The Church And The Press

A breath ïrora the 14th century strikes us as we read the mandament of the Biahops of Quebec which was given out in all the Catholic cliurches of the province on the 2d of January. It declares the right of Catholic priests "to wam. the faithful against dangerous publications ; even to interdict the reading of newspapers which they consider detrimental to the interests of the faith and the clvurch." Accordingly an interdict is lald upon X,'Eleetem, and ifor no other reason tlnam. that it supportert the Premier Dn hls settlemeat of th Manitoba school questiou. The interdict is in effect an act of open opposttion to tihe liberal goverament, and that by a wfoolly illegal and tyrannical exerise oí power. T'Klectem went out of exlstence the following day. The World expresses the opinión that the paper will without doubt have full restitution for its loss through the coni-ts, but, in the meantime, and French finesse wards off tihe blow by a simple change oí name. L'Electem drops out of existence because the Cathoiic powers have willed it ; but its editoi-s are now producing Le Solei with much the same circulation as they bad before. The Catholic press "submits respectfully to the episcopal decisión, only expressing pain that anything so unfortúnate could have happened in a province so eincerely Oatholic as Quetec " Tliey even "hope that the great lesson will be of profit to the Ca-tholic press of the entrre provine e.'' ' La Batric, a liberal paper of Montreal, takes up the gauntlet for LBlectem, like oae spoiltag for light, declaring iteelf ready to fight for the cause oí civil Hberty against the power of ban without compromise in the name of "all those who are tired and aisgusted with the systematic perseeutione of Catholic power." As it is not likely that the governmeait will withdraw its decisión ïor a singlo school system, the forces raiiü,od in opposition by the Manitoba school question, frive prospect of a significant struggle.