The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-01-10

It Is claimed by some that this makes
the public schools goddess or,atheist!c,
but Il is not 80. One might as well say
that a day spent in arithmetical stud
les and Rotations was gpdlesa because
there was noplace there Tor rel lgipus
teaching. There ID time and liberty
for instilling religious lessons and hab-
its at home or in church by parents
and pastors, In France, unhappily the
public instruction is positively atheist.
ic. Instead Of being silent about God
and the Christian faith it openly de-
MES and ridicules them. Here the state
merely says 'taGeDsHhie1 othal time and
place. II the public education in the
! United States, OF which the hours in
the public schools form part, Is goddess
or atheistic, it 10 because parents or
pastors do not use the time and oppor-
tunities for doing their share.
"But parents are careless, Religious
training ia neglected and there comes
naturally uesire for essentially Chris
tian schools, where religion shall have
its place and shall rule. Roman Catho-
lies and Lutherans are foremost in this,
and II has long been a rule with them
that every parish or congregation
should have its parochial schools. and
mistaken friends OF the public schools
have in jealousy gone so far as to de-
nounce religious or parochial schools as
disloyal and mIschievous, But by all
the principles OF American liberty these
schools have right to be, Tho public
schools do not teach law; there are law
schools. They do not make physicians;
there are medical schools, They do not
teach the higher grades OF science;
there must be colleges aud universities.
There are private schools, whore
parents who seek special surrounds
ings or Influences or courses
OF teaching, or seek particular results,
may send their children at their own
cost. These schools are supplementary
to the public schools. Those who sup
port them, the schools for special pur-
pose or advantage, never claim to beck
empt on that account from taxation for
the public scko0lsS Itwouid be absurd.
They have the privilege OF the public
schools II they will use them. They
have the immense benefits which come
to tho whole community, because OF
general enlightenment II in addition
to this they want for theIr own CHI tdren
schools OF special character or privilege,
scientific or social orrellgious, why, in
this free land, they are free to have
them; but it mitst be al their oWn cost.
They voluntarily assume that cost. II is
in no sense taxation. 1t ia q choice.
"The argument therefore made by
Roman Catholics that they are paying
double tax is'uttetly iallacious; they
pay but one educational tax, that to the
state for the public schools. The other
expense is q voluntary religious contrl-
button, iust.as really as pew; rent Or Of
ferings at church, or contributions for
missions or for the poor: II ia purely
and absolutely voluntary. And the
good sense OF the American people Ia
too strong to be blinded by that Gu
rious argument Of q double tax The
state taxes all-taxes the rich, taxes
the poor, but not to pay for the special
personal benefits which each child re-
ceives in education. 1t taxes the child
less therefore. But 1t is for the benefits
which come to the whole community in
good order and progress, and each ones
personal benefit comes through that.
Let those, then, who want schools more
to their liking than our public schools
be free to have them, but | repeat, it
must be at their own cost.
"There are, then, the two lawful
ideals OF general education-the public
school system, where christianity Is not
denied, but left for parents and pastors
to instill elsewhere, and the parochial
or religious school system, where def-
mite religious doctrine and worship
after the rules OF some church or dc.
nomination are interviewer and made
prominent.
"But now there comes third, whose
most prominent recent advocate is the
Roman Catholic Archbishop Irelend.
Under his leading many OF that church
are now earnestly urging it ltpro-
poses to combine the two. Its purpose
is in reality to secure the support and
money OF tho state for denomlpa tional
schools, though that purpose is masked
under q tempting show OF liberality.
The Roman Catholics are in possession
almost everywhere OF good school build
ings in connection with or in close
proximity to their churches. These
are in working life; have gathered their
scholars all OF their own household OF
faith; havelt their established steRchers
all of their own faith; have command Of
those they wish to reach. But the OK
pense is becoming burdensome The
lay people are growing uneasy, and
some plan must be found for relieving
them. So as ifit were an act OF goner-
osity on the part OF the CHURCH, they
offer to lend their buildings free Of rent
to the government on these conditions:
"First, The schools are to go on as
they are, with Roman Catholic scholars
and none but Roman Catholic teachers.
Second, These teachers and scholars
may indeed DO examined by theIpublic
school authorities.
"Third, Teachers salaries and all ex-
penses to be paid by the state.
Fourth, Religious instruction may
be given by teachers or priests before
or after the regular school hours.
tTranslatotthiscint plain English
and it means simply, I'VE find the cost
OF our religious schools too heavy. We
want the government to relieve ug OF all
the running expenses, and we will not
charge you rent for our property
at is said that this one-sided scheme
tried in Minnesota AssIsaileSll 4, 70 secure
renewal from the state. We hope this
is true-it ought to be. There Is q
growing determination on the part Of
the people Of the United States to put
an end to all appropriation Of public
money, directly or indirectly, for de-
nominational rses. They will notallow
their grand schools to be etinningly on.
shaved to any, religious body. For some