The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-30
BISHOPS MAKE
4 PROPOSITION
French Government Rejects It
and Church Matters Remain
as They Were.
MAJORITY BACKS BRAND
MINISTER EXPLAINS HIS PRES.
EMIT POSITION.

Taris. Jan. s9.-The proposition which
The French bishops, with the approval
81 thc pope. have nov submitted To the
rorernInerr secu,s T. OFFER the first
rsl Prospect cf an adjustment of the
,OHriict between church and state under
o., separation regime While it in
wolves material modification OF the
position taken in the last papaI en-
cyCliC6l the proposition put forward
has All! the appearance OF On ultimatuIn.
Wheth n the government in spite OF the
concessions made and making i'm the in
teTgst or peace. viii accept 2 settlement
based on the adequate recognition of
The Roman hierarchy remains to be
seen. The model contract which the
bishops have submitted provides for
tho virtual lease # The churcl, and II,
Verpstuity Of the parish priests bv the
mayors. Tive leases being Tor eighteeri
years. The leases, which carry a stip-
ul3tiOu engaging the communal mn
uicipal and state authorities not TO IN
terfefe With the administration of tho
church and parish, are subject t., the
Express ratification OF the bishop and
become null the moment the parish
priest loses the bishops authorization.
The bishops must act together TO in
sure the acceptance of the contracts
everywhere or nowhere.
EmphsticaIly Rejected.
The response made tonight by Minis
ter OF Education BRAND TO the declara-
ton of the bishops was short and un-
mistakably clear. The minister said:
The conditions are unacceptable"
This rejection Of the proffered settle
ment was voiced in the course Of the
debate in the chamber of deputies on
the new public meetings bill the first
section OF which was adopted by ar
overwhe lining majority This bill rro-
vides for the holding Of meetings of al
kinds at any hour without previous dec
lgration.
The extreme socialists made vain en-
deavors 10 exclude religious services
from the scope of the bill, which they
declared TO be a concession TO the vat
lean. NJ. BRAND denied vigorously
however, that he was conceding tC
clerical pressure. and pointed out tn,
difficulties that would follow the ex
clusiOns OF. one. body Of French citizens
from the rights granted to other bodies
OF citizens. He declared he always hat
been moderate and conciliatory an,
even generous toward the church. an,
that he had thereby obtained the sup
bort of the country. When the church
however. entered ON illegal paths. n,
had changed his attitude and tn.
church suffered defeat.
Statement of BRAND.
The minister then proceeded to ex
plain his present attitude concerning
the decisions Of the French episcopate
He said.
The threatening tone and the bru.
tality of the declaration Of the bishop.
has struck me as well as you. The con.
ditiCns are unacceptable. An importan
point Is the circumstances under which
they were laid down. TIE bishops
caused the pope TO adopt a declaration
admitting the possibility of an arrange
ment with the local authorities i'm tn,
use OF churches, which previously ha,
been declared impossible. That is no
the position of a victor.
Tho government has placed TIT
church in a legal position in spite o
herself. and that difficulties have arisel
and viii continue to arise is not sur
prising. The cabinet will face thes,
difficulties. thanks 10 the support Of thu
majority in the chamber. The opinion
of this majority is clear. even II TIT
text OF the bishops enacments are
not"
The chamber adjourned at midnight