The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-02-14
The School Tax War in Canada.
IMilwaukeo Yindicator ]

milwaukee vindicator.l
The Catholics of New Brunswick have
taken a bold and manly stand On che ones
ton of popular education. They went to
work and built their schools, hired teachers
and gathered together their children.
Having thus shown their intention aud
their ability to educate their little ones
they asked the Government to be just and
not compel them tn educate the children of
others as we'll. The friends of the public
scbool system are too familiar with its
value as a weapon of warfare upon Catho-
licity to relinquish it without struggle, SO
they quietly ignored the petition of their
Catholic brethren. Having in vain petit
toned for the removal of the tax their onl y
resort was to contest its collection. This
many of them did, among them the Bishop,
who permitted his household goods to be
seized and sold by public auction to satisfy
the requirements of law.
As matters stood several months ago they
stand now. The Catholics refuse to pay a
tax from which they derive no benefit, but
which is applied to a purpose antagonistic
to their interests as a religious body, aud
! their opponents have tasted power and au-
tho-ity too long and too repeatedly to offer
or accept anything but AFFECT submission.
Catholics say they will support their own
schools and no others; the State says it is
supreme on matters of education, and that
! no matter in what light Catholics view the
public schools they must support them.
The latest Intelligence from the Dominion
is to the effect that things have come to a
crisis and resulted in bioodshed. In town
called Caroquet an officer was killed and
several persons injured. The telegraph
brings us the bare skeleton facts in the
case without word of detail. Troops
from all quarters are ordered to the scene
of discord. Two detatchments of artillery
with two guns are ordered from New Castle,
two detachnents of volunteers from Chat
ham are also on their way to Caroquet.
The result will, of course, be a repetition
of an, unfortunately, too familiar event,
where majority, backed by hayonets,
trample upon the dearest rights of the mi
nority and c0erce them into obedience to
unjust and hateful laws. But the voice of
Justice cannot be stif1ed, nor can the
hireling's or the bigot's bayonet stab it in a
vital part.
The Catholics of New Brunswick have
taken a noble stand and are entitled to the
aid and sympathy of their CO -religionists
across the border. Their cause is ours,
their battle is ours-tt.e very same that we
are steadily fighting against bigotry, preju-
dice and ignorance, and the sympathy that
we owe aud should offer must be of a
practical nature.
1t is to be sincerely regretted that blood
shed. has resulted from this dispute, for
justly or pot, the blame will be laid upon
the Catholics. The weapons we fight with
are not of iron or steel, but of truth acting
upon the minds of that portion of the com
munity who, while they differ from US in
religious matters, have an honest regard
for the rights and convictions of others, and
for the glorious principles embodied in the
golden rule.
Referring to the discussion in Memphis, on
the school question, the New York Catholic
Rerier says:
The public school system appears to be
creating lively connection down in Mem
phis where it has been introduced only
since the war. The Catholic people, who
support niue schools of their own, beside
paying u good proportion of the common
school tax, are not alone in their protest
against the syste m which robs them. 1t is
opposed, on the score of its expense, by 30
many others that the question of remodel
ing or abolishing it is n subject of common
street debate. Recently An investigating
committee was appointed, whose report has
excited no little Comment. 1t was found
that the schools educated only abont two
thousand children, for whose accommoda
ton two high schools, where Latin, music.
botany, etc, were taught, we're provided in
addition to the primary schools. The
children of the poor, for whom public
schools are, at least in theory, provided, do
not attend them, being practically excluded
by the presence of the children of the we'll
to- do, who desire to obtain q first class
education at the public expense. One of
the members of the committee, non Ca
tholic, Major Merriweather, drew in his
report an economic comparison between the
city schools and the Catholic parochial
schools of St. Louis and Cincinnati, greatly
to the advantage Of the latter. He advocated
a repeal of the charter, and the adoption of
cheap State schools confined to primary
education only, leaving people who desire
| more for their children to pay for it them
| selves, instead of putting their hands into
the public purse to provide for the music
| bills of their daughters and the Latin OF
their sons. These are words of wisdom,
and we think they have o fair chance OF
| producing their proper effect.
Civil Marriage in Italy.