Current Topics

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 13, 25 July 1890, Page 1

Current Topics

AT HOME AND ABROAD.

Not the least interesting of the working-men's AH important associations, now become universal, is that formed association, twelve years ago in France under the guardianship

and guidance of the Church, and which it known as the " CEavre des Cercles Catholiques d'Onvriers," or the work of tie working-men's Catholic circles. Of the objects of this association and tbe success attending on its efforts we obtain some information from the report of the working of the branch at Nice, read there by the secretary at a meeting held last April to celebrate the twelfth anniversary, and which has been kindly forwarded to xxe. The report begins by reviewing the Bpecial conditions of the modern world that have made such unions not only useful and desirable, but absolutely necessary. Steam and electricity, it says, have altered the whole condition of things, and led within the last fifty years to a complete change in Europe, which is gradually extending itself to every part of the world. A formidable effect which the writer of the report expects to follow is an invasion of Europe by Asiatics. This, he says, is being provided for by the railways that Russia, in tbe North. and England, in the South, are constructing. By their numbers, their patience, and their discipline, he explains, tbe greater pait of the Asiatics are our superiors. They will first overwhelm us peacefully with the trowel and the hammer, and when we have driven them away they will return with guns and cannons. He is confirmed in this opinion, he says, by having seen Chinamen at Shanghai manufacturing Krnpp guns without the aid of Europeans, and by finding them engaged at Tien-Tsin in making breechloaders and cartridges. The writer appeals to his'ory to testify that it is always from the elevated plains of Asia that Europe is over-run, and, in short, he sees in the invasion he speaks of a probable fulfilment of the prophecy made in the Apocalypse concerning the plague of locusts. The necessity, therefore, is evident, he argues, for agreement and union. But it is the part of the Catholic Association to march at the head of the movement to bring this about and make it general. For this especially five reforms are necessary : —First, the Sunday's rest, in accordance with the paternal bounty of the Creator, Who, in ordaining that man should earn his bread by the sweat of his brow, willed that he should rest on the seventh day. The second reform called for is that of the militarism which is taking so great a multitude of every nation away from the work of production, and making of them instead barren consumers and a burden on their respective countries. Concerning this point the writer quotes from the New York Herald the paragraph relating to Ihe matter published in an interview between a representative of that newspaper and the Holy Father, and to which we recently alluded. The third point aimed at is the reduction of the number of public officials, who form another irmy. The fourth point calling for reform is the abuse of capital and interest which causss so much mischief. In connection with this point the writer mentions that a congress had lately been held of the representatives of several popular banks of France and Italy and other nations, to discuss the question of a mutual credit which would free the people from being preyed upon by the great banks. He, however, adds a warning as to the experience of popular banks in Italy. How many small village proprietors, he says, who had neyer had any idea of borrowing did so at once, when the bank was opened at their door. They , indeed, proposed, by means of their loan, an improvement of their farms or some other fruitful undertaking. Their foresight, however was mistaken and ruin followed. The writer advocates.as a security, the homestead law existing in the Unitsd States, and adopted with good results by G#taany, which is also supported by the Count de Mun, general secretary and originator of the (Euvre, in suggesting a law in France to forbid the Beizure by creditors of any home not exceeding a value of 5000 francs. The fifth point of reform kept in view is that of education which, under existing circumstances, is too exclusively literary and too completely separated from family influences. Let us study these great questions, says tfce report, by the light of faith and

A MASONIC SITUATION.

Orient of France. It appears, for example, from a case which has just occurred in Italy that very considerable advantages are occasionally to be derived from their membership by members of the body of Continental Masons. The cisc to which we especially allude is that in which a Grand Master of Italian Masons has profited very desirably, so far, at least, as he himself is concerned, by the consideration shown for him as a brother Mason and dignitary of their order by Signor Crispi the Italian Premier, who is also a Grand Master, and the Cabinet over which he presides, and which, with one or possibly two exceptions, are Freemasons as well. Indeed the Parliament itself consists chiefly of members of the same Society, 300 out of a total of 504 being so. And among the revelations made in connection with the matter to which we particularly allude was one to the effect that Signor Orispi further shows his love for his Society by subsidising out of the public funds the 300 members in question, a fact which they say, moreover, accounts for the Premier's being at any moment able to command a majoiiy in the Chamber. The particular instance, however, in which Signor Crispi and his Masonic colleagues have shown fraternal affection for a Grand Master of their order is that in which they have permitted a certain Signor Lemmi, holding the high office iv question, and who is also agent for an American firm with which tbe Government contracts for a supply of tobacco — in Italy a Government monopoly — to make an excellent bargan for the firm represented by him, and, no doubt, with an eye as well to his own individual interest. Signor Lemmi, m fact, was permitted by the GovernmentJ so to manipulate matters that his firm sold their article to the Government at a very much higher price than ihit for which other firms in the United States were ready to supply them— the result being a loss to the Italian tax-p iyer, a person already in various other measures rather htavily dealt with, of a sum of two million and a half of francs. Too fraud, indeed, was so flagrant and so undeniable that, even among Freemasons themselves, it caused a good deal of disturbance, and, as it not unfrequently happens when certain worthies fall out, not a little took place tha' might be made use of in the interests of truth and honesty. SomethiDg was begun in the way of appointing a Parliamentary Committee of inquiry into the matter, but, on consideration, the Ministry thought better of the matter and their consent to the proceeding was withdrawn by them. We do not know that we are particularly interested about general details of the manner in which Italy is governed. What takes place among a usurping and plundering faction in itself need concern us little. The accommodations, however, that occur among the members of an institution of similar

of the experience of other peoples ; let us show forth Christian solutions of them by word and example and it will be said of as that we have passediaway in doing good. The remainder of the report deals with more particular matters, which, nevertheless, possess an interest for us, as proving how well this great work ia making its way in Franca and counteracting there the evils that are so prominent and alarming. In the condition of France all the world is interested, for, from the very position the country holds ia Europe, and the natural character of its people, it must ever exercise a chief influenceover the world at large, Voltairean infidelity, for example, had its origin in England, bat it wu not until it had been transplanted to France, and had made its home there, that it became active, and worked the ills for which it was bo terribly accountable. A great Christian work among the people, the lords of the future, as existing and gaining ground in France is, therefore, infinitely important, and we may hope, according to an allusion also made in this report of which we have been speaking, that as the coffin of the Nineteenth century, now shortly to be sealed, will contain many carcases of corruption that had its birth among the French people, so the cradle of the coming age will hold the germs, emanating from them also, of light to shine throughout a very different century. If we may take, as an example of the good that is being done in France generally, that which the report in question proves to result from the efforts of the circle at Nice, and doubtless we may do eoi oar hopes for the future of the country may well sjem promising.

After all, perhaps, there may be some advantage to some one involved in the introduction into New Zealand and the establishment here of the Grand

nature to, and if not exactly indentical certainly closely connected with, that now introdnced and established among ourselves must be of interest to us. We see the advantages members of the Masonic lodges enjoy io Italy where members of the Ministry also are pro minent Freemasons. Were Statesmen among ourselves, likewise allied with Continental lodges, to become ministers here, may we not rationally suppose they too would show an amiable indulgence towards members of their body ? We say, then, the introduction and establishment in New Zealand of the Grand Orient of France may possibly have its advantages for some one or another, and if not with relation to a Government monopoly as in Italy, at least with regard to something else that may prove equally profitable to the parties concerned.

The Otago Daily Times, as we were recently g,iven

THE MONOPOLIST ELEMENT.

to understand, had of late been going tco far in a liberal and popular direction. The information, however, did not surprise us in any very great

degree. The wonder, indeed, was that, considering the character of the management of the Company, our contemporary had ever dared to stray in any such direction at all, and the fact that it did so points to a very commendable degree of courage and independence on tbe part of whomsoever it was that was accountable for such an inconsistent line of action. What possible sympathy, for example, can be felt for anything that is popular or liberal by the occupiers of large tracts of country, all whose interests are bound up with the continuance, confirmation, and increase of monopoly ? Can we believe that such men are monopolists only by accident, and that at heart they are philanthropists of an especially self-sacrificing caste, and ready when the opportunity offers to surrender all their exclusive privileges for the popular good, the supposition on which a)one,',monopolists may be accredited with liberal Bentiments. The question, we fancy, could be answered by the history, for instance, of gridironing and dummyism, and other innocent devices of the kind, were that history fully revealed. And yet, strange to say, Buch men, such monopolists, known as monopolists and by .no means known as philanthropists, are again and again retnrned to Parliament by constituencies to whose interests they are determinedly and visibly opposed. If we want a particular case to point our moia), it is not difficult to find one — that, for example, of a monopolist representing a constituency of small settlers and miners, and looking something like a sparrow-hawk raised by a community of little birds to a tree-top possessing particular advantages over them. His interest is to keep the miners back and to prevent settlement ; theirs is to promote the advance of mining and to have settlement increased. If they choose him, therefore, to represent them in Parliament, what course is he likely to advocate ? j We have eaid that it is strange to see men like this returned by tbe j votes cf the people to Parliament ; but yet the explanation lies in human nature. The influence of the present, as we know, is stronger than that of the future, and me a catch at tbe smaller good or avoid the lesser evil immediately at hand in preference to making provision by some small present loss for better things that are to come. Tne monopolist has benefits ia the piesent to offer. If there is a country town in his neighbourhood he is, directly or indirectly, the chief patron of the shopkeepers and tradesmen, and his influence extends more or less over all with whom they are in any way connected. The small settlers in the country, moreover, also come within the charmed circle. Tbe big man can now and then place within their ieach or prevent them from obtaining Borne job or other which it serves their purpose to undertake. — Who, therefore ) would refuse to oblige the big man by doing so small a thing as giving him his vote ? Shopkeepers, miners, and country settlers do not perceive, or, if they do perceive, have not the moral courage and self-control to act up to their convictions, that by refusing to vote for the powerful monopolist and choosing quite a different kind of a man, as any representative suitable to them must be, they would be contributing towards i heir own better and more permanent, though remoter, imerea 8. It would, perhaps, be too much to expect them to take into consideration that they would also be acting for the good of the colony generally. While the ordinary ran of human nature, therefore, perfers immediate, though lesaer, interests to those which, though they aro greater, are more remote, the monopolist is always sure of his seat ia rarliamant, and there is little hope of any genuine amelioration m the condition or prospects of the country. The interests of the monopo iats, we say again, are altogether opposed to and destructive of those of the colony generally, but owing to the selfishness, or rather the improvident preference shown by numbers of tl.e electors, tney t>re paramount, and are likely to remain so. — Meantime, how could it be supposed that a management constituted largely of the monopolist element, could permit a newspaper under its control to be conducted on liberal and popular principles 1 A little claptrap spoken by euch men when the occasion calls for it— as at tbe time, for example, of an election, to throw dust in the eyes of electors, or to furois 1 ! inconsist-ct electors with a pretext for selfdeception—is all that they need in that line, or can afford to support.

Their ruin, a 9 they beliare, would be involved in the growth and exercise of such principles amoDg the people, and their object is to thwart rather than promote their propagation. The wonder is, therefore,! we say again, not that the Otago Daily Times has be en checked ia the pursuance of a popular and liberal course, but that it was cv A suffered for a moment to adopt anything of the kind. wt