The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-03-20
Pastor Scudder Thinks Pub
lie Schools the Founda-
tion of Liberty
Schemes of InSi-
dious Priests.

ing, tackled the Parochial School Dill.
and gave several good reasons why bills
tending to establish sectarian scnoois
should never be allowed to enter tne
halls of legislation. The subject Oh uls
prelude was, sShall the State Support
Sectarian Schoolss" He said:-
'.The public school is the foundation Oh
American liberty, and any man who tries
to undermine it is a traitor to MS
country, and the enemy of free people.
Our system Of popular education Is tne
pride and glory OF the natlon, anu esery y
loyal American citizen will upnoio IL
with all the energy of his being. 10 sur
render our national birthright to sectar-
ian prejudice, or compromise with an In
sidious priesthood would be the height
of cowarllice and the forerunner OF op-
preston.
1--WE are on the eve of controversy,
nv friends, which is destined to agltate
this country from Mafue TO California.
There is set purpose on the part OF
certain foreign element in our popuia-
tion TO impair our public school system.
They hate our free schools because their
pet religious doctrines are not taugnt
therein, and we see this hatred cropping
out in various parts of the country. NOW
lb is III MdSSdCuuSSto1f hOW AZ
sin. now in Minnesota and, latest OF AL.
we see it here in New Jersey. You VIII
find it more or less concealed in every
State of the Union, Ieady. at moments
notice. TO leap out into open
revolt. II we, as patriots. stand firn ana
show bold front, we have naughs 70
fear, for those who believe in The pu DIG
school system are overwhelmingly IN the
majority. aud always will be-. we can
perpetuate the policy of our fathers. who
rave themselves for the light and liberty
we now enjoy.
DICTAToRIAL POLICY UNSUCCESSFUL
"rhe Roman Catholic Church, as
whole, has always been opposed TO our
public schools. Its priesthood, STEPPED IN
mediaeval ideas ana fearlul oI ioss VI
power in this enlightened land, have open
ly denounced our national system OF edu-
cation and forbidden Catholic children TO
attend the public schools on pain of pa
rental accommodation. But that die
tatorial policy has not been success,
and is now abandoned by many far seeing
ecclesiastlcs. 1t failed because 1t was un-
American and narrow. Broadminded
Catholics repudiated it. The free air OF
these United States generated indepen-
dence OF thought and action, and many or
them sent their children to the public
schools In spite of priestly denunciation
and threatening. The fact Is, enllgnt-
ened Catholics no longer fear the priest
hood. In this age they know too Dluch
They read the newspapers and do
their own thinking. They send their
children where they can receive SUI
perior education and suitable training
for the practical duties of life.
'sThe ancient policy of priestly prohioi-
tion is about defunct. Some lew scheme
must be Invented to put new lite into
1, Il rNI ND 10 from
ultimate extinction. Something must be
done to keep the children out of the pub
lie schools, for a large percentage who
thus attend prove recreant to the faith, IN
after years, and Indifferent to the parent
church. They become good citizens. but
poor Catholics. Now new policy has
been inaugurated which is more daring
than the former. 1t proposes that
Catholics, through legislation, snail go the
public school treasury and help Them
selves. In other words. thai church
schools shall be supported at public eX-
pense.
A DARING BILL DEFEATED.
"A bill with these provisions has re-
Gently been introduced into the Legisla-
ture Of New jersey, but naturally iJ died
a very sudden death. Even Catholic
politicians grew pale before its audacious
demands, and one man, we are told.
burst into tears aud asked IL the priests
wanted to break up the Democratic
party, took occasion to read that Dill
yery carefully, and l confess it took my
breath away. 1t coolly proposed to
thrust the ladle into our public school
fund and dip out half million annually
in behalf of sectarian schools. 1t tried to
hood wink the people by talking about
.'additional free public schools" which
were to be located in Catholic buildings
and placed under Catholic con troll.
But the American people are not easily
hood those, at least, who
how to read. or course, that attempt to
rob the public schools was failure. but
1t indicates the animus of a willy and
determined priesthood. Il shows what
we as citizens shall have to contend
against in years to come. Many OF US
have expected this outbreak for years,
and we are prepared for the conflict
which will soon be waged over this entire
country Father Corrigan, the promoter
of this scheme in Hudson county, where
so many patriotic measures have orig
mated. is highly indignant over the
manner in which the bill was
snubbcd and set aside at
Trenton, and, tonight, understand, he
proposes to throw open st. Mary's Hall
people up to his novel ideas of sectariau
plunder in behalf OF parochial school, ALI
/ have to say is, that my friend and fel
low citizen has colossal contract on his
hands. / would remind him that the ad
herents of Catholicism are very far from
being the people o. these United States
His agitation, and that of other like
minded priests, will only serve to infame
the patriotism of the American people, and
cause them to take no rest till they
secure sixteenth amendment to the con-
stisutien of the United States. which shall
prohibit the use of any public money for
any sectarian religious school, or institu-
ton, whatever it may be. We shall see
that this tradition of our fathers crystall-
ICES into universal law. l am glad to
see this issue coming to the front SO rap
idly. We might as well settle it now once
for all, and save au endless amount OF
bitterness and sectarian strife. The the
ory of our government is that Church and
State must be forever separate. By this
principle we shall stand, for 1t we shall
pray and work, and under the Providence
of God feel sure that it will win."