The Portland daily press., 1893-12-01

AulliClCQS CletSO VI ClIlLCuo
without arousing strong interest
in any other, except the small
one with like feelings and propensities
to themselves. The danger that
threatens our public schoo system has
been pointed out times without number.
and yet the public is so little aroused to
it that it was impossible to get through
the Maine legislature, which had hardly
Catholic in it, a proposition to amend
the constitution so as to forbid the APP
preparation of public money to sectarian
schools, a proposition discriminating
neither against nor in favor of any relig-
lous denomination, but perfectly just to
all. The chief reason that all this
preaching has produced little effect is
that it has been discredited by the man
ner in which it has been done. The appar-
emit indifference ofthe people has not been
due to any real Indifference in regard to
the preservation of the common school
system. Let the public tbe convinced
that that is in danger, or that it needs
more safeguards thrown around it, and
no appeals will be needed from clergy
men, or lawyers, or statesmen. to induce
them to promptly act to avert the threat
ened danger or Iprovide the needed safe
guards. The trouble is that the danger
is not apprehended and the reason for
the non-apprehension is that the voices Of
the watchmen have had too much secta-
rian twang in them. That is to say, the
school question has been too much
mixed up with religious questions, and
in the discussion the latter have
generally got on top and OBJ
scured the former Whenever the
school has become question at the
polls the line has generally been drawn,
not between believers in the system and
non-believers, but between Protestants
and Catholics, and sectarian animosity
has blazed up until the people have been
able to see nothing but a religious con-
troversy, and to such controversies a
large portion of the people is indiffer-
ent.
The Rev. Mr.. Hughes yesterday pre-
sented the question just as it is, civil
and not religious question, and if it
could only be kept in that position much
more progress could be made in settling
it. 1t must be borne in mind that op-
position to the common school system
proceeds not from the Catholic hierarchy
alone. The governing power of the Luth-
eran churches in the West is just as
much opposed to it, and there were
indications in the Maine legisla-
ture last winter that some even of the
Protestant denominations that flourish in
this state were not very Jealous defend
ers of it, for whenit was suggested that
they sacrifice few hundred dollars of
public stipend in it's behalf they turned
away exceeding sorrowful. The right
of any state to control the education of
its youth does not rest upon the fact
that the majority Of its citizens are of the
Protestant faith. 1t rests upon the fact
that education is one of the personalities
of the state, and self preservation is the
right of an aggregation of individuals in
their corporate capacity as well as of
each member of this aggregation in his
individual capacity. No form of govern
ment is SO dependent upon education for
it's existence as the republican. In a
despotism the lack of education
of the people is comparatively
innocuous because they have no voice in
the making of the laws or the admins
tration of public affairs. A republic can
not survive if the youth who are to be
its future rulers are to grow up in ignor-
ance Education is absolutely necessary,
and the educating power is as essential
to the preservation of the state as the
taxing power. Anybody who undertakes
TO deny or abridge this educating power
is an enemy to the state. 1t is not ne
cessary to inquire what his religion is to
determine this. The dogma that the
parent aud not the state is the rightful |
director of education is set up in ninety
nine cases out of hundred insincerely.
1t is set up to take the power from the
state, not for the purpose or with the |
atention of lodging it in the parent, but
in power behind him. If it's true in
tent were to lodge it in the parent, and
allow the parent to exercise it as his un-
trammelled, unintimidated Judgment |
might dictate, much less injury would |
result, for the great majority of parents,
if left to themselves would educate their |
children in the public schools. This
dogma should be made war upon at all |
times, and the people who preach it
should be combatted, not because many
Of those people belong to particular
faith, but because their dogma threatens
the destruction or abridgment of the right |
Of the state to self-preservation. Let no |
man be driven from taking part in the |
and control of the common |
schools, because he holds particular re-
ligious faith, but let every man be kept |
from any control over them no matter |
what his faith, who disbelieves in them. |