New-York tribune., 1879-05-20
TILE NEW CONFLICT IN FRANCE.

THE NEW CONFLICT IN FRANCE.
Mr. John Morley has been so uncompromising a
champion of all that is Radical in French thought
that his conclusions respecting NJ. Jules Ferrys I'd
ucation bill have great weight. In the current
number of The FOrtnDhIy RerieT he condemns 1t a.
an mpotent and unnecessary measure, and dismsses
the subject with the remark "The flaws in the
logic Of the defenders of restriction and repres
sion are so plain and decisive that calm
onlookers may well suspect that the bill is
rather of the nature of a weapon of retaliation
than well-cOnsidered attempt to recOnstitute ma
tional educationD This is judIcious summing up
of the whole case. The Republicans cannot resist
the temptation to strike down those who have plot
ted against them in the past. With them the pro-
motion of undenOminational teaching is an object
of secondary Importance. Retaliation first; re-
construction by aud by.
For nearly thirty years Frenchmen have been
free to open schools and teach whatever they liked
without interference from State or University, and
since 1878 colleges controlled by religious associa-
tous have had the privilege of comforting degrees.
If NJ Fery's bill becomes law State establishments
will have a monopoly in respect to degrees, and no
member of a congregation that is not recognized by
the State-the Jesuits have had no legal standing
since their expulsion i'll the reign OF. Louis
XV.-wll be allowed to follow the vocation OF
teaching. This is not a step IN the direction OF
the emancipation of the public schools OF Of the
free Law schools from clerical influence, was the
case In Germany when DR.. Falk introduced his
earlier laws, but an organized effort to weaken and
suppress ecclesiastical schools at time when the
thOroughness of their courses of instruction
has rendered them popular with the middle
classes. On abstract principles, the wisdom
of legislation such as this will be called in question
Tho IN I'M 6fr-
ment here would be LET the State schools re-
main nndenominational, and raise the standard of
instruction so that they may offer superior advan-
tages to the ecclesiastical schools but do not med
die with the right of religious bodies to maintain
their own schools and to establish their own
colleges"
The political aspects Of the case must not be over
looked Here we have many religious cOmmunions,
without political aims or prejudices but i'll France
there is practically only one church, and inasmuch
as the Gallican movement has come to an untimely
end il is no longer church with liberal tendencies.
Now as in the past the clergy detest repub-
lican institutions. In every political crisis
the factions of Reaction have had their
sympathy if not their aid. What can
be more natural than the desire of French LIB
erals to take the education of the rising generation
out of the hands of the enemies of existing insti-
tutions by restricting ing laDors ol the priest anu
Jesuit teacher to churches and seminariesf The
unprecedented growth of the ecclesiastical schools
has filed their souls with alarm. Is it SAFE they ask,
to allow the clergy to preach down the principles OF
tbe Republici That is not unsafe the recent his
tory of France clearly indicates, for the people have
affirmed their allegiance to the Republic in the face
of clerical opposition That it is unwise to be ilib
eral and intolerant, when repression ex-
cites resistance and builds up an OppOsi-
ton party with political aims as well as
religions impulses, the growth of the Centre in the
German Parliament affords a striking proof. Self
confidence is what is needed in France. So long as
their conduct is regulated by high moral standards,
the Republican leaders have no cause to dread the
insidious attacks of foes who only become danger
Gus when they are prosecuted.