The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-11-02
Fontaine on Education.

Fontaine on Education. v
We republish to-day communication of b
Prof. Edward Fontaine Protestant clergy 9
man, addressed to some of our city dailies G
on the subject Of Public Education. We ,
commend to the attention of
certain 80 called liberal Catholics several
of the Ave principles which he lays down,
and we ask them to listen to common sense
as spoken by an honorable and fairly inclined
gentleman, though they CONTEMPORARY set
aside the teaching of our holy Pontln
which is to the same effect.
Prof. Fontaine holds that the public pro-
perty of Republican state and the money
in it's treasury, belong to the citizens. Ihey
have strict right, under every rule OF
common honesty, to their individual shares
of it or to the benefits Of its application
1t follows from this that any attempt oy
the State authorities to dictate to them
| how they shall apply their share of it is
arrogant and tyrannica1 whenever 1t can
practically be made q matter ct choice. In
the matter of State policy and public order
there can of course be but one way. There
can not possibly be two systems of laws
or variety of Governors and Legislatures,
among whom people could take their
choice. This would be an impossibility
in the nature of things, because LAW" by
its yery definition, excludes the idea OF
choice, and Government, by its definition,
:, implies supremacy without rival
fit were possible to give everybody hif
choice in these matters, it ought to be done
. But it is not possible and therefore thu
= majority controls. But can the same b.
said of education. Is there any good ant
d valid reason why man may not have tn
10 same freedom in choosing the teacher TO
v his children as in choosing their doctor
~ You say that he pays the doctor with hi
III own money but Prof. Fontaine answer
v that the school fund is his own money.
10 ia but fiction of law to suppose that
belongs to the State. The State is every
~ BODY. 1t is mean and contemplate piece
40 tyranny to coerce a man in the applicable
of his share of the public money, whe
D. there is no absolute necessity for it.
or has indeed been fashionable for casuists
d. claim a show of reason in this matter
S' saying that Common school educate
could not be so efficiently promoted wit
90 ont concentrating all its means in syste
e'' controlled in every detail by the Sta
a' authorities. The bad faith of this pictu
>" is. however, shown by the experience
Texas, Savannah, New York, and many
y. the great nations of Europe where demon
W national schools are working with compile
we
49,. success. %.
ne fessor is that it is "acrong to force pare
u.s. to send child to a school whose teachil
'elf or religious or moral influence he does I
me conscientiously approve" To this tn
lgs reply: eve do not force any one to sc
her his children to the public schools" III
ose enough 30 far as physical force goes,
false so far as double taxation can go.
lew man cannot afford, after paying his sch
re- tax. to paw tuition at a private school 6
ain therefore sends his children to the put
as schools against his will, he is, to that
pre- tent, coerced. 1t is not 30 open an att
upon the rights of conscience as it would
now to send his child under an escort of police
Ea- a place where it would be taught doctri
more more that its fsther considers immoral
n is blasphemous, but it is more lngenl
lses, mode of attaining the same end. /
eng ing the principle of wrong is the same whe'
% be positive immortality is taught or mora
is merely left untaught.
u ~ We know that there are many Fro
Is tants who cannot see the force OF
Ties, Fon taine's reasoning and the justice Of
lana grounds, but in this country the day
,tarS bigoted opposition to Catholicity, and
nor by foul means if necessary, is over. I
y as are millions, of course, who would
stop at any injustice, to hamper the
anse erees of the Church, but public oplnio
ed of longer sustains them as it did few )
ID by ago. We are aware, too, that there
ouch sprinkling of real Protestants in the Gu
,nism itself, men who have the audacity to
i'i'A' themselves Catholics, but do no hesita
after treat with contempt the teaching OF
ope Pope on this point, and indeed, on Of
The if it suits them so to do. Bnt the arm
who God will march successfully onward,
o;tbar nv the omen ODDOsitiO