The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-16

OF His Eminence's personality, his In
nuence. his American spirit, the cardi-
nal on church and state, on political
morality. his books and his attitude
on liberalism.
God meant him for leader" said
the archbishop of Cardinal Gibbons.
He could not speak as your pastor
only. Catholic people of Maryland,
as cardinal, primate OF the American
hierarchy. as bishop of the national
capital. he belongs to the whole coun-
try Many inde>S listen to him as to
the voice Of religion; for prejudice
disarms when the cardinal speaks. He.
more than any other amongst US. has
directed the course of Catholicism In
our land. But, above all, he has en-
pressed most truly and most clearly
the Catholic thought and sentiment OF
America and thereby crystallized them.
Ills love of country, spontaneous in
its origin, has become through rctlec-
tion and experience the fixed principle
OF Il mature mind. and close opscrva-
ton of conditions here and abroad has
but intensified his love. But
Americas best gift to her children he
has held to be religious liberty. We
understand its meaning in this coun-
try. al least most OF us do; 1t is still
our statute books. Nothing is more
Catholics; and Cardinal Gibbons. who
is best known here and abroad for
his utterances on religious liberty.
speaks not for himself only but for us
all. Religion here is untrammeled
thanks TO our separation OF church and
state, and whatever the future may
bring. we would desire no change here
in the relations of church and state.
That is one lesson. surely, taught us
by European history and bitterly
driven home By the events of our day.
No meddlins official has veto power
over our preaching. No bureaucrat
more or less hostile to religion, draws
up a list of names from which our
bishops are chosen. The civic rights of
our church are intrenched In our con-
stitution and upheld by the power OF
the state. on the friendlicSt terms,
neither has any desire for Il closer
union. The church here knows that ii
can better do its work apart; 1t is
freer and therefore more powerful, and
being unpaid by the state, and indie
pendent, 1t can uphold law and order
without giving TO any one an excuse
to suspect Its motives"
Civic righteousness" the prelate
AWAY DGcH IL
topic with the cardinal. Wisely avoid
ing questions of party politics, he has
rightly regarded civic duties as "A mat
ter OF morality, and therefore of rcli.
gIon. He has tried to rouse the CON
science of men, otherwise good. who
have soft.natured liberation for pub
lie dishonesty. and lie has vigorously
denounced our wide denectionS from
the true Ideals of citizenship"
For Social Justice.
or the countless movements that the
cardinal has been besieged with for
aid. the most pressing, the most diff
cult problems which have confronted
him. the archbishop said, concerned So
cial Justice. Ills mastery paper on
/ the knights of Labor. written n quar-
ter of n century ago" the archbishop
went on, shows his firm control of the
chief elements of the general problem
| and the attitude which he considered
| imposed by the situation upon the
| church and her clergy. His office as
the cardinal cozSeaved 1t was to medi-