Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-09
PEDACOCUE'S AHEAD.
Influence Bxerted by the Schools
masters in French Politics.
LEGiSlATiNG ABOUT SALARIES.
An Increase In Pay Mounting Up
Into the Millions.
DEEPLY CONSIDERED
The Policy Of Barring Ecclesiastics
from Educational Authorities.
A Motion to Defer to the Councils OF
the Commune Where Changes
Are TO BE Made--Jules Ferry
Appears Again.
Religion and Instruction.

ANSuEioU dUU AnStruCt1On.
tCopyight 1889 by James Gordon Bennstt1
PARIS, June s-TNew York Herald Cable
Special to THE BEE. THE senate is dis
cussing the law, already passed by the
chamber of deputies, relative to the salary
of teachers. Many grave questions are in
volved in the debate from an electoral point
Of view. The government majority in the
chamber attach great Importance to the pas
sage of the law, as the teachers play an i'm
portant political role, nowadays, especially
in the rural communities, where they form
sort of lay clergy.
The village schoolmaster is almost always
the declared enemy of the cure, occasionally
also of the MORE, especially when that
Official is elected as a conservative, and is an
avoWed opponent to the government. The
rural teachers are very active election agents
and weld power that prospective candl-
dates FOR reelection are anxious to conciliate.
This ls the first pri nciple aud rason d. etre
OF the law increasing their salaries. 1t is
also the reason why the passage of the bill
is so strongly urged by the government and
so fought over by the larger portion of the
republican party.
But these purely electoral considerations
do not close the eyes of everybody to the
serious objection put forward against the
law in many respects. notably from the
financial point Of view These objections
have been strangely stated in the report Of
the finance committee of the senate. They
were dwelt on at length at the Palais du
Luxembourg by M. Leon Say, and other
senators. These adversaries of the law
point out that it will almost Immediately give
rise to an increase in the annual expenses Of
the government Of from Is OOO 900 to 90, 900 900
francs, as the cost of primary education is q,
heavy burden for the budget, and will be a
still heavier one when the laws of 1881, 1854
and 1886 are in complete operation.
The budget of primary instruction will
soon, even without the proposed law, exceed
100000 900 francs annually. The erection Of
monumental school houses costs great deal.
while liacisations are a luxury not secured 40
a small expense. The financial situation Of
the country is not sufficiently brilliant for it
to persevere in such policy with impunity.
AS far as the laicisation of schools are con-
cerned the opinion is very generally enter.
tanned by moderate republicans is that the
time has arrived. II not to STOP at least, to
move more slowly, and it is not only econo-
mic motives which Justify this conclusion.
1t can not be denied that laicisation has
aroused violent discomfort IN the country,
w ucu muulClpdi COuHCll VI d COmmuu6
desires sisters or nuns to be left at the head
of girls school, is it equitable unreasonable
for the state to interfere on behalf Of dogj
matte principle in order to expel the sisters
from the schools and forcibly establish lay
institutions!
Is there free country in the world where
the commune, municipality, or any ASSEMBLE
age, can override the heads of the families
yuh m nOt allowed n voira in tna chn nj
the masters entrusted with the intellectual
and moral education of their children!
The present cabinet knows very well that
J the government has gone too far and too fast
| in the matter of laiclsation. Assurances have
been given that the minister of public in-
struction had declared to do nothing more in
! that direction, at least in connection with
| girls schools, without the consent of the
| municipal council of the commune In which
| the changes are made, but this concession
| depends on the will of the minister who may
! change his opinion or lose his office at any
| time.
1t would be well for the moderates to in
| sist upon other guarantees against further
| abuses in the matter of laicisation.
The left center Of the senate have about
| made up their minds that IL the law for in
| creasing the salaries of school teachers 10
passed, in spite of the serious objections that
have been made to it, they will introduce an
amendment to the bill, by which the govern
ment will be required, before IL proceeds to
lacisation of school. to ask the opinion of
the municipal council of the commune In
which 1t is located and to conform to that
| opinion.
| On the same day that these questions were
| under discussion In the senate, M. Jules
Ferry was breaking the long silence he had
imposed upon himself, and reappeared in the
tribune Of the chamber In long speech,
he undertook the defense of the school laws,
and the general laicisation, which those laws
established. He declared that the men who
were in power when these laws were passed,
who proposed and defended them In parlia-
ment, have nothing to retract and nothing To
regret. In concluding, however, he made q
strong plea for the re.estab,shment of re-
ligious places, something not compatible
NJ with the maintenance and application of the
laws which have contributed most toward
fermenting religious discord IN every village
and hamlet in France.