The San Francisco call., 1909-09-19

arisen over the discovery. of the north
pole, and the universal demand for a
competent tribunal to settle the dis
pute, we see history repeating 1tseif
once more. For this is precisely what
happened in the middle ages when
Alexander VI drew his famous imag-
mary line dividing the new world be-
tween rival explorers. but with this
great difference: In the present case
the dispute is between citizens of the
same country over an imaginary point
on the earth's surface, and threatens
nothing more serious than a weary
war of words; while in the earlier
case it was a contest between rival
nations whose border lines were COM
tiguous, and whose dispute was not
over an imaginary point in space, but
over the division of vast continents,
and threatened the shedding of rivers
of blood. and endless warfare among
the civilized nations of the world, OF
which Spain and Portugal were at
that time the two leading powers
The question was referred for ar
bitration to the papacy. which was
then the most enlightened, and the
most universally recognized and re-
spected moral power in the world; and
in the person of Alexander VI Il Is
sued that famous decree in which, py
the mere drawing of an imaginary line
through space. bloodshed was aVerteu'
and the lasting peace of christendom
was secured.
Nothing could have emphasized the
wisdom and utility of this action, or
proved that the power of the pen
(even in the drawing an lmaginary
Jine) is mightier than the sword, than
this twentieth century controversy over
the discovery of the north pole Inc
need for a universal court of arbltra-
tf,6a " 1
middle ages.
a letter from spain brings graphic
account of recent events in Barcelona
from which we quote the foiioWihs
paragraphs: -,x,.
mo pen can picture the .err,ple
scenes in Barcelona during the last
week Thirty-five or forty converts
at the very least. were sacked and
destroyed The nuns were driven
through the streets, insulted and NAL
treated brutally People feared TO IN
yite them into private homes, as II
would have brought the wrath OF the
mob upon themselves Some OIL the
poor unfortunates found refuge in the
iail. The Jesuit college and churcn
were stormed day and night, but three
brave lay brothers, with many Cathohc
men to aid them, stood heroically Dy
the buildings and poured forth such
an intense fire from their muskets tnal
the republicans were forced TO retire
after each attempt"
"In one pueblo the Christian brothers
were driven, stripped to the waist,
through the streets and scourged with
whips"
August the writer adds: Il think
the danger is now past. Quiet every
where. though three provinces are un-
der martial law"
During the recent earthquake panic
in Tuscany, Italy, the newspapers, even
the most anti-religious. turned TO
number of learned priests for informa-
ton calculated to calm the people, and
in their special issues after the shock
it was: Father Alfani says this, Faith
er Monacesi says that and Father Meif
SAYS so and so"; for it seems that the
clergy of Italy have practically monop-
olized the science of seismology In that
country.
The official statistics now being pub
lished by the United States government
reveal the fact that Catholics form
third of the religious population OF this
country and number almost four times
as many as the next ranking body. the
Methodists.
The figures further show that in six
teen states the Catholics form ma
iority of the church membership. viz:
New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode
Island. Montana. Massachusetts,. Ne
vada. Arizona, New York, Louisiana.
Connecticut. California, Vermont,
Maine, New Jersey, Wisconsin and
Michigan In Wyoming and Colorado
the largest proportion, although not
majority, of the church members are
Catholics.