Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-03-28

Manitobans Declare That They Shall
Not BE Allowed 10 Exist.
Will Hold to Principle Of
Equal Rights For All.


WINNIPEG, March 28-The remedial
order on separate schools docs not como
up In the Legislature until tonight
Both tho government and Opposition nrs
no ldinR frequent caucus meetings and
what the outcome will be Is difficult to
predict. One thing IL certain, viz, that
the Manitoban government will resent In
reference by Ottawa on educational mat
terra There Is every indication that the
policy Of the Opposition In the legislature
Will bo to advocate some notifications TO
the school law. In other words some sort
OF fcompromise. Tho Opposition OF Premier
Greenway and the government IL clearly
outlined. The newspaper organ Of the
government has this official statement
under the heading "Manitoba's Answer"
Plain Language.
The remedial order has been read in the leg
islature. We are asked To restore the school
system that was I'm operation previous To 1890
Let Quebec and Ottawa rest assured that the
restoration will never be made. Manitoba has
too Keen sense OF justice too much regard
for~truth and equity, TO recognize as "a relg
ious aristocracy an element to its population
by no means the most worthy.
AS a civilized people, attempting to realize I'm
u measure the idols of the 10Th century, Man
itobans will not silently submit to the pre-
posterous demand that she should turn back
the wheels OF progress 300 years. She will
stubbornly refuse 20 suppant modern civiliza
tion by medievalism. This whole question Is
not u quarrel between Manitoba and the Domin-
ION. 1t IL not even quarrel between creeds
and races. 1t IL struggle ~ to whether the
ideas Of the 10th century or the ideas OF the
Dark Ages shall prevail.
The act OF 1890 was designed to give to every
church In the land the benefits OF common
hoo nIaI,, NIL ,ait tb.r .la
nor creed. but places all on the same level Of
citizenship. 1t aimed at development In this
noble country n unity or sentiment, strong
feeling OF brotherhood, and 1t sought to sink
all prejudicos and class distinctions through
making all equal in the sign OF the law. Could
anything be more wise! Could anything DE
more just2
Yet what was the attitude OF the Roman
Catholic churchY Standing aside, wrapped up
In its black mantle of arrogance, it demanded
that it should be considered religious aris-
tocracy. 1t refused to have the children OF its
members receive instructions side by side with
the children Of those who are their superiors
in intelligence and wisdom.
And on what grounds? 1t said Catholics were
promised different treatment from others by
the aot that called the province into existence.
Then when shown that even IL this were true,
which Il is not. no just citizen would claim q
fulflment Of the promise, since it would vio-
late one of the foundation principles of state
organization
Equal Rights to All.
1t gave second reason that the public
schools arc Protestant. Ii the refusal Of a
Roman Catholic to act as member of the de-
pai sment OF education and OF the archbishop
TO act as "A member of the advisory board could
make the schools Protestant then they are so;
otherwise, not shadow OF proof has been ad.
vanced in support of this claim.
Why does not the Roman Catholic church
come out with the truth at once? Why not
advance the real reason for discontentp Rome
is not in accord with the spirit Of the age. 1t
Is welded to a dead past. Medievalism cannot
ooalesce with modern thought
In place CT the act OF l8JJ, w hat substitute
Is offered. We are asked to set creed against
creed and race against race; to break up the
interest that should exist; to mutually sup
port each other in wrongdoing; to make the
state the teacher of religious truth.
How can any Romanist. believing that Prot
estants schools are teaching errors, con.
scientously support them, and how can any
Protestant, believing that the religious teach
Ing OF the Roman Catholic church is errone-
Gus. agree that portion of his tax should
be voted toward the support of such teachings?
No, any one who has the least sense Of
Justice, any one who Is patriotic i'm the slight
est degree, any one who believes that all citi
zens are equal In the sight Of the law, and that
what Is good enough for one is good enough
for all, must stand by the aot of $780,
And this is answer TO Quebec. We
shall not allow the state to support re-
igion: we shall not allow the church to con-
troll the state we shall not return to the
civilization OF the Dark Ages; we shall
not recognize Rome rs better or In any
way different from others. We shall hold
that principle shall be dearer to US than con.
federation itself,