The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-03-27
HANDS OFF THE SCHOOLS
Rev. John L. Scudder on
the Parochia1 Schools
Duty of Citizens.

The Rev. John l.. Scudder addressed a
large congregation at the Tabernac lie last
night and his remarks were listened to
attentively.
.There is an effort on the part of a few
cunning priests" said he, "to tap the
trees OF Knowledge ia the State of New
Jersey, and run The sap into sectarfan YES
sells. But these ecclesiastical poachers
will not succeed. The sovereign peopl g
are aware of their designs. n will
quietly but effectually keep them of the
public domain. They can plot in dark
ness all they please. but when they at
tempt 10 perpetrate their sordid schemes
in the light OF day, the watch dogs or the
nation will be let fooSe ana prieStly panta-
looms will suffer. Corrigan q &c. OF
Roboken have given us mach idle talk or
late about the right of Catholics TO a part
of the public school funds. However in
tutored following, certainly he native
born American cannot understand 1t.
This trumped-uD right, if granted, would
be ~high-handed wrong.
THE GOVERNMENTS DUTY.
"Look at the case. This government is
willing TO provide an education Tor every
child in the land. For this purpose it
makes liberal appropriations, and throws
open its school doors to ali, irrespective
of creed, nationality or color. In order to
perpetuaGe the Republic and develop a
citizenship capable OF self-government,
it has established a system of free schools.
This education is non-sectar1an, and must
necessarily be so. tor where there are
many Kinds of religion, instruction In
any one of them in the school house
would be an injustice to all who hold OPP
posite opinions. The theory and prac-
lice of this government is to supply ln-
tellectual and ethical culture, and
.ltz,.v khn unrinIG GnntG f0 fQlnh
their peculiar doctrines in their
houses of worship. This system is
equitable and consistent. 1t has been
tried for a century aud has worked well.
NO GOVERNMENT INTERFERE nee.
snow, II people refuse to send their chill
dren to the public schools and prefer 10
esta blish religious schools of their own,
they are welcome SO 10 do. for this is a
free country. The State Will not inter-
fere with these sectarian institutions so
long as they provide a bona fide secular
education. But when the owners OF these
opposition schools turn around and de-
mand governmental support, their de-
mands are impertineht and must be Wig
orously resisted by every loyal citizen.
Suppose we apply the argument of Corri-
gan Co. to other boards beside the school
Board of Education. Suppose l am dis
satisfied with the regularly appointed
Board of Aldermen, as. IN point OF fact,
L usually All. udu Wou1u pCO-
pie think If [ and my friends
should constitute ourselves into
an opposition Board of Aldermen
and coolty ask the Government to pay
our salaries? Methinks we should evoke
a smile. Yet, this is substantially what
our Hoboken friends desire to do as re-
CARDS the public schools. They talk
wildly about their share" of the public
school fund, the way they are being
robbed and similar oratorical moonshine.
They talk glibly about taxation without
representation, but such statements are
absolutely false. Catholics have offered
to them the SAME educational advantages
that all our citizens enjoy. Catholics can
serve and do serve on the Board of Edu-
cation: they can teach and do teach in
our public schools. Like all other citi-
zens, they enjoy the amount of represeu-
tation to which their votes entitle them:
sometimes, as in the case of The ballot
box suffers, they have had more than
their share.
ALL ARE TAXED ALIKE.
1.-THE fact is, we are all taxed
for the public schools and the pub
lie schools are thrown open TO all.
The State is absolutely Impartial. If
Catholics reject the privileges extended
to them, that is their own fault and folly.