The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-12-02

preted by the language of the petition, and
by the source from which it originates.
II am abnndantly satisfied that such pro.
posal would be resisted to the death, and re-
| jeelcd. There is not the slightest interior.
ence in any common school in America with
any particular religious views or with any re-
ligious teaching. Every church and every
! ligious training of the children for whom they
are responsible. My own sense of the i'm
portance of religious education is shown by
| the establishment and maintenance of do
| cessan girl schools. But the churches must
do this for themselves, or it must be done by
| individual liberality; and the enormous wealth
of Roman Catholics in this country is abun.
dainty sufficient to enable them 10 take care
of their own parochial schools State money
cannot be used 10 support any UNCONVENTIONAL
schools, because it cannot be used to further
the interest of any religious body. Such
course would only foster the rivalries of sects
and break up the unity Of our educational
system. am quite sure that if ! were
Roman Catholic would oppose this scheme
with; all my might. The Roman Church is
really on trial in America. She is claiming
to be adapting herself to American principles
and habits. Such proposal as this fasiGes
the claim. Already she is suspected Of in
terfering with political elections. If she
makes open avowal of an attempt to inter
fere with public education, she will receive,
and in my judgment deserve the unanimous
verdict of the more than 50,000,0 900 of people
in America, who being divided into all sorts
of religious associations, and some having no
religious position at all, are united in their
determination that no religious body shall
control either the elections or the education
of the country
BISHOP PARETs VIEWS.
The recent distribution of circulars through
the state by prominent Catholics for the pur
pose of creating sentiment in favor of the
apportionment by the Legislature of fund
for the support of Catholic schools has caused
no uneasiness among Protestant bodies in
Baltimore, as this action, they say, is not un
expected.
Ri Rev. William Paret, bishop of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in Maryland
was approached on the subject and said -
can make no more forcible objection TO this
circular than did in letter last year, when
| took decided stand against the support of
parochial schools by the state. Then said,
and now ! say, it seems clear that it is the
duty of the state or civil authority 10 take
care for and insure, as far as possible,
sound and useful education for all the PEOPLE.
| Ignorance would be the deterioration and
downfall of the nation; sound, general in
siruction one of its great projections. The
maintenance of public schools is a necessity,
therefore, for the public welfare. Taxation
TO sustain these schools is n necessity, and a
tax for that purpose will certainly be more
cheerully borne than for any other. Even
those who have no children receive the bene-
fit in the greater security Of good order and
law and Of general prosperity.
There may be many defects in the work
ing of the present system. 1t may be ques
toned whether the course of study is not too
generous or ambitious whether it would not
be wiser 10 contine general education at
public cost almost entirely to the branches
most elementary TO make it more for the
poor than for those able to pay. But the duty
of the government is to do all it can to secure
and promote sound education and to Danish
ignorance. and of the people to sustain the
government in so doing cannot be denied.
There can be no sounder reason for u tax
which shall bear upon all than the benefit
which must come TO all from universal edu
cation.
Happily, in this country there is not and
cannot be an established religion or church.
Full liberty of conscience is insured to all.
| Unhappily, differences and divisions about
religion are many and great. Of necessity,
therefore, no form of religion or worship can
make part of the public school instruction.
The religious training and teaching must be
given in some other way and at some other
time and place. 1t is claimed by some that
this makes the public schools goddess or
atheistic, but it is not so. One might as well
say that day spent in mathematical studies
and recitatons was goddess because there was
| no place there for religious teaching. There
is time and liberty for insting religious lesson
and habit at home or in church by parents
and pastors.
''In America the state merely says take
some other time and place If the public
/ education in the United States, of which the
hours in the public schools form part, is god
less or atheistc, it is because parents or pas
tors do not use the time and opportunities
| for doing their share.
| The argument made by Roman Catholics
that they are paying double tax is utterly
fallacioas; they pay but one educational tax,
that 10 the state for the public schools. The
other expenses is voluntary religious con
tribution. just as really as pew rent or offer
ngs at church, or contributions for missions
or for the poor. 1t is purely and absolutely
voluntary. And the good sense of the Amer
lean people is too strong to be blinded by that
curious argument of double tax. The state
taxes all-taxes the rich, taxes the poor, but
not to pay for the special personal benefits
which each child receives in education. 1t
| taxes the childless, therefore. But it is for
| the benefits which come to the whole com
munity 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.
"The Roman Catholics are in possession
almost everywhere of good school buildings
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 have their established
teachers, all of their own faith have com
mand of those they wish to reach. But the
expense is becoming burdensome. The lay
4 people are growing uneasy, and some plan
/ must be found for relieving them. So, as if
it were an act of generosity on the part OF the
| church, they offer to lend their buildings free
of rent to the government on these condi-
tons;
"First-The schools are to go ON as they
are, with Roman Catholics scholars and none
! but Roman Catholic teachers.
'.Second-These teachers and scholars may,
indeed, be examined by the public 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.
Translate this into plain English and it
means simply, We find the cost Of our reli-
gious schools too heavy. We want the gov
ernmcnt to relieve us Of all the running ex-
penses, and we will not charge you rent for
our property"
SIN its recent general convention the Prot
estant Episcopal Church declared the wrong
] fulness of such appropriations and gave no.
! tice TO the government that when present
school contracts shall have expired it will
accept no more government aid Other
! Christian bodies are doing the same. Let
/ the people demand it of all make religious
equality real, prevent this misuse Of public
money and save our public school system
from the net which is so ingeniously spread
fori .