The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-13
CHURCH and SCHOOLS
r,r CATHOLIC POSITION ABLY SET
FORTH.
BY HEADS OF COLLEGES.
svsrEM TO BE MAINTAINDD AND
EXTENDED.

-, DccIaration Unanimously ADOPT
al NV the National College Com
en,ncc-The High school Move
ont stressed-A Strong Protest
inst the Present Legislative
,,dcpcv in Legislative Matters
christianity in Danger From Such
...t,tiou. said Mgr. COnaty.
,-,t.sqo. April IA declaration of the
,.,7olie position on education IN the
--.i..d states was adopted to-day at the
,,osing session of the national confer
-,a of the Association of Catholic Col
,.ros The resolutions comprising the
s,oraraton received the unanimous as
can't of the representatives, of seventy
si4aren+ colleges-practically the entire
.oi.acfate system of the Catholic Church
=, America. The delegates on adjourning
r,era enthusiastic over the results OF their
,.bors feeling confident that the confer
ence has been a marked success.
The declaration adopted was as follows:
First that this association of Catholic
o,ireges request it's president, Rt. Rev.
Thomas J. Conaty, respectfully to call
the attention of the bishops of the United
states at their annual meeting to the
work Of this conference in regard to our
Collegiate conditions, and especially to
,,a imna~.aree of the high school move
ment.
Second. That the tendency of educa-
+ional LEGISLATION forces US to warn our
Catholic people of the systematic and
well-deined effort in certain quarters to-
ward absolute state control in education,
thereby threatening and crippling all pri-
vate educational effort, thus depriving a
large class of the citizens of the liberty
of maintaining schools in which their re-
lieiou shall be made an essential element.
Third That we remind legislators of
the rights of conscience guaranteed to US
by our Amrican citizenship and call
their attention to the system Of shcool
which our people have maintained at
great expense and sacrifice.
Against Unjust Legislation.
Fourth. That we protest against the
unfair and unjust dscrimina tons result
ing from much of the educational legis-
laton. and we appeal to the fair mind
tOllcSS anu StlSE Va JNot4Nc u b44C @AAAANi -
can people to protect US from such illib-
erality.
Fifth That this conference of Catho-
lie colleges convinces us that we are JUS
titled in asserting that our college system
deserves the generous cooperation OF all
interested in higher Catholic education;
and we pledge ourselves to use every ef-
fort to perfect still more our collegiate
conditions.
Sixth, that we call upon all Catholics
to recognize the imperative need of d
more perfect organization of our educa-
ti0na system, and we assure them that
with a fuller development of the Catholic
High School we shall have a complete
system with its headship in the univer-
slty, and thus we shall continue to main-
tain high collegiate standard.
Message From Pope Leo.
Words of cheer from across the sea
We're received in a cablegram of congratu-
'ation from Pope Leo XII at Rome. The
message read as follows:
Rome, April 12.-Mgr. Thomas j. Co
naty president of the Conference OF Cath
Ole Colleges: The Holy Father thanks
you for the good wishes expressed by
you in the name of the Conference OF
catholic Colleges, and bestows most heart
ly the apostolic benedlction.
CdIulndl hdmpolla.
The cablegram was in answer to mes
sage which the convention sent to the
Pope when it convened.
The following officers were chosen to
serve during the ensuing year:
fIesldent Rt. Rev Thomas ]. Conaty,
- d. rector of the Catholic University,
Washington; secretary and treasurer,
rev. John Conway, S. j., Gonzaga Col
lege, Washington.
Great interest attached to the closing
suuIess of the president of the confer
euce' Mgr Conaty of Washington. With
Ngor and polished eloquence that held
as follows:
The study afforded to us of the plan
ara purpose of educational legislation
Snou.d open the eyes of all to the dangers
".Un threaten our liberty of. conscience
Wy IHe tendency toward absolute state
0Huoi over all agencies in education, thus
ushing all individual effort and Grip
r,Ns al attempts al private schools in
factor '-''
i''HenS as Well as Christians.
we are citizens as well as Christians
nN we refuse to bend the knee TO the
-" OF state paternalism and claim by
I'1e OF our citizenship the right to ed
oeSle our people in schools which our
ravIence approves. We appeal in the
20 % OF the spirit of common citizenship
ana 'ne spirit of justice and fair play
Ga we stand ready to defend our claims
o." l,a. NE name of true education. We warn
d,r-S llan> people that Christianity is in
NJ rom the arrogance and tyranny
t. 5lsiation which not only drives posi-.
si, 'eision from state schools but also
vbi,t crush the private schools in
r.. religion dwells as its very soul
r showing the trend of legislation we
pE,,t Deiore our people the dangers to
ai our system of schools is exposed
svs,, our watchword be, the Catholic
l.,y n OF education for our peopie-nc
bIr5. missing in the golden chain which
Of Goi '''''', ana heart to the great truth
urigl-, our schools, our colleges. our
e.... e".,e'' ity. the safeguard Of our con.
tbs lne protection of our liberties
poi. 7-'Ialan Of our knowledge, the en-.