Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-11

the street.
Frank III. Fowler of Springfield, Mass,
1ntendent Of the Great Falls electric road
Under his direction liberal expenditures
Will be made in improving the road.
THE PROPOSED UNIVERSITY.
comment on the Opposition Expressed
by a Methodist Bishop.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
In your issue Of March 1 there appears
the official utterance of bishop of the
Methodist Episcopal Church concerning the
movement for which there Is a bill before
Congress and in which there has been of
late u wide public enthusiasm awakened
through the efforts of the woman's Wash
1ngton memorial committee and the action
OF the university committee of the Daugh-
ters OF the Revolution, namely, that of
erecting by the government at the capital
OF the nation the University Of the United
states The bishops condemnation is I'M
reserved and addressed to the entire con-
stituency of his denomination. AS o sin
guar instance of direct sectarian interior
ence with government measure and of
the use Of religious authority in connec-
ton with public affairs this incident is
deserving Of more than a passing notice.
The right of any sect of the Christian
church to advocate and foster it's own in
situations cannot under our Constitution be
assailed, and the efforts of the Methodist
Church, ur der the able leadership of Bish-
op Hurst to establish a school of learning
OF the highest type under it's own auspices
whatever may be thought OF the wisdom
OF the need Of such movement on general
Srouads-are evidence Of zeal and con-
centrated purpose which speak loudly for
the loyalty and devotion of Methodists to
what they regard IS a sacred mission. But
Wien loyalty to ones own church is al
lowed to step over into the domain of pub
lie freedom Of thought and freedom of
teaching-as when a church presumes to
lay Its interdict on a government free
ment on the principles of our republican
government. There are few Of our citizens
who would not recognize this fact, or who
would wait to be told of it, If the case were
that of another large religious body which
has already established a university on a
scale worthy Of it's name here at the CAP
ltal-the Roman Catholic Church. Suppos-
Ing that to further the interests of the
Catholic University bishop or cardinal
were to issue an address to Catholics warn
ing them against the unwisdom of what
George Washington conceived in mis- mimi
q century ago as the highest legacy of his
patriotism and his love for the republic,
and urging Catholics to refuse their aid
and countenance to government schools,
because these were liable to political con-
troll and were founded on other principles
than those Of Catholic Christianity
would there not be public outcry against
such a religious interference with public af-
fairs? Would not the dissatisfaction with
such an utterance be all the greater If at
the time of such a denunciation there were
a bill before Congress providing for such
an institution, bearing the Endorsements of
a succession of Presidents from Washing
toc down. and of a vast multitude of the
AI, ,I1Io
ot our country? For such is the case with
the bill for the establishment at Washing
ton of a university of the United States, to
be the worthy elimination and completion
OF the system of government free schools
of this country; and yet bishop of the
Methodist Church declares publicly his
hope that no teachers, parents or children
will be pei suaded to contribute any money
to further movement founded on other
principles than those of evangelical Chris
tiarity, and he fears if the George Wash
ir gton University becomes an established
fact the Catholic, the Protestant, the He
brew. the Theosophist and the Agnostic
would have equal claim to any of the DO
sitions which might be at the disposal of
the governing board. and each salary
would be paid out Of the government treas
Ury.' He Is "alsO Of the opinion that the
struggle for place would be accompanied
by political animosity and religious preju-
dice and there would be such an exhibit
ton of strife and tension Of temper as
1t does not require much insight to see
that there is direct assault upon our
entire public free school system; for what
is true of this proposed highest government
school is certainly true on a small scale
of every free school in the land. All these
are open to just this list of objections
which the bishop here alarmingly sets
forth. And yet on the whole the public
veal is preserved and the public schools
have the Endorsement and. as a general
thing, have won the proud esteem and love
of all our people. The great public insti-
tutions devoted to higher learning under
direct government control here at the cap
ital are doubtless at the mercy of Hebrew,
Agnostic. Catholic and Protestant" officials
appointed under the baneful stress of politi-
cal influence, and yet we are not ready to
Smithsonian Institution the National Acad-
envy Of Sciences, the bureau of education,
the geological survey, the bureau Of eth
nology and the national observatory and
National Museum as affording only "exhi-
billions Of strife and temper" arising out
OF political luminosity and religious preju-
dice" On the whole, we are disposed to
believe that In any OF the large denomi-
quite as much friction of this kind in pro-
portion to umbers as in the government
Institutions in Washington.
AS for the proposed University of the
question but that 1t is the logical outcome
Of our whole public school system. With
that system. the claims Of the university
of a right to be must stand or fall Our
public schools are no more complete in
dignity, III strength, in unity and continu-
ity of purpose without such a center In a
great academic senate, which shall COM
mand the more liberal resources of the
government and have no hindrance in its
pursuit Of the highest results in science,
art and literature, than would be our sew
eral state governments without federalism
in a civic union and center, having its own
froo nd tpfc fvotf yo q
for the religious result, the fate OF educa-
ton thus committed to "a government of
the people, for the people and by the peo-
ple," is 1t not, under God. in the hands and
The consciences of the people themselves?
If their condolences are not right, II there
Is anything the matter with the peoples
faith or unfa1th, then let the churches
through the legitimate and unhindered re-
lfgfous channels attend to this. A good
tree will not bring forth bad fruit
March 10. 1898. FRANK SEWALL.
Rcappointment Recommended.