The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-01-05
THE FRENCH SITUATION.

ms, Archbishop ireland showed that
knowledge of French politics. Amcri-
cans OF all shades of religious belief
have long conceded that the Archbish-
op of ST. Paul is one Of the greatest
thinkers along domestic, political lines
in the country; few, perhaps, suspected
that he has a thorough grasp OF the
world politics.
The Archbishops lecture was a
thoughtful conservative exposition of
the present situation between the
Church and State in the Republic of
France. He. Of course. maintains that
right and justice are on the side OF
the Church. but he did not fail to point
out the mistakes that the Church III
France has made. His explanation of
the provisions of the Concordat was
clear and concise. His demonstration
that the stipends which have been paid
to the clergy of France for the last
hundred years were not gratuities, but
payments of an honest debt, was con-
elusive. His statement Of the motives
ana purposes which actuate the pres
ent French government allows no sue
cessful denial. He made it plain to
the vast congregation that the fight
now in progress is not one against
Catholicism alone. but against Chris
tanity and religion in every form. He
showed that Protestants and Jews in
France have protested against the in
justice Of the present law.
But the most interesting and in
structive portion OF the lecture was the
Archbishop's explanation Of how the
Catholic nation Of France happens to
have an infidel government. He knows
better than any other American,
France and it's people. He lived there
and received his education there. His
carly education there has been sup
plemented by Il more or less close In
tilnacy with the French ration in later
years. What he has to say in refer
encc to the cause of the present fight
in Franco and it's probable result is
worthy of close attention. Speaking
OH this point. the Archbishop said:
Il know France from the channel to
the Mediterranean; know her cities
and her villages; L know her people
her arstocracy, her bourgeoise. and
her peasantry-and know them to be
Catholic. How, then, explain the DO
litical situation? There are several
causes to be noted. The masses are not
used to political life. For ages they
were governed; they do not compre-
bend the art of governing.
Put q party in power-it names
the hundreds of thousands of officials
from the project Of department to
tho humblest school teacher, to the
| village constable; they obey the order
received from Paris; they speak to the
crowds around them--crowds who read
little, who think little, and the crowds
in their turn obey the mandate. An
independent. seit-argued suffrage has
not entered inro the popular life. Nor
is there among the masses the ambi-
ton to gain political victory.
Paris for century and a half has
ruled France; establish new regime,
monarchiai or republican, in Paris this
evening, the provinces awaken tomor-
row morning, monarchial or republican.
1t will require long years to decentral-
lie power in France, to give to each
| citizen consciousness OF personal in
dependence, and to obtain through uni
versal suffrage true expression of
national will.
"Thcre is no other country where
we'll organized and stirring fraction of
the population can sway so easily the
| masses and impose upon them its will
1.-The clergy who arc now the chief
sufferers are much to blame. The too,
have retained, even at the altar and in
the pulpit. the spirit of passive obe-
dience inherited from OLD regimes. Adj
mirable in teaching the cateclisn, in
administering the sacraments they have
never learned tho virtues of public life,
the have never quickened beneath the
activities of tho battlefield. Their cx-
ample and their preaching have lief.
their disciples in the same passivity and
these know nothing of the public de-
tense of principles; saints before the
altar, they are towards before the cleo
toral urn.
Then, French Catholics have been
unfortunate in man of their leaders