The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-12-25
BISHOPS IN BRITISH POLITICS.


Pioneer Press relative to the attitude
of English Catholic bishops in the
coming battle of the peers versus the
people may appear strange to Ame~i-
can readers, but to those who know
the Catholic bishops of England and
their political record there is nothing
strange in their action. With few ex-
ceptions, the Catholic bishops of Eng
land. from the time of O'Connell, who
liberated them, down to the present
day, have been Tories who have cast
their lot with the hereditary rulers Of
the Kingdom. Cardinal Manning was
the only prelate among them, to our
recollection. who espoused the cause
of the workingmen and sympathized
with Ireland in her demand for SELF
government. He is reported to have
said to an English statesman that
were he an Irishman he would have
been rebel.
What are the English Catholic
bishops saying and doing now? To
save the lords from defeat they are
dragging into the campaign the ques-
ton Of the Catholic schools and adj
dressing pastoral letters to their
focks. composed almost entirely of ex-
patrated Irishmen and their descend
ants. They call upon the Catholics to
elect members Of parliament who will
use their votes and influence to secure
fair treatment for Catholic schools.
AS the Liberals have already refus-
ed to grant the demands of the bishops
on educational matters, and the COM
ing election ID solely to decide whether
or not the Tories of the upper cham
Der shall be sustained in their action
of rejecting the Budget, the Inference
is plain that the bishops are with the
lords in their struggle against the peo-
pie. At any other. time the bishops
would be justified in appealing to the
English voters in behalf of their
schools, but just now they want to
help out the Duke Of Norfolk ard
his pals who are kicking on being tax
ed for the support of the government.
One Of the bishops, his lordship Of
Newport, DR.. Hedley. has issued poll
tical pastoral in which he says:
There is at least one principle which
may be laid down for the guidance OF
Catholics in this country, as every .
where else. The church has the right
to intervene, even in practical politics,
and when she speaks Catholics are
bound to obey. BY the church is here
meant the local authorities of the
church, that is, the authorities which
have the duty Of deciding in grave
and difcult emergencies. for example,
the bishops of the province. To con-
tend that the bishops may only pro-
nounce upon abstract questions and
may not authoritatively direct their
flock to support or oppose a concrete
and definite measure or to vote for O.:
against an existing party at an cleo
ton is to paralyze the church's arm"
Well, what do you think of tina,
from an English Catholic Tory bishop
No wonder it created something of a
sensation in England. Are Catholics
bound to obey DR.. Hedley in order thai
the Tory lords may be triumphant il
the greatest political contest of the
Goth century? OF course not. DR.. Had
ley has no right to dictate to his flock
at this time on party politics. A time
may come when it will be proper. for
him to speak out boldly and firmly on
questions affecting the Church, but
when that time comes the Irish party,
and not the Catholic bishops of Eng
land. will speak out in the British par
lament as they have frequently done
before, not to please the English
bishops, but as a matter Of justice AMI
fair play to British subjects of ev-
cry religious denomination.
DR.. Hedley knows that the Church.
meaning the English bishops, has 10
right to ask Catholics to obey it In
this battle between the people and the
peers. The leader Of the peoples
party has promised Home Rule to Ire.
land. Does DR.. Hedley suppose for a
moment that the Irish Catholics set
tied in England will obey him in vo. :
ing for the peers? If he does, he is
not practical politician. Does he
suppose that members Of the Irish
party, like Redmond. Dillon. Devlin and
O'Connor will permit him to intimidate
with impunity the Irish voters who are
the backbone of his congregation? Let
DR.. Hedle..; vote for the Tories and dis
charge his duties as citizen, but If
he Eliminates against the men who
vote and work for the success Of the
Liberals, he deserves to be repriman,'-
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