The San Francisco call., 1896-01-15
BOWMAN ON SCHOOLS.
The A. P. A. Editor Continues HIS
Comparison OF the Catholic and
Protestant Views.

The following communication has been
addressed to THE CALL by H. w. Bowman,
editor of the American Patriot:
OFFICE OF THE AMERICAN PATRIOT, {
S19 Market street. !
Editor Of the San Francisco Cdll-DEAR SIR
The chief point of controversy between Rome
and the A. P. A. is over the public-school sys-
tenn. We, as Americans, contend that it is a
public necessity and must be maintained at all
hazards. On the other hand, Rome insists
upon sectarian education OF her children
and the overthrow of our American system of
public non-sectarian schools We subioin a
few utterances of Popes and priests in refer
ence to our system:
Education outside the control of the Roman
Catholic church is damnable heresy.
When see them drag from me the children, the
poor little children, and give ham an infdel edu-
cation it breaks my heart Plus IX.)
The commons school system in the United States
is the worst in the world Cardinal Manning.)
The public schools have produced nothing but n
goddess generation OF thieves and backguards.-
priest Schauer.)
l would as soon administer the sacrament to
dogs as TO Christians who send their children TO
public schools.
Unless you suppress the public school system, as
at present conducted it will prove the damnation
of this country Priest Walker.)
A ripe knowledge of the catechism, minus
Massachusetts education, is preferable to her ed u
cation minus the catechsm.-(C Cardinal Antonelli.)
The common schools Of this country are sinks OF
moral pollution and nurseries Of hell
We hold education to be function of the church
and not of the state, and in do not and
VIII not accept the state as an educator.-(C Catholic
Tablet.)
The hideous fetch called the public school is
only an ugly Idol after all Colorado Cathoic)
We would rather our children should grow up in
utter ignorance letters than be taught in school
that.is not Catholic Catholic Quarterly Revlew.)
These so-called public schools not public
schools but infidel and sectsran. Catholic parents
who send their children to such schools guilty
OF mortal sin.-(Priest Freul.l
Emphsticaly social plague - Bishop Perche.)
The chief argument of the Roman hierarchy
on the school question is the Importance of =
moral education They claim hat
lean system of public school education is in
adequate in that it ignores moral teaching
hence IT Is their duty to proYide schools for
their children where they viii receive moral
education. This certainly looks commendabl
on their part; but before we surrender our
system it will be an act of wisdom to inonire
into Rome's record as q teacher of morals and
thus be assured OF her competency for the task
before we engage her 10 teach our children
What system of morals does she teach2 What
nave her scholars been, and how does she
teach morals, are all very important uues-
tions. For scholars she has had Italy and
Spain France and Ireland, Mexico and South
America. Now, if she be a competent teacher
and her pupils apt TO learn, we shall soon
expect to find high type of morality in all of
the a1orementoned countries. What are the
facts in the case? Papal countries are hotbeds
OF vice and immortality. Rome breeds crimi-
mails like a swamp breeds mosquitoes Gov
ernment statistics prove that the highest per-
centage of crime is found in all the lands
where Rome is the educator Italy and Spain
are oyerrun with murdeTers and brgands
Inc SOutn OF ireland Is 4 regular incubator
OF law-breakers, and France is notorious for
its violation of the seventh commandment In
Mexico and South America morals are at a low
ebb. All of the moral commandments are
broken with impugnity. 1t is as natural for
Romanists to lie, swear, steal, swindle and de-
fraud as for q duck to swim The Romish
church is full of thieves and robbers, of foul
mouthed blasphemers, of prize-fghters and
gamblers, of roughs and rowdies, of saloon
keepers and drunkards, of jailbirds and mur-
derers, and yet poses as teacher of morals.
Romanisml That hatchery of crime, that cess
pool OF lniquity, giving lessons in ethicsl
Rome cannot show one country with high
standard OF morals, as the result OF her teach
ing: The gall and impudence of Rome in
posing as teacher of morals is astounding
Rome! that deals out Indulgences for sin, that
oners a premium for iniquity, that rears in
Sutuuons OF vice under the guise of rellgioni
Ban! kome that claims the power to absolye
from SIN, that teaches is devotees 10 lie and it
Will forgive them, grants them the privilege of
perJurlng themselves under promise OF par
don, that allows its members to steal If they
Will divide the plunder with the priests, that
teaches the murder of heretics is no
SIN, censurlng the American public school for
It's immortality! 1t is enough to turn
ones stomach. Rome that blesses prize
lighters, fosters saloons. practices gambling,
encourages bull-fghting, justifes fraud sane
titles sin and winks at iniquity-the only fit.