The Washington times., 1918-09-25
Posseased Many Talents-

the archdiocese of st. Paul.
Possessed Many Talents.
Archbishop ireland was a man of
great personal magnetism, a converse
tionalist of unvarying interest and Of
remarkable versatility. In church
matters he was q liberal. About 1888
he conceived the idea of having the
public and parochial schools merged,
both Catholic and Protestant teachers
being employed. and the school
moneys divided. This was what was
known in Minnesota as the ''Faribault
plan" and was put in operation un-
der the direction OF the archbishop.
1t was tried both at Faribault and
Saltwater. The plan worked fairly
well for a time. as much from its
novelty as anything else, but there
was soon friction. Protestants OBJ
Jected to teachers instructing children
in the garb OF any church. Next the
trouble came over the Bible, the
Catholics wanting to use 1t in part as
a text book and the Protestants ask
ing that 1t be read only at the begin
ming Of the day or abolished alto
gether. The controversy grew in bit
terness till both parties to 1t were
glad to go back to the old regime.
The crowning educational work Of
Archbishop Ireland was the building
Of the Hill Seminary at Manchester,
MINI. To this great enterprise James
]. Hill. the railroad magnate, donated
100000. The building of the semi
nary was completed in 1897. The
school isfn the main devoted to the
education of young men for the priest
ar,hhFghnn Ira1and alQn
very active in securing the establish
ment of the Catholic University at
Washington. and on his visit to Rome
in 1887 was engaged, in conjunction
with Bishop Keane, in drawing re-
port on this subject for the Pope.
Factor in Politics.
While he seldom mixed in political
life in the sense of delivered addresses
and making pleas for one party or
the other, he was a man Of pro-
nounced opinions on all State and ma
tional topics and exercised his infiu-
ence in his own way But the occa-
sions were few on which he felt IL his
duty to break his rule OF non-interfer-
ence. One Of these occasions came in
the fan OF 1896. The campaign be-
tween Mckinley and Bryan had only
about three weeks to run, and twenty
Of the leading business men OF st.
Paul sent him a letter, asking that
he give to the public, in his own way,
his views regarding the great ques-
| ton then before the republic. On Oc-
| tober IL of that year he sent to the
country what was then regarded as
| one of the great addresses OF the con-
test. which later ended so overwhelm-
ingly for Mckinley. In this address
he came out strongly for the gold
standard
Ten years later. In 1906. the name OF
Archbishop Ireland was again drawn
into n public controversy that at
| tracted widespread attention. This
was the controversy between Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Bellamy Storer.
which ended in the latter being dis
missed from his post as ambassador
to Austria because. as alleged, of the
misdirected zeal OF Mrs. Storer in en-
deavorIng to effect the elevation of
Archbishop ireland to tho cardInalate.
| Ambassador Storer declared that the
| elevation OF Archbishop Ireland and
| the efforts 70 secure II Ind the ap-
prevail OF President Roosevelt and
that the plan was in pursuance OF an
understanding with the late President
Mckinley. who was said to have de
sired to reward Archbishop Ireland
| for his help in the campaign. The
statement OF Mr.. and Mrs. Storer were
| fatty denied by President Roosevelt.
and 'the controversy ended in the
/ summary dismissal OF Mr.. Storer from
! the diplomatic service.
Throughout the controversy Arch
| bishop Ireland maintained a dignified
: silence, and the general impression
7 GAINED ground that he had hpen the