The Washington times., 1907-08-18
Church Must Look to
Poor for Growth of
Creed.
Says There's Justice in
Prosecution of Cor
porations.
BY WILLIAM HOSTER.


dInal Gibbons, who is spending the sum-
mer at Southampton, l. J.. believes that
the Increase Of wealth In America is far
SURPRISING the spread OF religion. The
thoughtful man is invis.Ad 10 carry The
theory TO it's logical CONCLUSION for him
self. His eminence, a prince OF the
holy Roman church, IS well a5 OF the
realm OF thought. will go no further.
With his keen. far-seeing eyes look
ing into the future, he SAIL:
The man Of wealth no longer seeks
the kingdom of God. He finds his
kingdom and the joys thereof on this
Garth"
wealth, then. Is spreading faster
1hon the religion Of ChristY' ] asked.
I fear that is So" was the reply.
with what result, do you ventOre 10
say?"
Verify. a rich man shall not enter
the kingdom OF Heaven" answered the
cardinal. quoting the words Of the Man
Of Gailee.
DO you mean that that is literally
true?''
Majority Of Rich Indifferent.
"I am afraid So" said ,he cardinal.
Il do not mean that IL is impossible I
know some rich men Who are pious and
devout; but Of the great majority, it
can only be said that they are indlffer
ent as to their spiritual welfare-they
prefer the things OF the earth. of which
they have an abundance. IN the luxury
OF our civilization, they heeed not the
hereafter. They are blinded to the
truth"
II IS 10 the poor and lOwiy, Cardinal
Gibbons wen. on TO say, THAI the church
looks for the maintena . OF the true
spirit or religion But he stopped there.
and would not be led 20 say whittier the
trend OF religious Indifference among the
great and influential Of ;he nation was
leading.
The conversation had turned upon eth
ical tendencies-the spirit OF commercial
life. the ideals upon which the great,
swollen fortunes OF the country have
been founded. The cardinal pronounced
the tendencies all wrong. He severely
nrraigned the builders of the great
financial and Industrial corporations, as
laboring upon an immoral foundation
rearing their mighty structures upon the
ruins OF competition and fair play, ard
driving to despair and desperation the
young men whose means Of honest toll
are stripped from them by the methods
Of the mammoth trusts
Names Standard Oil.
lie specifically mentioned the Stand
ard OIL Company by name. and in ref
crence to Mr.. RockefeIler's statement
beginning the moral as pretext OF
Standard OTs guilt. that Standard Oil
- l.
called forth the striking utterance that
the religion or wealth has taken prece-
dence in America over the religion Of
Jesus Christ.
1.-The syllabus recently issued by the
Holy Father" 1 suggt sted, is Of world
wide interest"
The syllabus" was the reply, speaks
eloquently for itself. 1t Is clear. COM
plete. and comprehensive, and admits OF
10 explanations"
Then the attitude OF the church to-
ward modern science would be included
in your Introduction" I suggested.
Modern science is a broad question
SO broad that 1 am not disposed 10 en-
ter upon any discussion OF the matter
al this time"
Thereupon the conversation shifted
from the syllabus to the general sub
iect of religion, aud I asked II he
thought the world was growing better
or worse.
World Not Growing Better or Worse.
III It is net growing any better. was
the reply. 'assuredly, I do not thilk
Il Is growing any worse
His face lighted with a genial smile
at the noncommittal nature OF this re-
ply. He crossed his knees and bent over
as he continued.
Religion viii always exert a para
mount influence over mankind. There
are periods when the influence of re-
ugion seems TO be on the wane. and
others when it becomes the guiding
spirit In all the affairs Of life"
.Iust now" it was suggested The
tendency seems to be away from re-
ligion."
why do you say that?
Reference to Oil Trust Fine.
Rrieev recent interview with Mr..
Rockefeller was recounted. The circun-
stances cf the conviction OF Standard
Oil OF rcbating, the imposition OF the
s2qeoOO0O ane, and the defense Of Mr..
rockefeller end the other officials OF
the Oil trust which was silent as to the
refuge in the statement that the stan
dard had only done as others have done
The cardinal smiled.
"A suggestion" said he, that they go
after the other fellows also"
But not denying moral guilt was
suggested.
"Of course, I see the point he re-
marked 1T opens a fine question OF
ethics. I don't know any OF the par
ticulars Of the case, but II seems to me
that II the Standard oil Company was
guilty OF the offense charged. the fine
levied against II was none too large.
And there Is reason and justice in the
law going after the big ones first. These
big fishes are engaged in eating the lit
tie fishes up. and the just principle
seems to be TO strike at the most promi-
nent and formidable first. as an example
10 all others.
believe. however. that adequate and
prcportiopate punishment should be
meted out 10 all alike. For instance
the railroad corporations have no right