The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-14
CATHOLICS OPPOSE 1T.
The Order of Foresters Wages War
Against Free Text Book Bill

Chicago, April 14.-Hostility to the free
textbook measure which passed it's sec
ond reading in the general assembly Fri
day has crystallized in the form of con-
certed obstruction movement the part
of the Catholic Order of F'oresters of IL
linois. body which represents the suf-
frages of 10000 men. The high court of
the order last week transmitted to the
subordinate courts the following petition,
which is to be addressed to each member
of the legislature:
4 bill now in the hands of the honora-
BILE state legislature at Springfield, Ill,
providing for the free distribution OF
school books to the pupils of the public
schools, compels US to state our attitude
toward it in emphatic terms. We have
no desire to attack the existing system of
pupllc schools IN any way but we DO pro-
test against any further taxation of those
citizens who not only pay taxes to sup
port public schools, but, following the
dictates of their conscience, in addition
build and maintain their own parochial
and private schools. We therefore con-
denim the bill mentioned above as an I'M
necessary and therefore IRA tiOnal, as an
unjust deceptive and un-American meas
ure.
As unnecessary and therefore Irrational
adduced in its favor, namely, relieving
the burdens of the poor, is refuted by
the fact that the really poor pupils have
heretofore been and are provided with
books free of charge The bill is there
fore entirely uncalled for.
We designate this bill as most unjust
measure, since it provides for an I'M
righteous taxation of q large part of the
equal rights like the rest, for cause in
whose public benefits they can in way
participate The injustice appears the
more fragrant when the fact is considered
that these citizens build and maintain
their own parochial and private schools
at an enormous expense and neither de-
mand receive any assistance what
ever from the state to help them bear the
burden; considering furthermore the fact
that vast sums are annually saved for
the state by these same citizens through
their paTochial and private schools who
are now about to be buTdened with fur
Their taxation.
That the bill advocates a deceptive
measure appears from the fact that while
it claims to provide school books free of
charge to parents for their children, these
same parents would have to pay for the
school books by way of taxes, and would
eventually pay higher prices to the state
than they previously paid to the bOoksel-
This bill must be branded as un-Ameri-
can, because it is directly opposed to the
fundamental institutions of a republic,
inaSmuch as duties which naturally be-
long only to parents are imposed on the
state and therefore we emphatically pro-
test against any measure of this kind, as
being unpa triOtic and dangerous TO the
welfare of this country
Thomas H. Cannon, high chief ranger
of the ForeSters, says:
"A free textbook law is neither expedi-
ent nor necessary, and the expense per
capita 10 each family under a free text
book law would be much greater than il
is at the present time. The furnishing of
DOCKS free TO pupils would invite the
greatest carelesSnesS in their handling by
the pupils and it cannot be denied that
children as a general rule would not take
as good care of that which costs them
nothing as of books furnished by the
purse of their parents
There are over 5000 children under
Catholic control in Catholic educa tionaI
institutions in the state of Illinois. The
these schools, not only erecting the
buildings, furnishing them with all the
modern educational appliances and paying
the teachers, but also furnishing all the
textbooks required