The Irish standard., 1897-07-24
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY EDUCATION.
FAIR AND LIBERAL. hIIIIt DE
TAi>i3N Hi HIsIuUIAN LE'hh,
ARTHUR BALF0Ua AND JOHN MORLEY.
EDt iTtO\tI. i:Qt sliri Soi anT ni
THE IRISH BISHOPS.

At Il general meeting of the archb!sh-
palrick's College. Maynooth, the fol-
lowing statement on the Irish university
question was unanimously adopted:
Since our last meeting we have oh
served with great satisfaction the pro-
gress which the question of Catholic
| university education has made.
The striking declaration in which the
Catholic laity of ireland, renewing Il
similar declaration made in the year
1870, put forth ther claim to educa-
tional equality with their Protestant
fellow country has had Il decided
etf;-t upon public opinion. and has put
beyond question the fact that the
Catholic laily are absolutely at one with
| the bishops on this question, and feel
as keenly as we do the disabilities to
| which, on account of their religious
principles, Irish Catholics are still
Obliged to submit.
| One of the first Indications of the I'M
! preston which that declaration made on
the public mind WAS the very impor-
tant and hopeful debate which took
| place in the house OF commons on the
22d Of January of this year, on an
amendment to the address to the throne
moved by Mr.. Engcldew, NJ. r., for Kill
| dare. In that debate one Of the most
remarkable features was the unnnim
| ity with which. from every side of the
house of commons, admissions were
| made of the existence of a grievance on
the part of Irish Catholics, and the hope
was expressed that the government
would proceed without delay to re-
move it.
! We desire to mark in particular the
fair and liberal attitude taken up by
| Mr.. Lecky. His own personal emil
ncnce, together with the special author
ity attaching to his statements rs The
representative of Dublin University,
lcnd' Importance to his speech in which
we very gladly observe tone that does
credit tp himself and to the dislin-
guishcd constituency which he repre-
scnts. Naturally enough. viewing tn"
/ question from !: different standpoint
| from ours. be put forward. on tho
minor aspects of the question, some
views from which We should dissent.
But we note with very sincere pleasure
the practical conclusion at which he
arrived, and the expression of his hope
that the government would sec their
way to crafty the desire of the Irish
Catholics
In some respects. the speech in which
the late chief secretary for Ireland
,ir Morley, went even farther in the
same direction, is still more noteworthy
and deserving of recognition at ol1
hands.
With Mr.. Morlcy's we'll known views,
we regard his hearty support OF Dul
claim to u Catholic university as an
evidence of true lbcrality of mind ana
we arc particularly grateful for thu
public spirit with which, refusing to
make any party capital out OF the
question, he has raised It out of -
arena of contentious politics, and has
offered his support to the government
In their effort to deal with It.
There is then the remarkable speech
of the first lord of the treasury, Mr..
Arthur Balfour. From one occupying
his position VIC would hardly expect !,
more favorable statement, and VIC Will
add that his speech, in It's fairness, its
fricndiincss of tone and its apprccia-
tion of the views and wishes of Irish
Catholics, is in keeping with the utter
aDces of the right honorable gentleman
on this question for many years; and II
1t is now ripe as we think and .trus
that it is ripe, for settlement, that IA
vorable condition of things is largely
due to the craftsmanship with which
he has educated public opinion in tn,
three kingdoms upon the fundamental
issues that arc involved
In the course of his speech. Mr. Bal
four observed that upon this pnrpIcxing
problem the government has no; had 50
much guidance from the leaders of lr
ish public opinion as they should like
to have.
Perhaps he may have some reason
for this complaint, but, for our par;
we must say that we have always been
ready to place any information which
we possessed on the subject at the dis
posal Of the government, but we have
never yet received an intimaton that
anyone in authority had any desire tG
receive it from us. Even now wc
should be glad If anyone on behalf OF
the government were to formulate a
series of questions on any points or
which our views might be deemed OF
Importance, so that we should know
lprecisely the topics to which we might