Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-01-22

 literary and material glory, and II these were to be essentials of re- ligion, it would seem but logical on his part to have adopted them. But on the contrary he preached a doc Urine that was at variance with much of that civilization. My kingdom, he told us, lis not of this world, and therefore if religion is to be con- sidered as an an element of progress, that which brings us nearer to Christ ought to be the proper one. And I think no religious system has the practical means of doing that as has Catholicism.
 Material progress is the out growth of many causes. In nations there is the law of growth and de- cay, a fact evidenced before either Catholicism or Professionalism exist ed. The climate has much to do with progress. Geographical posi- tion, difference of temperature, political constitutions, accidental or sources-all these leave their inn pression upon progress. And one of these is certainly powerful, viz, po- litical constitutions. And l often wonder if the so-called Protestant nations that have arisen to so high 9 scale in material prosperity had noC been backed by political power which advanced them, while re- straining Catholics, would have at tained their great growth simply be- cause of their Protestantism. 1 doubt it. Dr Davenport points to England and the United States as examples of Protestant progress. After all the bulwark of the English constitution to-day is not of Protes- tantism but of Catholicism.
 In England all that is best and grandest is her legacy from Catholi- cism, her constitution, her represen- tative government, her two houses of parliament, trial by jury, her Magma Charta. When England was "Mer- rie England" and the "Dowry of Mary" the charge brought against her by Harrison, Carlyle, Huxley, Ruskin, Conybeare, Sydney Smith and Lester could not be made. Said Sydney Smith: There is no doubt more misery, more acute suffering among the mass of the poor in Eng land than there is in any kingdom of the world" The Daily News of October 16, 1888, said: Tt is nor tifying to know that the population of Great Britain yields larger pro- portion of lunatics than any other country in Europe" John Ruskin wrote: Though we are deafened with the noise of spinning wheels and the rattle of looms, our people have no clothing; though they are black with digging fuel, they die of cold; though millions of acres are covered with ripe grain, our people die from want of bread" And this is prosperity-of the Protestant kind, that was always for Caesar, and despite the loud-mouthed pro- testations, has until comparatively recent times, enslaved the masses, individually, religiously and civilly. It would need a separate article to fully develop this idea. Suffice it now to say that the prosperity argu- ment might easily be made to prove God tickle and inconsistent. The democracy of Professionalism that DT Davenport speaks of is certainly a modern element, and the worse fea- ture since, carried to it's widest scope, it would mem the relegation of God to the regime of nonentity, if l may so speak.
 And it is certainly mak- ing a pretty broad and bold assertion that the material progress of the United States is due to Professionalism. Like in England, its basis was derived, not from Pro- testantism, but from the old Eng fish constitution of Catholic days, for the recovery of whose privileges snatched from them by Protestant nobility and royalty, the revolution of the seventeenth century took place. Moreover, the progress of the United States is not by any means the work solely of the Anglo-Saxon. Leave in the United States only what was done by the Anglo-Saxon and we would be a small potato among the nations. I doubt if we had yet achieved independence.
 Again, with Dr Davenport's i'm piled statement that Protestantism is a promoter of progress, how do We account for the fact that the Latin races that have in more re- cent times deteriorated attained a magnificent growth in the days be- fore Professionalism existed? He cites Spain as an example of retro. gression, yet Spain at the beginning of the sixteenth century equalled the progress of England in her palmies: days. What had Professionalism to dc with that progress? There was a time, too. when before Portugal knew Of Protestantism. it was said of her what is said of England to, day, that the sun never sets on he: empire. Dr Davenport cites HOl land as an example Of Protestant progress. At the beginning of the seventeenth century she was a great commercial power. Has that power declined because she has remained Protestant? The criterion ought te be made to work both ways. The fact Is the Latin races declined mol because they were Catholic. but be cause they and their government. have not remained truly Catholic sa-F Ns n. WNn.