The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1893-08-01
HE ADVOCATE.
TAE SCHOOL QUESTION.
Ida Takes Issue With Both State
anW Church on Their Claims.


ticises clipping from the Catholic
bws. On the question, "Who shall
iucate," the Catholic News has this
4 10 say:
& "Every Catholic sllould get the prin-
piple firmly into his head that the
II hurch is the only educator of its chill
irep. The State has duties, but no
*rights in the matter, except of seeing
its duties are efficiently performed.
Its duties are TO assist education by
the proper persons whose right it is to
educate. 1t has no right to appoint
tkese persons, or to dictate what shall
or shall not be taught within certain
marrow limits
The Eagle has this to say:
ut is the paramount right and the
paramount duty of the State to afford
free education to all its children in the
common branches of learning"
Math the Eagle and the News beg
the question. The proposition which
each asserts is by no means self-ev
ident truth, but involves the ab-
struse inquiry. Neither of them pre-
tends to give any reason for its state
ment. One proposition appears about
as plausible to us as the other in the
&bsence of proof.
Although we are Protestant, and
on the same side as the Eagle, yet we
must say that SO far as we can see, it
begs the question from start to finish.
1t is mighty and abundant in asser-
tions; of proof it has none. / SUBJ
mitkthis kind of work will never de-
fehd the State or silence Romanism.
Now we would suggest that the pa
rents of the child have right in its
education paramount to that of church
or State. This is taught us in the
revelations of nature, of the Bible
and in the history of all the past.
The parents being more deeply inter-
ested in the welfare Of the child than
any others are better situated to decide
how, when, where and by whom it
shall be educated. The Eagle has this
to say of the State as an educator:
"TheAState, in fact, recognizes no re-
ligious factor in its educational work.
1t knows no distinction between Ro-
manist and Protestant, between Bud
.dhist Mohamedan and Agnostic. 1t
knows no creed. 1t has no more to do
with religion than it has with the ver-
Uniform appendix"
Now / submit that if the State is
4 that sort of an institution it is not fit
4 ITO be the trainer of puppy. Ger
tainly it has no right to right to ask
y Cody parents to turn over the edu-
1 cation of their children to it. That
4 which is more Goddess than Buddhist.
Mohamedan and Agnostic" is not fit to
act pedagogue to the children of chris
q tians. "Buddhists recognize Bud
4 dhism, Mohamedans recognize Mo-
4 hamedanism, but the United States
Government recognizes nothing; it is
"a stark atheist"
The truth is the above is SANDER
on our Republic. 1t does recognize
christianity; it does not oppress other
religions, it protects them; but for
itself II moves on the plain of the best
form of Protestant Christianity. Pret-
estsa lS6@ is the heart and hand and soul
of this..Nation. Professionalism is that
~ which secures federation and liberty to
all. Romanism would net do it for
one kour. No other religion could do
1t. Tgtter but the plainest of truths
when say that the action of the u.
I S. Government on this subject is the
action of Protestant Christianity.
81 When this Nation says there shall be a
national public school system, it is
Protestant christianity which domi-
mates it. uttering its voice. Again the
Eagle says:
aThe State owes duty to every
child born underits jurisdiction--and
thateduty is to afford every child, free
Of expense, the means of obtaining a
commop school education, such as will
ft the fupil for the discharge of the
crdinary functions of citizenship"
1t had just as well say that the State
rs under obligation to feed and clothe
livery child born underits Jurisdiction