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

there is no redress except in political
agitation for a change in the existina
government or by an appeal to public
opinion by passive resistance to the
law or by a revolution. Those are
the only ways of fighting tyrannical
legislation in France
The question was asked the other
day, "Why do not the French people
| obey the law as the Americans do?"
The answer is plain. In France laws
have been passed violating in the most
brutal way the sacred right Of liberty
of conscience. If such things could
and did happen in America there would
be resistance here, too, but so effective
and so vigorous that such laws could
never be again attempted. insist
upon this very simple distinction. 1t
explains the whole situation.
We have no.f formal concortlat in the
United States; ut~we-have something
| much better. There is here a. voluntary
entente cordials between the Church
and the State founded on mutual re-
spect. The American people are essen-
TALLY religious. though protesting dir
ferent creeds, and the value OF religion
in the formation Of good citizenship
is freely acknowledged and acted o,..
We can scarcely conceive of an atheist
or infidel government in America try
ing to use the great powers Of gov-
eminent for the destruction and extir-
patton Of religion in the country.
But in France the Act Of Separa.
ton is the eliminating act of a long
series of attempts by an inf1del govern-
ment to drive religion from French
life. Let there be no mistake about
this. This is no UNCONVENTIONAL fight
between Protestants and Catholics.
Religion is represented in France
mainly by the Catholics, other
denominations being comparatively
few in number. But the govern
n1ent is not Protestant. 1t is infidel.
and is fighting all denominations, in
cluding the Jews, in this bill. What
are the facts?
A few words as to the law OF asso-
Citations Of July 1, 1901, will serve to
illustrate the character Of the French
Government and it's intentions in the
present bill.
The purpose of the government TO
bring about separation Ct Church and
State was steadily pursued at least
since 1899, but il was thought the peo-
pie were not sufficiently prepared for
it. This is shown by the public declar-
alton of NJ. Waldeck- and his
successor, NJ. Combes, the two Prime
Ministers under whom the law Of as
sociations was passed and the religious
congregations suppressed.
M. Waldeck- Rousseau declared in a
sitting of the Chamber on December z,
1899, that the passing Of the law Of as
sociations was a necessary preface to
the separation Of Church and State.
M. Combes said in a speech in the
Chamber of Deputies, on January IA,
1905: Il have always been in favor OF
the separation Of Church and State.
But when I entered into office (June
2, 19c2), I thought that public opinion
was not sufficiently ready for this re-
form. 1 considered it necessary to
lead up to it."
Now, how was it led up to?
The bill of associations was first pre-
sented by Waldeck- on No
venlber 90, 1899, and passed; promul-
gated July 1, 1901. 1t had some little
fairness on the face Of it. It purported
to be bill suppressing all religious
associations which had not obtained Of
fetal recognition.
It was suggested that the bill was
only a pretense for the arbitrary sup-
preston Of the congregations and the
confiscation of their property. TO this
NJ. waldeck-Rousseau replied. in the
Senate on June 13, 19o1:-