Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-12-24

I'll, apathy with which the public h1.
received the ~, Of alarm exhibited by o.,
President and >me politicians about Go,
pubitc schools, shows pretty clearly that ~,
are not likely To have any general Agitation
ou the ~ihjectat present No such sgi,a
lion could be stirred mp by any man, opin
ions or apprehension-. II Will come, when
ever il comes, from attacks on the common
~c.oo.ezstem by body Of voters sufficient
| ly large to make people fear that they may
eventually succeed, and no such attacks have
as yet been made, nor are they likely to he
made for Il good while, if ever. Sir. Blal.r'>
| proposal, therefore. that the danger should
be ayerted now by an amendment TO tie
Federal Constitution forhidding the State.
a. well as the United States to establish
church OF devote taxes to the support OF
scctaIan institutions, viii probably not re
c.1e the attention it merits. 1t would no
doubt put stop to 4 process which we shall
probably witness hereafter with increasing
frequency in all the States, and particularly
the States which have a large city popula-
tion-the process Of making covert appro-
Triatious ot public money, or granting priv
leges which are the equivalent of money.
under one disguise or another, to Catho lie
societies, schools. and charities. We say
,f..l,.T,. lo,,.,s, IL E,.L.l:. Ilt
trolS the largest number of voters who are
willing 70 vose in ecclesiastical interests and
who can, therefore, be used most effectively
in support of ecclesiastical bargains or en-
terprlses. These appropriations are never
very large. because the Church Is prudent
and bides her time. She has a sense of per
inanency such as belongs to no Protestant
denomination, and Is, therefore. ALWAYS able
and willing to take pay in instalments, and
feels that some day or other she viii have
the sum she needs This mode of accumu
lation, too, is bel ped in a remarkable de-
gree BY the ~ecreSy Of her financial manage
ment. The aity are drawn on necessarily
for all sorts Of objects, hut they never know
what is done with the money. No disagree
able public discussions, therefore, ever oc-
eur over tie accounts. If mistakes are
made. they are not heard Of outside the
episcopal parl0r, nor Is there ever any loud
public Proclamation Of wants. The Church
works without haste, but without rest. and
u0isele>sly, ami is served by a permanent.
powerful, and thoroughly disciplined corpor-
alton. The reason why she makes 80 many
little a-sa1lts on the treasury of this CITY
and State *. that while she has here. as
elsewhere in the iniou, sense of wrong in |
being forced to contribute TO the support of |
schools she does not approve Of or use, she |
knows she Is strong enough numerically |
here 70 be worth counting in polit;cs, and |
easily per-uades herself that in getting little |
appropriations of one kind and another she !
is only getting back a portion of her own
If there we're, therefore, a constitutional (
prohibition Of such appropriations, it might
step leak which bids fair TO increase in
size Bot. after all, it Is only leak. 1t is
only by great stretch of Imagination that
we can really fancy its protecting us against
q church establishment or "a real division oC
the school funds among >ects. aud II woou
be very diifcait 20 discover uuy raj alarm
IN the Subgsc; IA auT .,dri OF the country
Alarm abou. 1t rut..1 doubtless be 4 COVE
lienoe To a sreat 'aans people. There Is Il
arge number q! geul,-'aen IN politics who
would Ike amazingly to see ne patlie mind |
'tSoiDed IN resisting the insidioos .'scroash-
.ehiS oil The Pdpaey, instead of eaneen, "a
ing ltseh on accounts. and vouchers and
oairages, and telegrams and reno,ts II
lb)ecis which doubtless have re,,air i,
l,s.ln ana narrowness about them. but
n'OI happen at tins moment to be to the
iheiicnh CITIZEN the most important of all O
l9leets. The Pope will keep. He is tough 1
:, ~, tenacious, and can be laid low Just As 2
Ell twenty live years hence as now. While d
e Bosses are daily disappearing with p
e money, aud, once gone away. never re- :, -