The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-05-02
THE NTERMoUNTAIN AND COLORADO CATHOLIC MAY 2, 1903

the mighty hold which Christianity has upon the
people without recognizing the work of God. GOD
puts it in the hearts of His children to be phllan
thropic to be charitable. And the hold that Chris
tianity has upon the world indicates an equal dis
position of the people cling fast to the great
principles of the true faith Man cannot be wholly
bad so long as there is single atom of the truth
remaining in him, and though the world shakes and
totters under the weight of its sins, confidence III
the Creator and His Divine Son must forever bar
the pessimistic notion that eevrything is wholly
bad.
Though the connection between spiritual and
material things is intimate the attitude of the OPP
timst may be more clearly refuted by the consider
alton of the material things which affect the ma
ton. Look about over the country, read the re-
ports of business conditions. and the evidence is
conclusive that things are not all right We read
that more than a quarter of a million freight cars
are standing idle: several thousand locomotives re-
main i'll the roundhouses that million aud half
of men--perhaps more-are unable to find work
While according to the optimst these things are
all right. they leave an unpleasant impression upon
the mind of one not gifted with the happy faculty
of seeing things as they are not.
Unless we see things as they are there can be
no possible solution of the difficulties A year ago
the railways that own the cars and locomotives
which. today unproductve fayed by an
ungenerous public for not providing equip
ment, and there work for million more men
than could be got. Perhaps the men who guide the
destinies of the railways of America forcsaw pres
emit conditions and refused to be moved from
time-worn conservatism. Under the heavy pressure
of year ago, the railroads made the best of their
condition. They seem to be making the best of
the present relaxation. In this one particular the
great American people may we'll emulate the rail
ways.
1t Is apparent that mistakes have been made
it is impossible that they should not have been IN
the transformation of an unknown country into
powerful nation. Mankind is prone to error To /
is to bar progress to correct it is
to open the way for intelligent action. Sound doc
trine of yesterday is rendered false today by new
conditions brought about by invention. 1t is i'm
possible that the conditions of today could have
been anticipated by the people of century ago. |
The basic principles of justice remain unchanged,
md cannot be altered
But the limitations which surrounded orr fore
athers the absence of conditions which make our
'resent-day national and municipal problems,
hould not be used to cloud the judgment of the
people nor to prove a lack of patriotism among
hose who would deal with those problems in the
light of today 1t is not hasty legislation, but
borough legislation; not temporary compromise
nut permanent laws, based on the principles of JUS
Ice and the experience of mankind in the progress,
the world and considered impartially. with ref
renee to the whole people, with patriotism and
nth justice for all By proftng by the mistakes
f the past, the wisdom of the present generation
an be proved and shall emerge triumphant
My when we realize these facts In the meantime,
IS well to make the best of what we have