The Washington herald., 1908-01-04

He was always keenly alive TO the
affairs Of the country, and took vital
interest in social. economic and political
questions. 1t was in November Of 1905
that we fell TO talk one evening about
the manifestations Of social unrest ex-
emplifed by the ballots cast at the recent
election against the regime under which
| the United States was, at that time. en-
/ joying unexampled prosperity.
/ The result Of those elections seemed to
show that there was a large section Of
| the people throughout the United States
dissatisfied that there was a wide &c
ceptance OF the gospel Of discomfort. On
such a subject as this, so close 10 the
heart Of the people, and so necessary to
be understood and reckoned with by those
to whom the task had fallen of guiding
and teaching the people, Father Stafford
| had decided views. That the spirit Of
unrest was manifest he saw clearly, and
/ in talking 10 me, he said;
what is to be the result, the Ulti-
/ mate outcome. Of this movement Of
/ unrest? Is it 10 ruin. to disintegrate
society as it now exists? Will il build
up. re-create. improve. or is it an I'M
/ pulse not easily to be controlled. in
/ the direction OF ruin. blaCkneSs. and
I despair?
-'The result depends altogether upon
| the trend given by the leaders Of the
world TO the forces that have come
/ into existence; on the leaders OF
thought of wealth. Of politics. of re-
/ ligion. Of power. Upon every enc who
/ has the slightest influence rests a ire
mendous responsibility for the future
/ He pointed out, too, that the spirit Of
unrest inspired by a realization of the
antagonism between the forces Of wealth
and poverty had brought about the social
/ discomfort that was at that time mani
/ fest, And ne said:
Another sort of social discomfort is
the daughter Of religion. It consists
of a general desire, Never so univer-
sal in the world as said the late
Pope Leo XIII, on the part Of every
man to do all and everything than can
be done for the bettermeHt OF each
member of the human race.
/ II was, Of course, impossible for man
Ike Father Stafford 70 realize so fully
/ the evil of social discomfort without hav-
ing something TO say as to a remedy He
did not believe that any radical social
change was necessary, but said:
There are a thousand and enc theo-
ries advocated. from the widest. most
fanatic, and Utopian dreams, TO the
dlvinest love, expressing itself in the
spirit exemplifed by His Holiness,
the Pope, desiring at all times to lift
the dropping head, bind up the broken
heart. and to pour oil and balm of
religion and love into the wounds of
suffering humanity"
Thus far he was giving his point Of
view as a citizen of the United States
an intensely loyal one, and one who be-
lieved lovingly and optimistically in the
future of his country. 1t was, of course
inevitable that he should also express the
point of view of the Churchman in such
a matter, and, speaking now as priest
Ire said;
I'VE must, first OF all, approach the
question with profoundest sympathy
IN direct accordance with the funde-
mental principles of Christianity
sympathy. love liberation The love
Of God for man, the love of man for
Cod; the love of man for fellow
man Remember that no matter how
impossible of realization may be the
scheme of regeneration advocated by
socialist, anarchist, reformer-call him
what you Will; however wild and Wis
i0nary the theory expressed, however
hateful even the solution proposed It
may be advocated by man blinded
By error. perhaps. but with a heart
that desires only to benefit mankind;
by a soul that is striving manfuIly
toward the light as he sees it.
we must never answer hate by
hatred. and we must come fIily TO
understand that among men who hold
the widest theories concerning the
correction of our evils there is a gen
eral and widespread desire to benefit
the poor and lowly. which. among ali
our sorrows, conflicts. and difficulties.
is the real honor and glory OF our
age"
Militant always in the cause of right
against wrong, Father Stafford was of
so loving and tender a nature that it was