New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-06


THE MADAGASCAR ExPEDrTIoN-FLoUR-
rsHrNG TRADE PRosPEcTs-NEw BOOKS
MR. GLADsToNEs FOREIGN JOUR-
NEY-MRs. LANGTRY AND HER
TEST cAsE-rAxING CYCLISTS
IN YORKSHIRE.
rBY CABLE TO rRE rRfBrNE1
rcopyrisnt; 1895: BY The Tribune hssoefatto")
London. Oct 5.-Sir John Tenniel. with his
usual quckness Of perception, hits of the chief
topic of the week In a cartoon for Punch" The
voluntary school system is personifed as poor.
neglected Smike with a Cardinal. Church vicar
and a Wesleyan preacher at the door quarrellins
over his fate while Mrs Nickleby Balfour rattles
on to John Bull without saying anything more
definite than IF II could be settled In friendly
manner and some fair arrangement was come 10.
| do think 1t might be very satisfactory ana
pleasant to all parties" That is a pictorial pre-
sentiment Of what Is rapidly becoming burning
question in England. Great momentum has been
impaired TO the discussion Of the question OK
state aid for voluntary or sectarian schools by
the appearance Of Cardinal Vaughan's letter In
The Times" He has proposed basis OF COM
mon action on the part Of the Churchmen. Roman
Catholics and Weseyans interested in preserving
these schools. He holds that any school Offering
efficient facilities for elemental education ought
to be maintained at the expense Of the State.
His proposal is not definite. but apparently he Ia
vors assistance in the form Of a fixed sum for
every pupil trained in religious schools. The
Archbishop Of Canterbury has called private
conference of Churchmen identified with volun-
tary schools; it will meet next week, and discuss
the subject.
ha,- arad IN no iY1oq
on this question from all sources One OF the
most curious facts brought out is by Or. Aubrey.
who shows that Mr.. Gladstone, twenty-five years
ago. forecast the present controversy and favored
education entirely secular In public hours, with
the largest facilities for religious teaching out
side those hours but was compelled by the Nom
conformist agitation to alter his policy. The Rev.
Joseph Parker has made an adroit reply to the
Cardinals letter. asserting that the only way out
OF the difficulty In rate-supported schools is TO
withdraw religion from the control OF the state.
If cannot agree upon a common religion, ne
asks how can we agree TO levy common rate
in support Of any and every kind OF religious
teaching? The Congregational Union at Brigh-
ton has taken a similar view, and recommends
the formation Of a national committee to resist
any further endowment OF sectarian schools
London Nonconformst and other religious bodies
have declared their hostility to State aid for VOL
untary schools. and have demanded the extension
Of board schools
This controversy has grown out Of the dual
system created by Mr.. Forster's Education ac'-
Board schools were organized with ample sources
Of financial supply In local taxation; voluntary
schools were allowed 10 draw inadequate de-
gree Of support from the State II subjected TO the
inspection Of the local board and operated under
~ he
increasing rates have fourished while the volun-
tary schools have cost ten shilings less per pupil
and have barely held their own. In fact. they
have often declined and sometimes been closed
altogether Some local boards have gone out OF
their way to harass these schools. and Mr. Ac-
land while Minister Of Education, enforced the
sanitary rules against them most vigorously ana
appeared anxious TO compel many OF them to
close their doors, that the board schools could
be opened in their place. In the last election
the friends Of Church, Wesleyan and Roman
Catholic schools strongly opposed the Liberal
candidates and are now demanding that the
Unionist Government shall come to their rescus
with new Act Of Parliament.
Lord Salisbury and Mr.. Ba!four have apparent
ly warned the leaders of the movement that they
cannot expect the Ministry to act unless they
can agree in advance among themselves on what
to have these rivals continue to disagree, for
that would justify the Governments !naction.
The largest majority In Parliament would be
unsafe If this question Of paying for the support
Of sectarian schools outright from the State
Treasury or by local rates brought forward,
especially when neither Roman Catholics nor
Churchmen are willing to surrender control OK
them to the district boards
Apart from the school question, politics remain
stsgnant. Ireland Is quiet that people are
beginning TO wonder whether II has slipped from
its moorngs and drfted out to sea. The National
Temperance Congress has been held at Chester.
The chairman. Sir r. w Richardson. made
brave attempt 10 take cheerful view Of political
disasters like the defeat Of the Local Veto bill.
but he was the only Mark Tapley Of the conven-
ton. When he described the human body as an
engine which nature never intended to be worked
by any fluid except water, he understood;
but what he meant by describing the "Pickwick
Papers as an alcoholic story from beginning to
end, yet one which never made drunkard but
even reformed some inebrlates. was not equally
plain. Mr. Gladstones cold letter on the local
veto, received on the last day OF the session, had
d depressing effect.
Englishmen have justly derived great satisfac-
ton from Chinas immediate submission TO the
Foreign Offices ultmatum and from the i'm
preston produced in Europe by this peremptory
demand supported as 1t was by naval demon-
stration. The offending Viceroy was degraded
by an Imperial edict without hours delay.
What Is called the long arm Of England. a
poetic phrase for the Navy. was raised mena-
cingly. and that enough. without the delivery
OF a blow The degrading Of Lu Peng Chang
may be nothing more than temporary suspen-
sion, although 1t is decreed for life and the man
darlns Of other provinces have not been punished;
but China has received moral lesson and Eng
lands power In the East has been shown In the