The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-02
CONTROL LOST
 BY CATHOLICS Apathy Among Preach
 Churchmenis Alleged. NO COMMAND OF THE PEOPLE Cannot Evoke Fighting Spirit of Masses.
 Recent ousr.ses Are Uasvensed and Iadinerence te Fate of EceiesIa.ti- raI Institutio.s Seems T. Be Growing.
NO COMMAND OF THE PEOPLE

Paris. Feb. 29-There is growing indifference among the French as to the
 fate of the Nations ecclesiastical in stitutions. even the most ancient and
 Innocent. Once there would have been Tremendous stir over the death of the venerable Cardinal Archibald, of Paris. In the modest house to which he had
 been driven from his palace on the Rue de Greneile. Once there would have been serious conufiict with the police over such an act as the removal of the Sisters of the Order of St. Augustine from their hospital of the Hotel Dieu. on the left bank of the Seine, opposite tho Cathedral.
 In neither case was there any out ward act on the part of the people At the time of Cardinal Richards expul- sion from the stately home which he had Inhabited for many years, the prelate was an aged and sick man. The ordinary course would have been to all low him to remain until his death, but If any such offer was made it was not accepted by the old Cardinal. who pre- ferred. apparently, to share the fate of the other members of the Catholic episcopacy. And so there was the spectacle of the head of the Church in Paris the functionary whom the Gov ernment had recognized in Concordant days, and saintiy Churchman who had always maintained a correct attitude in all controversial matters being turned out into the street at the bid- ding of Commisaire of Police, as if he
 were a person of suspected character. The occasion was seized upon by the political church party as an opportu- nitx for a manifestation but the incl dent was a regrettable sign of the tenn per of both parties, of the harshness ot the one and the itriguing spirit of the other
 Another case of anti-clerical anlmos- ity was the expulsion of the Sisters of Mercy. These women had labored long and devotedly and perfectly gratituous- ly in the cause of the sick; they were sent away as unceremoniously as if they were unworthy servants who had demanded an increase of salary. In this particular instance the Govern ment was not concerned: 1t was an affair of the City Council, under whose administration the Hotel Dieu is; but the spirit of the thing was the same. In spite of the enormous popularity of the Sisters, the demonstration was but restricted one, and, compared with the scenes of two years, or even eight cen months ago, shows how little the people care. If M. Alpy, member Of the municipal Council, Is correct, the Sisters have nursed the sick poor in hospitals within 8 hundred yards Of the same site during 1900 years. It is, indeed, considered probable that
 it was quite near there that St. Gene
 vfeye. the patron saint of Paris, nursed
 the sick and wounded of the Paris
 Ians who defended the city against tho
 army of Clovis, about 500 A. D. This
 and the other actions of the saint have
 been recorded by the painter, Puvts
 de Chavannes. on the walls of the Pan
 thson.
 The Hotel Dieu itself was founded by
 St. Landry, Bishop of Paris, on tn"
 island near Notre Dame. and for long
 time was an example to the world,
 being, perhaps, the best equipped and
 best managed. and also the richest and
 most generous, hospital existing. At
 one time in the eighteenth century as
 many as 5000 patients were in treat
 rnent at the same time. Every provis-
 ion was made for their comfort, and
 at one time a number of padded dres-
 sing gowns and many pairs Of felt
 boots were kept in stock for the use
 of patients being transferred from one
 ward to another
 TO understand tho divisions that ex-
 ist in the country there must be taken
 into account of the fact that whilst
 one-half of the population is taught
 that black iR white. the other half Is
 just as positively instructed that white
 is black. Tn the government schools
 the youthful mind Is made to venerate
 the French Revolution. to regard 1t
 is the charter of national liberties. In
 the Free" or Liberal" schools, the children are taught to execrate this pe- riod in history as the most abominable that ever disgraced mankind.
 These divisions penetrate below the surface, and attack the very unity of the home N. Jaures. who has been laundering against the Chauvinist in England and elsewher in a brilliant speech, is an instance of this mournful fact. It is an open secret that his daughter. notwithstanding the strong anti clerical views of her father, has entered religious slsterhood, whilst the mother dwells apart from the hus- band for reasons of the same sort. These problems are being fought out in many household In Franco at the present hour. It is only by a process of exhaustion that there can come re- lief The prospect of the church in France, of which Monsignor Annette is now the highest representative. is not very satisfactory if we render account of the temperament of the faithful and of that historical fact that this people is not apt for long and painful warfare in an apparently losing cause