The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-25
England's Education Law Pleases
Nobody.


In it's final form the Education bill for
England, which has so long occupied the
House Of Commons. gives unmixed salts
faction to neither of the great political
parties. As amended with Mr.. Ball
FOUR's consent, the measure is by no
means what was hoped for by the High
Church wing Of the Anglican Communion,
the representatives of which were the
most Jealous supporters Of the original
project. On the other hand, the Nom
conformists, although substantial con-
cessions have been made to them, still de-
nounce the fundamental principle of a
bill by which all the rate payers in a given
community are taxed for the support of
schools in which a sectarian religion Is
taught. The political philosopher, for
his part, surveys with interest the out
come Of the prolonged and heated
discussion, because it proves that in
the British Parliament the Opposition.
though numerically weak to an almost
unprecedented extent, has nevertheless
proved strong enough to extort a COM
promise.
Passing over minor proofs Of Mr.. BAL
FoUR's willingness to allay the anger OF
Nonconformists who talked Of going to
Jail sooner than pay for religious teach
ing OF which they disapproved We come
to the crucial amendment to the eighth
clause OF the bill. which was moved by
Col. KENYoN-SLANEY in committee on
Oct. 81, and which was accepted by Mr..
BALFoUR. This amendment provided
that religious instruction shall be given
in a school not provided by the local
education authorities, in accordance
with the tenor Of the provisions III any
of the trust deed relating thereto, but
shall be under the control Of the manager.
Now, of the six managers, two are ap-
pointed by the local authority, that is to
say, by the County or District Council. II
is obvious that, II these two appointees
were Protestant Nonconformists, and
II one Of the other four managers were
q Broad Churchman, disposed to act
with them, High Church Anglican or
Catholic clergyman might be checked az
regards the kind Of religious teaching
he desired to give in UNCONVENTIONAL
school.
The belief that such would be
the effect Of the amendment was. OF
course, what commended it, not only to
Nonconformsts, but also to that large
body of Anglicans in the Conservative
party who are opposed to giving the
Rtualists a free hand. Mr.. BALFoUR's
acceptance of Col KENYON
motion provoked at the time vehement
rem onstrance from Lord EDMOND TAI
BOT on behalf Of the Roman Catholics
and from Lord HUGH CECIL on behalf OF
the extreme clerical party. As the mo-
ton was a surprise, however, the re-
monstrants we're only able for the mo-
ment to muster Al votes against 2ll.
When the significance of the amendment
became generally known, violent agita-
ton against it arose among High Church
men, who denounced Mr.. BALFoUR as a
traitor to the cause Of religious education
The clergy would be insulted they said
il the priest was no longer to be the
sole judge of the religious instruction to
be given To the children of his parish, and
il he was to consult a committee of lay
men touching matters of faith. Blind
TO the fact that they were justifying the
charge Of the Nonconformsts that the
sole aim Of the advocates of the Educa-
ton bill was to hand children over to the
priests, the Ritualist clergy came within
! a hairs breadth of converting a srea,