Show I TilE POPE AN FRANCE His Holiness Approves of the I I Republic Development of the Church Within tho United iitatesIliasaiit notations Vith I the Civil Pow I Chl Power I f Special to TiE HKRALD Examiner Dispatch PAISIS Feb 17 Todays Petit Journal I prints the followIng interview with Pope t XIII which after discussing in general L terms the question of the attitude of the I IS church < and state iu France says S The republican form of government is i as proper as any other I have just received re-ceived the president of the organizing committee com-mittee of the Chicago Worlds fair who has requested tie adhesion of the holy see and its participation in this great American enterprise The United States which are also under republican institutions institu-tions in spite of drawbacks attaching to liberty without any bounds are becoming a greater nation every day and the Catholic Catho-lic church is going through a process of development there without any necessity for conflict with the states These two powers agree very well as they could agree everywhere on condition that one does not encroach upon the rights of the other Liberty in their case is truly the basis of the relations between the chi powers and religious convictions and in it the church acquires above everything liberty My authoritative voice should be listened to so that the aid and attitude of the church should no longer bo misconstrued miscon-strued and I say that which benefits the church in the United States would with l the more reason suit her interest In republican re-publican France What suits the United States is still sti more suited to republican France To all Frenchmen who visit me I speak the same language to be known by all 1 regret that certain persons in high places should not dare to proclaim publicly as they should the efforts that 1 make for the peace and the prosperity of your noble nation which I regard as the eldest daughter of the church In this course I persist and I encourage all who enter on it steadily to help me in my task The church should keep to its true mission It should reform souls including the spirit of selfsacrifics and devotion The church should take an interest in the condition of the weak My assertion of tho rights of the workintr men should facilitate and hsten the restoration of peace and diminish the significant minority which strives to disturb the pUb lie mind and prevent a union in your country coun-try a union indispensable to the fulfillment of its high destinies Thanks to her strong constitution France will rise to her old greatness in spite of her foes I learn with joy that though she boasts such abundant military resources and such valiant sons France has not faltered in her prudence and her patience I she will but free herself from the dissensions thatch that-ch < ck her development and paralyze her influence if she will but abstain from vain harassing and persecuting she will soon regain her conspicuous place and glorious rank in the world which of right belongs to her This language of the Pope will make a great impression in France while the ad hesion of his holiness to the republic will cause vridesoread satisfaction Europe will now understand that the holy see is for France and against the triple alliance I will no doubt be gratifying to tho United States to find that the sovereign iontlff takes them as a model |