The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-11-20
THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY CUES
TION FAIRLY DISCUSSED DY
AN ULSTER MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
MIR. T. w. RUSSELL'S ADDRESS TO
HIS CONSTITUENTS.
GooD SPEECH FROM A PRESBYTERIAN
CONDITION OF THE QUEENS COL.
LEGE IS INDEFENsIDLE,

Mr.. T. W. Russell, M. p, delivered a
speech to his constituents in South
Tyrone on Oct. &C. in which he referred
to the Catholic University question as
follows:
In regard to higher education In Ire
land, it has never been my habit to
avoid the discussion of difficult prob
lens. On the contrary 1 have often,
against the advice of friends, refused TO
be silent in the face of these difficulties,
and have never regretted the course
l have invariably followed. deal with
this question tonight for another rea-
son. Much has been said against--I
will not say the proposals of the gov
ernment, for there are no such pro-
posals-but against the policy which Mr..
Arthur Balfour has propounded. But
no Ulster Unionist has yet said a word
save that which is hostile. Now 1 de-
sire to treat this question fairly. l am
a Protestant of the Protestants. l have
strenuously resisted the denomination
allzlng Of our national system of educa-
tion, and l think we are free from that
danger, at least for time. In 1891,
along with handful of Unionists and
Radicals, kept the House of Commons
sitting far into two mornings, dividing
against large grant of money for set
ting up purely denominational training
colleges in Ireland. My record then
cannot be impeached. Now what are
the facts with which we have to deal
and which must be faced? 1t has long
been asserted by Protestants that the
Roman Catholic clergy were opposed to
education, and words of the late Cardi-
nal Cullen before the Powis Commission
have frequently been quoted in proof.
l say nothing as to this assertion. 1t
may be true Or FALSE But we have to
deal with facts. And what anyone can
see for himself is this-that Of late years
a great move forward has taken place.
Roman Catholic and Protestant schools
are now in active competition. And as
a simple matter of fact-both in the
primary and intermediate departments
of education, the Roman Catholics are.
at least, holding their own. l do not
regret this. l rejoice in it, But what
l DO say is this-the greater the SUCCESS
attained in these departments the greater
is the need for the supply of higher
education. Now in this respect let us
look facts in the face. There is, first
OF all, the University Of Dublin, with
Trinity as an affiliated college. 1t is
university in the full sense of the
word. 1t has a great history. All
1rlshmcn are proud Of it. The Royal
University, which comes second, is q
nero examining body. 1t has no his
tory, 1t is mere make-shift or stop
gap, and cannot be said, either in tho
ory or practice, to really meet the neces-
sites Of the country. There are, OF
course, the three Queens colleges, but
they are not universities. Students
educated there must take their degrees
at the University of Dublin or at the
Royal. The Roman Catholic position is
simply this-They say that although the
University Of Dublin and Trinity Col.
lege are nominally open to all, a ..s-
tinct Protestant atmosphere prevails,
They maintain that Roman Catholics
who desire university training for their
sons ought not to be compelled to sub
init them to this atmosphere; and Us
for the Royal it Is, as l have said. II
mere examining and degree-conferring
body, and cannot be said to supply for
Roman Catholics what the University
Of Dublin supplies for Protestants
am roughly stating the case. And they
the Roman Catholic bishops and the
Roman Catholic laity-demand equality
in this as in every other matter. The
opponents Of these proposals stand on
somewhat difficult ground. They deny
that Trinity College is Protestant. Ad.
mitting that it was justly so described
before Mr.. Fawcett's legislation, they
contend that it's officers and emoluments
are now open to every creed. This is
true. So far as am aware there is
nothing to hinder properly qualified
Roman Catholic from filling any posi-.
tion in Trinity College. I am not quite
certain as to the Provostship, which is
Crown appointment. But 1t is true
OF all the offices now filled by competl
tion. Yet when all this is said and
admitted the difficulty is not got over
The whole history and atmosphere ol
that noblest Of Irish institutions are
distinctly Protestant. 1t was founded
by Queen Elizabeth. Much OF its rev.
enues are derived today from confis
Gated Roman Catholic lands There Is
a glorious old Protestant chapel within
its walls, and tho Protestant service is
celebrated daily. The Divinity schoo
OF the church OF Ireland is part ant
parcel Of the institution. Almost ever,
Il