The sun., 1893-11-26
STATE AID tox c4rnoAIc SCHOOLS.
Cardinal Gibbons I-.u-. n Ga euiar on the
FaIrnc.. of Sueh u linn.

BALTIMcRF. Nov 25.-By direction OF Cardi.
nal Gibbons printed circulars bearing on the
local schoO! question are now being dis distributed
among IrotestAnts here us well rs Catholics
The idea i to agItate the question before the
assembling OF the Legislature. In January.
when the state Will bc asked to give the
parochial schools u share OF the school fund
that is biennially distributed. Tho circular
begins 10y declaring that Catholics ure not
opposed to public schools SO far as they impart
good secular education. but that this educa-
tion to be comp etc must rest on religion. as
the basis OF all practical morality.
The system .! education in England. Ire
land. and In the Canadas" tho Circular goes
on to say. combines State and denomln 10 alton
al schools. supported by the public PURSE Tho
only difference il that in Europe the patrons Of
the denominAiional schools are required to
build schoolhouses at their own expense. The
demon minAtional schools have the privilege OF
selecting their own teachers. who are to IN
dergo an examination and to receive q certln-
cate from tho superintendent OF public in
struction that they are competent Doth sys.
tems work haEmoniously and give satisfaction
Protestant authority IL then cited to show
the heneL,tS 70 be derived from teachlnG re:
llgion In the public schools President Lliut ot
Harvard etng named among others. The
ciEcgiar clo;es a. Iollaws:
slhct " - cnnsluefel by all tnAt religion ts
an essential element OF civilization and the
hulwark OF civil goNernmrnt. Wa consider that
thr slate In its educational system should
have regard for the right of parents. and ac-
cord TO them the religious freedom guarAn-
teed by the constitution. A. the law now
az places ~ sducation for their children are
deIIii-d OF the bene1t OF their taxes as far as
educatinE their own O1spring Is helped by
lheln they AFRO also led from motives OF
charity 20 ,,'ucaie the poor Of their denomina-
tlon; this threshold tax Il very onerOus
fuTtncTmurr the system of education
Whlrh the Slal" aIupts presents to our minds
grievance very much to he dsPlored the alb
sence o, religion in he Iutlie schools. II isa
lhct w"IthI of consideration that the de oml-
nAilonal ry-trm ~ education is established in
England. austria, Prussia. aud the German
hlales, and 10 acknowledged by them to be
pIefeTah 10 to any other system.
We wishit To Dee understood that II Is not our
puTp"ss TO Interfere with the public sehOols-
We only desire such modification of the pres
ent common school system, s. thAt the con
science III parents be respected. and that
the state sees that even ndrl Justice ns
deriving thsTetrom a corresponding lrneilt.
And thus buhlic blessings may be commensu-
TaIe, with public burdens.
We are persuaded that the above modiAca-
sehools under the auspices Of the various rs-
ligtous denominations, aud thus Increasing
the nun her uf puUlte scholars many thousands
IN baltipoTs alone. would rather strengthen
ana render more popular and useful tho com
hurt IT,"
The circular has caused talk throughout the
htAte and aroused much HntAHonism tn the
proposed scheme. Efforts have Leen made
school money Tor Catholic schools % hui GtRR,,y tRey
were generally abandoned before the issue
was fairly raised.