New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-01
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
EDUCATION IN ENGLAND.
THE RIVAL PLANS FOR POPULAR EDUCA-
TON.

fectng OF the evils which encompass national ed
ucation in Great Britain. The Manchester Education
Bill Committee, the Birmingham National Education
League, the Manchester Education Union, and
the Welsh Education Alliance, have their
distinct plans; and Mr. Forsters Education
bill before Parliament may be defined carrying out the
measures Of the Manchester Union by the machinery OF
the Birmingham League. All five schemes agree In the
intent In itself great advance, OF placing the means OF
education within reach OF every child This necessity
consequent upon the and the prospective Increase
OF the franchise and pointed out such by Robert
Love- All the organizations except the Welsh Alliance
agree In conserving existing UNCONVENTIONAL schools
proposing however, conscience clause" In various
forms. The conscience clause Is conces-
sion Of secular education TO those whose parents
desire II, with supplementary religious instruction
to those who prefer the latter. The Alliance
platform is, secular teaching unsectaan management,
compulsory attendance free schools. 1t proposes
neither to perpetuate assist UNCONVENTIONAL OF re
ious teaching 1t is yet in advance of popular sen
timent. The Birmingham League would have the sup
port and management OF the schools depend
principally upon local authorities with some
Government assistance and inspection. BY Withdrawing
local "rates from the support Of sectaran schools 1t
would ultimately starve the latter. Both this scheme
and that Of the Manchester Bill Committee agree In COM
pusory attendance the Committee plan proposes the
union OF existing schools the basis Of operations The
Manchester Union would teach free only those too poorto
pay and the expense added the rates IL pro-
poses industrial schools for vagrant children and In lieu
OF thorough compulsory education would only require
attendance on alternate days weeks, given num-
Der Of days in the year, for children capable OF
work or in the agricultural districts. Its supple
mentary schools would be UNCONVENTIONAL As Mr..
Forster's bill involved results similar to those
OF the Manchester Union, 1t Is open to
any of It's objections 1t coDtempates establishing three
OF schools those aided by taxes and not by poor
dor
their controls and those dependent the rates and not
controlled by the school boards. The Welsh Alliance
alone is not "stained with the vice OF concurrent en-
dowment."
THE ENGLISH EDUCATION BnL-HosTILITY OF
THE RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS TO SECULAR
sCHoOLs-THE CANADIAN sCHEME-THE IRISH
CHURCH BILL.
IRON OUR own CORRESPONDENT
LONDON, June lS-Mr. Disraeli was probably
half in Jest and half in earnest when he proieSsed him
self puzzled to understand Mr.. GladstOnes explanation
of the new ground taken Thursday night by Govern
ment on the Education bill. His difficulty may be AL the
more genuine from doubt whether Mr. Gladstone him
self knows precisely how far he means TO go. The long
silence in Parliament the Education bill hasindcated
anything rather than fogetness on the part OF either
the friends the opponents OF Mr. Forsters original
scheme 1t may be doubted whether it has not atterly
cost the Cabinet anxiety than the Land bill Itself
Amid the ncessant discussions that went ON out OF DOORS
the unseeping efforts OF the Birmingham League, and
the pressure Of Populations that from time to time pre-
sented themselves in Downseg-st, Mr. Gladstone might
well find himself perpexed Only one thing was clear
Mr. Forsters BILL which had been welcomed with such
singular unanmity of applause at first had proved in
the end unsatisfactory to both of the two most interested
and energetic parties between whom this battle is being
fought out It's attempt at compromising, or rather ss
ignoring, the religious difficulty had failed and some
other must tried if any bill at all was to be passed this
session. But what oher There was the rub and twas
in attempting this question that Mr. Gladstone
made the speech which the ingenious mind OF Mr..
Disrae found pulling Other minds less ingenious
more, as you like. have been similarly bothered Mr.
Gladstone though often too copous, can be clear when
he likes and il he talked riddles Thursday, 1t is fair
enough to infer that his discourse reflection OF his
own hesitation. At any rate there were scarcely two
persons or two papers who agreed next morning what
his speech meant-hOw far it concession to the de-
mand Of the League for purely undenominational edu
cation That il does not grant secular education clear
Mr.. Gladstone insists, and is probably right that the
country is not ripe for scheme purely secular Nor VIII
he accept Mr.. Vernon HarcOurts amendment, which
stops short of the secular platform and insists only on
unseetarian instruction. English like Mr.. Gladstone
goes about half way He abandons Mr. Forters PROPOSE
ton which left 1t to local boards TO make schools purely
denominaonal and accepts Mr.. Temples amend
ment prescribing "that schools hereafter enthusiastically
local rates, eatechsm or religious fermulary when Is
distinctive of any particular denomination shall DO
taught" AS TO SCHOOLS afeduy tAlsuhk 10
TO be met by severng altogether the tie between local
boards and voluntary schools and instead OF the rates
they now receive they to have contribution OF pub
lie money from the Exchequer not exceeding SO per cent
Of the expenses Mr.. Dsraeli said this was no better
than leaving the schoomssters choice what religion
they would teach and that it set the schoomasters up
as new saeerdota cassa thing which the Tories WOuld
be only too happy to have them become
But need not to go at length into either explanation
or criticism OF this proposal, since it ID doomed be-
forehand The refused TO consider 1t without some
delay and it was postponed till Monday next Mean
time the Education League has Joined forces with MI
Disraeli and issued circular denouncing Mr. Glad
stones new plan in respects worse than the DID,
describing It as practical and perpetual! endowment OF
sectaran schools throughout the country with the IN
eytabe result that the extension OF the same system
TO Ireland education Of that country Will be thrown
entirely into the hands OF the Roman Catholic priest
hood and 1t has given the signal for strenuous oppo-
sition to the new plan. meeting OF Liberal MEN,
hers including that formidable fraction below the gang
way has adopted an amendment, TO be moved by Mr..
Henry Richard, " that grants to existing denomna
tona schools should not be increased and that In any
national system OF elementary education the attendance
should be everywhere compulsory and the religious in
structon should be supplied by voluntary enr ana not
out of the public funds" Here is dilemma. IL the
Government accepts this amendment, will utterly dis
card it's original BILL ALLEVIATE all It's Tory supporters
convert the support Of the moderate ecclesstcs INTO
bitter opposition and confess itself vanqushed by the
very party which in the beginning 1t affected to treat
with contempt IT, the other hand, II rejects the
amendment, or does not grant the substance OF II IN
some shape, will probably have to abandon inc enors
10 pass any bill at oil this session.
The Canadians are doing their best to stir up the ma
tive Bron indignation against the United states Tor
the alleged failure of Government To do It's duty
against the Fenians But do not think they have made
much impression the English public The feeling mere
Of IA
and energetic action OF President GRAFT Tue Enysn
had not expected good faith entire and fenohness
40 undeseryed 1t but small party here that qnares
Nth the Automatic assurance given by Mr. Tnornt0n 70