Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-27
Public Schools in CHIN
To t.le Editor of The Evening Star;

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
In The Evening Star of February Is
noticed dispatch from Havana in which
the following statement appeared:
WARNING FROM THE BISHOP.
Inc bishop of Havana has published a
warning 10 heads of families not to trust
the education of their children to other
than Catholic teachers. This the bishop
says. has always been the duty of Catholics
but there Is great danger that now, owing
70 the advent of many Protestants and new
ilDertles IN the matter of creeds and Wor-
ship, the obligation will be neglected
me attendance of children at non-sec-
tartan schools, the bishop says is not adyis-
apie as IN educational institutions of that
KIND there Is always evil spoken of the only
true religion, which is the Catholic faith"
This bishop, whose name is Santander.
ana who Is Spanard and worthy discfDie
of Torquemada, also denounced Gen Garcia
as bandit and rebel against God and
Spain at the time of Garcia funeral
Ihose who achieved American Independ-
ence favored public schools In 1877 thew
ordained that schools and the means of
education shall be forever encouraged" be-
cause religion, morality and knowledge
are necessary to good government and tho
happiness of mankind" In 1895 Washing
ton said: The time has come for system
Of universal education" The schools which
they had in mind were 'non-sectarian
schools They were nearly all Free Masons
and as such could not believe in one only
true religion, which is the Catholic faith
As understood the motives which actual
ed the American people in their attack on
Spain, the late war was commenced and
prosecuted for the purpose of making an
opening for modern civilization in the An
TILES. And, if that be so. then | believe
that the ordinance of 1877 should be re-
enacted, mutatis mutandis, with reference
to all territory relinquished by Spain as the
result of that war: or else that the Free
Masons. who were fighting for liberty and
civilization at the time of our intervention
absolute nf
islands, with full right TO establish a sys-
tenn of free government and free public
schools and to deal as they may deem best
Tor the general welfare and common de-
Tense with all who oppose free institutions.
The purposes for which the ordinance of
1iSi was adopted are thus set forth:
And for extending the fundamental prin-
ciple of civil and religious liberty, which
form the basis wherein these republics (the
thirteen original states), their laws and con-
situations are erected; to fix and establjsb
those principles as the basis of all laws
constitutions and governments which for
ever hereafter shall be formed in the said
territory; to provide also for the estab-
lishment of states and permanent govern
ment therein and for their admission 10 a
share in the federal councils on an equal
footing with the original states at as early
periods as may be consistent with the gem
eral interest.
Surely the Congress of 1877 Is a better
guide for us than Santander, and surely the
ordinance of 1877 is a better exposition of
the spirit OF republicanism than the McEn-
cry resolution.
On yesterday Prof. Salmeron, a republic
can leader in the Spanish cortes, said to the
ministers: Your colonial policy was disas-
trous because you Joined sword and eassock
in order to restore feudal theocracy with
all sorts of privileges" 1t seems to me that
we should hesitate before we discard our
own traditional policy of expansion for
such a colonial policy as that. If we are to
expand. let US follow the noble precedent es-
tablished in 1857. JOSIAH MILLARD.
February %, 1890.