The Alaska daily empire., 1921-03-25
CARDINAL GIBBONS-A GREAT
 AMERICAN CITIZEN.

l. "A
 AMERICAN CITIZEN. Cardinal Gibbons who died at Baltimore yester- day was not only distinguished churchman and pro- found scholar he was great American citizen ana as President Harding says, his death is distinct National loss He broad and tolerant in his religious viewsl patriot to the core humanitarian who loved all mankind. He rendered his country invaluable services during his long lifetime The great preate whose death the country mourns was one the versatile and learned of Amer- cans Few had made careful study o1 the United States and her people. A very careful and student, he had specialized on the his tory of the United States and the American people from early life, and for than three scores of years he had been intimately acquainted with most of the leaders among American history makers. He knew country and the principles which underlie its government He a voluminous writer on very wide range of subjects, but he never seemed happier at home than when he was writing about his American Nation and her great people The last article he the people was published only on the 18th of last month, and it beau tiful and patriotic tribute to the Constitution of the United States and profound and understanding argument in it's support. He wrote:@
 As the years go by am more than
 convinced that the Constitution of the
 United States is the greatest instrument of
 government that issued from the hand
 of~man Drawn up in the infancy of our
 Republic, and amid the fears and suspicious
 and oppostons of many patriotic men, it
 has weathered the storm perodg@of American
 public life, and has proved elastic enough
 to weather every strain put upon it by party
 spirit, Western development, worldwide inn
 migration, little and great, far reaching
 social and economic changes, iny entions and
 discoveries the growth of individual wealth
 and the vagares of endless reformers.
 That within the short space of 100 years
 we have grown to be great nation, so much
 that today the United States is rightly re-
 garded as the first among the nations of the
 earth, is due to the Constitution, the
 palladium of liberties and the landmark
 in our march of progress.
 The Constitution has proved
 bulwark of every right and every fair prom
 ise that the American revolution stood for.
 ** % For all times to come may it remain
 the instrument safeguarding our National
 life and insuring the liberties and
 dom which it guarantees. Cardinal Gibbons great believer freedom of religious belief the separation of church and State and amty among religious denominations. In hi historical writings he paid as glowing and sincere to the Congrcgationalists of New England the Presby erians of Pennsylvania and the Carolina. and the Methodiss of the West he did to hi own Catholics of his Maryland and those who fol lowed them to America. It is very natural that cht should say therefore his article last month or the Constitution:
 For the first time in the history of man.
 kind religious liberty here secured to
 all men as right under Federal protection. That was indeed big thing a mighty thing
 Tor man to do, to write into the fundamental
 law of a government enactments that stem
 the tide of popul;r and traditional pre-
 Judices But that the Constitution the
 United States did. that not only vas re-
 ligous intolerance branded as something
 un-Amercan, but future American citizens
 came to our shores, full hearted and well disposed, and the whole world was made d debtor to the wise founders of this char
 acter of human rightsand human interests. In closing this remarkable article the Cons tuition. the great Cardinal said:
 It is my earnest hope that all my fellow citizens will find in the liberty and freedom guaranteed by the Constitution peace and se- curity, and in the character of George Wash ington, virtues and qualities worthy of highest imitation. Cardinal Gibbons nearly S7 years of age and his memory was keen to the end, giving him the advantage Of personal experience covering more than half our existence under the Constitution He was personally acquainted with all the Chief Justice Of the United States since Marshall instance in ciuding Fancy Chase Waite, Fuller White He was Chaplain in the Union Army during the Civil War more than half century ago. Therefore there is added meaning his recent review of the growth and development of the country under the Const- tuton interpreted by the Supreme Court in which he had implicit confidence faith 50 clearly presented in these words:
 Our economic life and condition are Of
 course the most wonderful chapter in the
 history of the worlds material develop Every for than a century
 vast territories have been opened up by the
 hardy pioneer. limless praries mex
 min inIa