| Show A ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHEME SINCE the days of the great religious awaken awakens awa keng ipg some three centuries ao ago the theological horizon was never more cloudy and indistinct india than it is at the present time the ferment and commotion prevailing among the pro sects in this country are am something entirely beyond the usual order of church contentions and vestry disorders in addition to all this there are encyclicals als from rome borne pastorals past orals frova from catholic bishops and political pro from cardinals only a few weeks ago it was reported that the vatican had in Dr progress ogress a scheme for the special government of the american catholic church this scheme embraced a system of government by bishops appoint 4 by rome borne each to preside over a district allotted to him it originated with the catholics of germany austria belgium and switzerland and was submitted to the vatican for approval nothing has been heard about it since but it may safely be concluded that it is under consideration later on extracts from an encyclical published by leo XIII arrived here this document written in batth was wae officially entitled do de conditioned Condit iune ione that ison the condition of the working man it was a carefully worded production and well calculated to maintain a straddle attitude on the great questions which are agitating the political and social atmospheres of ourene our age the latest news from europe in the way of religious development to is rather of a startling character to americana it cornea comes too by way of berlin a significant ant fact when taken in connection with the trend of affairs in many of the states in the mississippi valley As an the dispatch says the campaign has been directed solely by the committee in germany which by its activity has secured the support and approbation of other european countries the alms aims and objects of this campaign cam are simply that no attempt be made to americanize the different races of european catholics now resident in this country nor even to make of them homogeneous botanists romanists ts the plan is to establish congregations according to national nationalities atles with pastors bishops and teachers to correspond in the schools attached to their perishes parishes the language of the ram race comprising the congregation must be made the principal one as aa a medium of education should the roman church adopt this policy she would not only be acting contrary to her bar own teaching in the post past but she would put herself in the position of an actual disrupter and disintegrator of the republic of the united states but what seems most peculiar about this movement is the fact that the roman church dignitaries in the united states are in no way consulted in the matter it to is said ho however that a mr mercier of canada has warmly commended the plan to the pope he stated that he felt acute pain because the canadians in the united states were not represented by canadian bishops at the baltimore conference a few years yean ago again the dispatches say speaking of the nomination of kan m zard rd an aa archbishop in america ambassador von Sch loeser said to Cap Cape ensly naly this to la an important act that will interest all prussia lie he added that he would warmly congratulate and thank the cardinal secretary of state for this choice so favorable to german interests terestA in pa if this is not touching on the internal IOli political affairs of the country it is difficult to see am what else it can be and it is more than significant it is Omin ominous luus that this movement is in argi bating in germany and receiving even the concurrence of german pro te stants the german speaking peoples in this country constitute the bulk of the orthodox roman catholics it has been found that fusion between them aud bohemians Bohem ians hungarians Hung arians and even italians can be effected more easily than with the english speak ing romanists Romanis ts look at the development in wisconsin and in illinois 1111 during the past two years in both these states there were compulsory education laws making the english lau language the medium ol of education in the schools both public and private the germans took offense off ense and both catholics and lutherans Luth erans joined in a political fight on these laws the result was that both were wiped off the statute books and german to is now virtually the prevailing language in wisconsin and deafly so 0 o in illinois it is taught in the public schools and german public libraries maintained by the state are am found in nearly every city and town the proceedings of all public bodies must be published in german as aa well as in english should rome adopt the policy outlined in the german memorial recently submitted the question la Is will the english speaking CRt catholics honce and their bishops bishope stin still adhere to the church A great many will but not the whole at all events evento developments develop mente of a revolution revolutionary character are in progress pro greM and when the action of german romanists Romanis Roman tete ts in this country is ia compared with that of their co religionists in europe it will be seen men that there to some gome political wheel being put in motion which concerns materially the interests inte reato of the Arne american rican continent and aad particularly those of the united |
