The Irish standard., 1908-11-28


and letter sent to the President by
them taking him to task for his re-
cent utterance. Usually it is well to
ignore criticism of thfs sort, and this
is particularly true where the critic
who disliles you must invent the
ground of his criticism, and in this
particular case the complaint primarily
was based on bigotry.
"Inasmuch as the letter to President
Roosevelt has been spread broadcast
by the press. however, it seems to me
reply is called for-is demanded. The
best answer can be found in the ex-
ample Of the Catholic church itself, a.
church whose fundamental principles
are based on obedience to the word of
God and strict adherence to the laws
Of the nation.
ut is a church which aims to up'ift
humanity, and its success as q church
depends upon the fidelity Of its people,"
= The Chicago Tribune of Now 10 gives
more extended report Of Mr.. Cock
rams speech and fifty characterized it'll
as being mot a defense, not an apol-
ogy, not an excuse, but laundering.
aggressive, exultant challenge The
same journal declared his address "tl,e
oratorical effort of lifetime" It is
true moreover that ''w1en the orator
from New York stepped out before
them and announced that he was going
to take up the gage flung down by the
Lutheran synod of Brooklyn in thei:
letter to President Roosevelt and in the
resolution OF the Baptist minister's
conference to be discussed next Mon
day." storm of cheers swept over the
assemblage that showed that he had
struck a chord near the hearts of his
hearers.
His speech was comprehensive ex-
position OF the position of the Roman
Catholic church toward the state from
the time of Constantine down to the
year of our Lord 1908. He took up in
detail the charges made by the minis
tiers. He taught a whole course in me-
dieva1 history. The scores of prelates
on the platform behind him leaned for
ward listening intently, too absorbed to
even applaud.
He declared that all free institutions
are the natural, inevitable result Of the
teachings Of Christ. He traced back
the constitutions of modern times to
church influences. He told of the i'm
reference Of the church with the state
and gloried in it, declaring that if the
same situations arose again the church
would with all the power at her COM
mand again interfere.
He outlined the danger that he saw
before the republic and declared that
only the continuance Of the faith Of
Christ in the hearts of men could pre-
serve the thing that that faith had
br ought forth. In conclusion, he took
up the charge that Pope Leo XIII. and
S'P0 1Auo 40 1ldu 6tdtou INdL tue
church and state could not be separat.
ed and declared:'
mo. they cannot be separated. Never
as long as democratic governments are
relied upon to rule men. It is true that
their organizations may be separated.
But they are inherently inseparable
and interdependent. It is true that the
state need no longer support the
church. But under democratic gov
ernment the church must ever be the
mainstay of the state.
1T is time that there should be a.
plain, clear. unmistakable, unanswer-
able definition Of the Catholic position
Gil this important point" he said, after
referring to the letter Of the Lutheran
synod and the resolution of the Bap-
tist ministers. There should be a
statement as to what attitude Catl,o-
lies should take in this matter; not
the position some may assume, but the