The Irish standard., 1909-04-24

life. Patriotism bids us to preserve
and strengthen these forces. "Of all
tho dispositions and f1abits,' said
Washington, in his Farewell Address,
(Which lead to political prosperity. re-
ligions and morality arc Indispensable
supports. In vain would that man
claim tho tribute Of patriotism who
should labor to subvcrt these great
pillars of human happiness, these
firmest props Of the duties OF men and
citizens-Reason and Experience both
forbid us to expect that national NOR
ality can prevail in exclusion of re.
ligious principles" Morality and re-
ligion are, then, the soul of good citi-
zenship. Knowing this, cX-Prcsident
Roosevelt, as the country camc to rea-
liZe did splendid work by preaching
and practice to impress upon the ma
ton this fundamental truth. They
who keep tho '"rcn Commandments"
violate no civil law and arc prompt to
respond to every call OF duty. There
Il
President as a moral teacher. that was
not in fullest accord with the tcach-
ing of the Catholic Church.
Our form of government depends
for its support upon sound moral
principles and practice based on reli
gion. 1T is the mission of the Church
tf, nt< kIor
pies. by SO doing she becomes tho
best safeguard and strongest bulwark
of government. ..Y.
Respect for authority Christian
education, tho purity and holiness OF
domestic lifc--thcsc arc tho three
standards upheld by tho Catholic
Church. They arc also tho surest
foundation upon which a government
of tho people may safely rest.
Teach men respect for authority
teach them that authority is divine.
Teach them "thcrc is no power but
from God" Form and educate the con-
science OF mon. Incu1cato a revcr-
cncc for those who arc vested WITH
lawful authority and more Is done for
checking lawlcssncss and controlling
mobs, than can be done by building
Drcadnoughts increasing an army or
multiplying battlcshps. ...
What lesson has the Catholic
Church for those In high places Of
power or wealth? For those at the
head Of great enterprises who by their
position can exercise a wide Influence
Church to say to tho greedy capitalist
who is unjust to labor? She says this:
let men in power and place, know their
power is from God and that they are
but stewards for Him" of those
goods and gifts which they must not
abuse and for which they must one
day render an account.
She tells them that If they abuse
their power if they enact laws and
impose hard and unjust conditions on
labor, il they exercise their privileges
harshly and unjustly they have be-
trayed a sacred trust. Let corpora
tions be animated by the spirit and
principles Of the gospel and how many
evils that now cry aloud for redress
will be remedied; how much suffering
done away with; how many tears
dried up; how many bruised and
broken hearts healed? Let the rich
learn that money and wealth arc
loaned by God not for avarice, or am
bition. or lust, but that they are the
stewards Of the Heavenly Father, and
that one day they will have to give
strict account Of their stewardship,
Would not this get rid of much of our
dishonesty in business and give us,
what we so badly need, public con-
science which would demand justice
all around for both laborer and cap
italist?
On the training Of the youth of the
land the Catholic Church says that