The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-02

pensations. II the central executive author
ity is TO appoint every law and police Of
fetal and the Mayor OF every commune In
France the people have right TO demand
that it shall name and pay the schoolmaster
also And the Republicans. who have seen
their hopes so often shattered on the mass
OF inertness and ignorance in the rural pop
ulation, are justified in exacting that a
measure of enlightenment and intellectual
activity shall be let in to every home
stead. They cannot undertake to guide, with
any assurance of n long career in Office,
the vast and complicated machinery OF
French administration unless the peasantry.
which has twice betrayed them, can acquire
sufficient intelligence TO moderate their own
expectations, and weigh Republican perform
ances against the promises of their oppo-
nents. Whatever the existing regime,
whether Bourbon, Imperial, or Republican,
the French agricultural population has been
taught to think its Government omnipotent,
and to ascribe alike the perverse and the
necessary shortcomings Of its rulers to de-
libcrate trcachery. For that reason it is al
ways liable to reaction, and nothing but cdu-
cation can transform 1t into a steadast,
rational. and trustworthy constituency.
The details OF the bill by which it is pro-
posed to make education universal In the
next generation have not yet been pub
lished, but they may easily be dcduced from
the known opinions OF the Minister of Public
Instruction and other influential leaders ON
the Republican side There is no doubt that
the rule Of compulsory attendance will be
vigorously applied between the ages of I
..tt a a
vantages will be held out to faithful and
Industrious pupils. certificate Of grad
uation from the primary institutions
will be made a condition of admis-
sion to those intermediate establish
monts corresponding to our grammar
schools 1t is also suggested that after a
certain epoch, to be fixed by law. only holders
Of such certificates should be eligible to the
minor posts in the civil administration. A
slight curtailment, moreover OF the period
of military service may possibly be accorded
to school graduates. or course, the object
OF such provisions is to awaken from the
first on the purt Of the French peasant a
conviction that the new project, while it
may offend his prejudices will rebound di-
rectly 10 his interests.
When this bill comes up in the Chamber of
Deputies, we shall watch with especial
curiosity the action taken ON question
about which opinions have been divided
even among Republicans. Will the new law,
compelling attendance at school be made
applicable TO girls, and If So under what
notifications as to age II Is noteworthy
how profoundly the most radical Of French
retormcrs have been affected by the national
prejudice against the int"rmingling Of the
sexes. For example the bill introduced by
TALLEYRAND in 1891 only admitted female
pupils to the public schools up To the age of
$; and SAINT-JUsT himself in his scheme
OF republican institutions, laid 1t down
that girls must be brought up at home
At present, ON the other hand some Of tho
most acute and wcighty champions Of liberal
ideas in France affirm the &ucation OF wo-
men to be the indispensable condition of
durable progress. The neglect Of this pro-
vision has been, they say. the fatal flaw in
previous systems OF instruction, and goes
far to explain the swift relapse OF the
French pcasantry after the iltful attempts
TO enlighten them made from time to time
by republican Governments. On more than
one occasion GAMBErTA has expressed with
the utmost earnestness his own views upon
this matter. Indeed, 1t was only the other
day that he declared that the mothers OF the
fate OF the republic, and that the education
Of women was the paramount and peremp'
tory duty OF the legislator.