Mr. C. J. Bonaparte spoke last night at the invitation of the Catholic Club on the "Catholic Church in the United States."

The Catholic church has for years past been growing more and more a part of our American polity and the question which arises is what we are to do with it. This close proximity of the Catholic church surprises, even displeases some, and yet the church is constantly becoming acclimated to the United States.

It is a common belief among a certain class of people that the Catholic church cannot exist in the neighborhood of American freedom. In fact fifty years ago every one thought of America as a Protestant country. But ever since the first small group of Catholics came to this country, fourteen years after the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers, the Catholic power has been struggling bravely and successfully for its existence.

At present the entire power in all matters of weight lies in the hands of the Christians, and these Christians are for the most part willing to support the church, and yet on all sides are crying municipal abuses and social evils which crouch on our threshold while the church remains unmoved. In these wrongs the Catholic church shares the blame of all Christian organizations, for no man can neglect any of the daily duties of life and still be included under the Catholic church.