ARCHBISHOP IRELAND has not yet published his promised “reply to the attacks upon him” in which he is to “go into details” about his manipulating the Government of the United States. However in his explanation to the effect that he is going to explain, there are statements sufficiently suggestive to cause serious thinking and careful watching on the part of all who care for true American liberty and independence.
Having failed to preserve peace in the interests of papal power and revenue, his plan is next to make the war turn to the credit of the papacy—and especially to the power of the papacy over the United States. The scheme announced in behalf of the archbishop and endorsed by “one high diplomat,” before the war was actually begun, is as follows:—
“He [Archbishop Ireland] expects to bring about a [290] congress of nations. If this is considered impracticable, such a concert will be arranged that the possible elements and factors in the situation may be eliminated by friendly pressure upon Spain and upon the United States.
“It is possible and probable that a congress of nations will be called immediately after a positive declaration of hostilities.
“The whole matter will then be taken up and adjusted. Spain will receive some adequate compensation for the loss of the Island of Cuba, if the experiment now on trial fails through war, and at the same time Cuba will be put under stable rule and government, probably under the protectorate of the United States.
“In doing this the wisdom of the Monroe Doctrine will be acknowledged, but the incidental responsibility of the United States thereunder will be defined and demonstrated. This will work greatly for the preservation of the peace of the world. As matters stand now, there is constant danger that some puny nation may through braggadocio or truculence, involve some great powers.”
Thus the papacy is determined to make herself felt, and will force herself into recognition, in the affairs of the United States. Having failed to hold her power and revenue in Cuba by holding that suffering people under Spanish despotism, she now proposes to accomplish that purpose and a good deal more by engineering a settlement in which she will have to be recognized as a chief party to be reckoned with.
And notice how coolly her arrogant position is assumed. See with what an air of superiority it is that she announces that “friendship pressure” will be put “upon the United States” as “upon Spain”—as though the United States were her subject as Spain has always been.
Notice, also, and inwardly digest the deep and sinister meaning of it, how self-confidently it is declared that by this “congress” or “concert” of her calling, “the whole matter will be taken up and adjusted.” See the assumption of supremacy displayed in telling just how the parties interested will be dealt with—“Spain will receive some adequate compensation“: “Cuba will be put under stable rule and government” and “probably” this will be “under the protectorate of the United States.” Cuba declared, and made, “free and independent” by the United States; and the United States, professedly at least, free and independent in her own right, are to be taken charge of by the papacy and her “concert” and to be dealt with as she decides, as though they were her absolute subjects to be placed and moved like “men” on a chess-board! And then to cap it all “the incidental responsibility of the United States” under the Monroe Doctrine, “will be defined and demonstrated” for the United States.
There cannot be the least doubt that the papacy will do every possible thing to carry our this program announced from Archbishop Ireland.
And who is prepared to say that she will not succeed in having this program carried out according to her own ideas and wishes—if not in every detail, largely in very substance? Especially who is prepared to say that she will not succeed in it, when at her very first move she has been successful in gaining official recognition from the Government of the United States? when at her very first step she succeeded in having an official communication from her “secretary of state” officially received by the Secretary of State of the United States, and her “representative” recommended in this official communication, also officially received, through whom afterward “the official texts of the concessions which Spain was willing to make for the sake of peace” were “laid before this Government.” When she can do all that at the very beginning of difficulties, what will she not do before the difficulties are ended?
Another thing that just now makes all this worthy of only the more careful consideration is the movement to have the United States enter the lists as one of “the Powers,” and alliances and carry on intrigues with the “Powers” in the affairs of the whole world.
Just now is a time for deep study and careful thinking. A. T. J.