Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 15.djvu/213

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UNITY


179


UNITY


The new executive recommended several new laws, but Congress did not pass many at that session. He used his influence during a great strike to bring about a compromise between the coal operators and the mine-workers in the anthracite region of Pennsyl- vania. Upon the president's recommendation, a De- partment of Commerce and Lalsour was established in December, 1902. Soon afterwards (18 Oct., 1903), a dangerous controversy with Great Britain over the Alaska boundary was settled at London. Another dispute was arbitrated with Mexico. Relations with the United States of Colombia were not so cordial.

During President Roosevelt's administration was passed an act authorizing the construction of a ship canal across the narrow isthmus connecting North and South .\mprica. After expending !J2.50,000,000 in digging a canal between Panama and Colon, a French company was declared bankrupt. In 1889 a new company was organized and was said to have com- pleted two-fifths of the work. At that stage this corporation offered to sell to the United States for $40,000,000 all its rights and property. In June, 1902, Congress empowered the president to accept this offer and to complete the canal at a cost not to exceed $120,000,000. For the necessary concessions generous terms were offered to Colombia, but, under a belief that a much larger sum could be obtained, that Government failed to ratify the proposed treaty. This action was the signal for a revolt in Panama, and for the establishment there of a separate state. In November, 1903, the people of that province pro- claimed their independence, and set up a republican government. The United States prevented Colombia from suppressing this rebellion, and promptly ac- knowledged the independence of the new state. With it a treaty was soon concluded containing the conces- sions demanded by the United States for the com- pletion of the canal. At this stage Colombia was willing to concede, free of cost, all that the Americans had asked, provided she were allowed to reassert her sovereignly over her lost province. The Colombian envoy was informed, however, that it was now too late. The $10,000,000 which had been oiTered to Colombia was prompt ly accepted by f he new republic ; also a perpetual annuity of $2.50,000, beginning nine years after ratifying the treaty. In return, the United States secured jurisdiction over a zone of terri- tory five miles wide on each side of the canal, and any other land necessary for its construction and main- tenance. The Panama policy of President Roosevelt was denounced by many Democratic senators in Con- gress, but was nevertheless approved by a vote of 66 to 14. Colombia's efforts to stir up complications in Europe came to naught.

In 1901 Mr. Roosevelt was elected president, with Charles W. Fairbanks as vice-president. The Den\o- cratic candidates were Judge Alton B. Parker and Henry G. Davas. During his second term President Roosevelt was thwarted by the Senate in his endeav- ours to regulate railway rates and t o advance the cause of arbitration. A prosperity almost unparalleled marked the beginning of the year 1907; at its close business was greatly depres.sed. In October a panic swept banks and trust companies into the hands of receivers. Relief did not come till the beginning of 1908. The.subjpct of the Federal control of corpora- tions was very fully discussed in the president's message of 3 Dec, 1007. He recommended the enactment of more stringent laws on this subject. On 16 June, 1908, at Chicago, the Republican National Nominating Convention selected as its candidates for the presi- dency and vice-presidency William H. Taft and James S. Sherman. Bryan and Kern were the Demo- cratic nominees. In the November elections the Republicans were successful. (See articles on tlio various states of the Union .and the Catholic dioceses. Sec also America; .\merica, Pre-Columbian Dis-


covery of; Bedini; Indian Missions, Bureau op Catholic; Indians, American; Knownothingism; Legate; Missions, Catholic Indian, op the United States; St.\tistics of Religions.)

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Charles H. McCarthy.

Unity, Mark of the Church. — ^The marks of the Church are certain unmistakeable signs, or distinctive characteristics which render the Church easily recog- nizable to all, and clearly distinguish it from every other religious society, especially from those which claim to be Christian in doctrine and origin. That such external signs are necessary to the true Church is l^lain from the aim and the purpose which Christ had in view when He made His revelation and founded a Church. The purpose of the redemption was the salvation of men. Hence, Christ, made known the truths which men must heed and obey. He estab- lished a Church to which He committed the care and the exposition of these truths, and, consequently. He made it obligatory on all men that they should know and hear it (Matt., xviii, 17). It is obvious that this Church, which takes the place of Christ, and is to carry on His work by gathering men into its fold and saving their souls, must be evidently dis- cernible to all. There must be no doubt as to which is the true Church of Christ, the one which has received, and has preserved intact the Revelation which He gave it for man's salvation. Were it otherwise the purpose of the Redemption would be frustrated, the blood of the Saviour shed in vain, and man's eternal destination at the mercy of chance. Without doubt, therefore, Christ, the alj-wi.se legisla- tor, impressed upon His ChiU'ch some distinctive external marks by which, with the use of ordinary dili- gence, all can distinguish the real Church from the false, the society of truth from the ranks of error. These marks flow from t he very essence of t he Church ; they are properties insep.ar.ahic from its nature .and manifest ive of its character, and, in their Christian .and proper sense, can be found in no other institution. In Ihe Formula of the Council of Constant ino[)le (a. d. 381), four m.arks of the Church .are mentioned: unity, sanctity, Catholicity, Apostolicity — which are believed by most theologians to be exclusively the m.arks of the True Church. The nrcsent article cim- siders unity.

I. Some False, Nolinna nf Unity. — All admit that unity of some kind is indispensable to the existence