Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-04
CATHOLICS RESENT OLD LAWS
Strong Feeling in England Over Atti-
tude Of Government.
AGITATION BEGUN FOR REPEAL
Interference with Procession Of
E~ucharistIc ArOuses
strong Feeling In Nation
oddities OF Statutes.

LONDON. oct. 3.-(specisl)-Attention
has been focused here upon the many
ridiculous law against Catholics which
still exist on the statute books and which
rival in absurdity the famous blue laws
Of New England, by the recent govern
ment ban upon the carrying OF the host
through London streets at the conclusion
Of the Eucharlstic congress. Although
many Of the most obnox. Gus disabilities
under which Catholics smarted years ago
were repealed when the act OF Catholic
emancipation went into effect in 1879, a
number Of petty prosecutions still remain
In force.
The great majority of them are obsolete
and no one would dream OF attempting to
enforce them, but 1t is pointed out that
practically the same thing held true OF
the law which prohibited a Catholic cere-
monial parade in the public streets until
the Eucharistic controversy resurrected 1t
out OF the hoary past. Influential Catho-
lies are determined to be on the safe side
hereafter and will appeal to Parliament
when IT reconvenes to repeal the laws
which place them at a disadvantage.
One OF the most extraordinary OF the
Catholic disabilities" is that which makes
It unlawful for a Roman Catholic to pos
1NH6 a aAhC at AAOAk thai eeos any p"
one can seize a Catholics horse and, by
simply offering the Catholic SIS. may make
off with the property. Even the Derby
winner would ave to be parted with by
its owner. were the latter a Catholic, as
was the case this year.
Curious Marriage Statutes.
With reference to the marriage laws some
curious statutes still exist. For instance,
aanaAatA- o., -. - - n 49, -
King William III any Protestant woman
having an interest in land who marries
without a declaration before a magistrate
that her husband was a known Protest
ant must suffer the forfeiture Of her es-
tates to the next Protestant heir. This
curious law is never. complied with in these
days, simply because no one considers II
still to be in force, Very few marriages
In England are solemnized in such a way
as to include this obsolete statutory dec
l%aration, and the consequence Is that the
property of women who have married
Catholics is subject to forfeiture to Prot
estants.
Another obsolete law il that all Cath.
Ollie places Of worship in England to.
day must be certified before a registrar
and there is also an old statue which for.
bids Catholics holding meetings with locked
doors. This was originally Intended to pre-.
vent secret plotting but few Catholic
places Of worship in modern times compl,
with these conditions. Though the door
are not locked, none of these places eve
considers II necessary to register in &C
cordance with the old law. Another Law
still In force against Catholics is that the,
are not to hold office in certain schools
Several Of the schools mentioned in tn,
statute have had. for some years, Romai
Catholics as teachers In certain depart
ments Of science.
One law which bears very heavily OF
Catholics Of the present day in England
is that which requires them to pay "tithes.
This form of taxation is for the express
purpose of supporting the Established Stat
Church OF England. Catholics are not ex
empt from tithes, and every year larg
amounts are collected from them in orde
to maintain an opposition denomination.
License fer Jesuits,
An old statute still requires that all mem
bers Of the Jesuit denomination in Englan
must be licensed" II they fail to com
ply with this regulation they are subjec
TO Punishment. There are a number o
Jesuits in England who never think o
complying with this old legal regulation
Catholics in England are Furthermore for
hidden to take an oath to the pope, no
must they contribute towards the upkee
OF the Vatican. Every year Catholic
throughout the world raise a fund know
as Peters Pence" and though at the pres
ent time a. large portion of this fun
comes from Catholic England, the fun