity Of the French
chambers in approving Minister Brands
policy OF Cancellation toward religious
bodies evidences the keen anxiety OF prac-
teal politicians to eliminate the religious
question from the sphere Of politics. From
the moment the separation law went into
effect I'm December last the government
sought to make enforcement as easy as the
terms of the law permitted. Two modi-
ficatons OF the law were made with a
view to ailayinR the natural ana justiiable
Indignation If the church against eviction
and oonfiscation. Neither OF these amend
ments directly recognized the principle of
undisturbed ecclesiastical control Of the
churches taken over by the state, but they
constituted an abandonment Of the policy
Incorporated In the separation law, viz:
Deprlving bishops of control of church
edihces. which is essential for the main
tenance of church discipline. They served
well as a truce to strife and opened the
way for negotiation and settlement, on the
basis OF eighteen-year leases. In a material
sense the church has lost heavily in the
contest with the state. Churches and
Summaries, the homes OF priests and blsh-
ops, have been despoiled. All these, doubt
less. will be restored under the lease sys-
tenn. Church funds have been confiscated,
and system of clerical pensions arnulled.
But the church has gained enormously in
the esteem OF the world by its deteriIdned
stand against political manipulation, by its
remarkable unity and by its readiness TO
sacrifice material things for principle. The
state has accomplished all II was justified
in seeking-separation of church and state.
In leading a retreat on nonessentlals the
ministery acknowledges a truism as old as
acknowledgements Is the seed Of
the church."
Under the terms Of the Irish land act of
1903 the sale of estates is optional with
the owners. Many landlords accepted the
terms of the law and disposed of their
estates. Although the terms offered were
In many Instances exceptionally favorable
to the landlords. a great number of the
absentees refused to sell on any terms. one
Of the number, classed as the most odious
rackrenter on the island, is the marquis
of Clanricarde, owner Of thousands of UNI
cultivated acres in County Galway. The
government regards this idle land a menace
to the welfare of the people and has
served notice on the marquis that unless
he consents to sell the government will
exercise what Americans will call the right
of eminent domain, set price on the
property and take 1t for the public good.
Mr.. Birrell, the new chief secretary for
Ireland, announces that IL peaceful per-
suasion fails he will present a measure
fashioned on the style of the Bombay court
in India, whereby the management of
estates Injurious to the property or the
well being of tenants is taken over by the
state. Naturally the marquis is indignant
and his wrathful expressions echo through
the corridors of his bachelor palace in
London. lie denounces the suggestion Of
Mr.. Blrrell as naked despotism, "a relic
Of eastern barbarism" The lamentations
of the noble Crouch excites little sympathy.
as his agrarian methods in Ireland are
regarded as the worst specimen of absentee
landlordism.
It has been practically settled that the
second Hague conference will begin June
Is and last for two months, Prof. de Mar
tens. who is canvassing the sentiment of
the powers to see whether they accord
with the Russian point of view. is now in
London. He has yet to visit The Hague,
Rome and Vienna, before returning to ST.
Petersburg. In an interview with a repre-
sentative of lie Temps of Paris he placed
himself on record saying. on behalf of
the Russian government. that the said gov
erpment had no intention of opposing the
discussion of limiting ornaments, however
II might think that the time was i'll chosen
for such a discussion. This discussion. the
Russian professor thought, will complicate
the program OF the conference. as will the
discussion of the Drago doctrine.
at seems to me-" said Prof de Mar
tens that the discussion OF these ques-
lions can have no practical result, in either
case, especially In the case of the limita-
ton Of ornaments. Because my govern
ment was OF that opinion, It has put neither
question down for discussion I believe 1
am right in saying that large number Of
other powers are of the same way of think
ing. In Berlin they think as we do. II l
remember rightly NJ. Leon Bourgeois and
his colleagues propounded a similar thesis
in 1899. It is to be desired that at con-
crosses in which so many take part, only
problems which 1t is possible to resolve
should be discussed. The Limitation OF
ornaments is not one of these problems,
since the opposition of one power alone is
enough to prevent Its adoption and also be-
cause. no matter how you strive to give 1t
juridical character 1t has an essential
political import"
Weekly concerning the Anglo-Japanese ALI
ance and it's bearing on a possible struggle
between the United States and Japan, char
acterizes the talk of Great Britain's being
involved in such a potential struggle as
absolute nonsense" The American papers,
he says, seem to have exercised themselves
both unnecessarily and irrationally. The
English papers, he says. have avoided dis
cussing the matter. mot because-it is too
awkward to be discussed. but because there
is nothing I'm 1t to be discussed" Mr..
Brooks calls attention 20 the fact that the
objects OF the Anglo-Japanese agreement
would not for a moment admit of such
interference in the event OF a war between
this country and Japan. These objects are,
first, "the consolidation and maintenance
OF the general peace in the regions Of
eastern Asia and OF India" secondly, there
Is 1.-The preservation of the common inter
ests of all powers in China" Thirdly, there
is "the maintenance of the territorial
rights of the high contracting parties in
the regions of eastern Asia and India and