New-York tribune., 1903-03-13
SCHOOLS IN FRANCE.
The Congregations Q@cstio" Once
More UD Before the Chamber.

Paris. March 12-The Chamber OF deputies
was the centre of great interest ana ahinla''oi
to-day at the opening OF the debate on the
leious orders A large crowd filled the gal
leries and the floor of the chamber was ai0o
crowded The ministerial bench was occupied
hy Premier Combes and most Of his associates
ir the ministry Previous discussions or the
subject this session have involved incidental
phases, such as the use OF the Breton >dialecI
In the schoola but to-day's debate involved the
main issue the question of the dscontinuance
of teaching by the religious orders. The mat
ter came up on propostion suOtsu .srl.t Dy tinn n
Premier refusing the request for authorization
to teach made by ffty-four male rellglous coI-
gregations. This had been made special or
der Of the day, the expectation OF the majority
being that the debate would continue six 10
eight days before decisive vote could De taken,
Owing to the strength shown by the ministry
on the recent test votes the adoption OF the
Premier's proposition was considered practlcal-
ly certain.
devoid Of exciting features The Abbe Cay
raud Catholic Republican, and M. Lerolle (Con-
servative) spoke against the proposition.
ber to recommit to the commission the report
that Premier Combes submitted in support OF
his proposition, on the ground that the report
did not propose any means OF assuring an eA-
istence to the members OF the religious congTe-
cations, whom It was unjust, said the speaker.
seventy years old. The Chamber. however, re,
fused to listen to the appeal and Able Gayraud
finally withdrew his motion.
NJ Lerolle'S speech WAS elaborate history
Of the role the religious orders had played in
French history, to the glory OF which. contended
NJ Lerolle, they had greatly contributed. The
republic was trying to deprive the monks or
the means Of living. and force them to starVa-
ton or expatriation. The Republicans, con
tinued the speaker, were to-day following the
example OF the First Republic They had no
other ambition than that of satisfying party
vengeance. II the majority refused to admit
discussion on the question. and decided the series
Of questions, which concern separate congrega-
tions. by single vote. refusing authorization
to all congregations. liberty would be endan-
gered. While this silence was enforced on the
Conservative members in the Chamber, it would
force them to appeal to the entire country, and
that appeal would not be defnitive so long as
France contained any just men with bold
tongues.
NJ. Lerolle's remarks refer to the procedure
which the Republicans propose to adopt in di-
viding the congregations into three groups, and
refusing to allow the authorization for each con-
greRation to be discussed separately.
EX-Minister Barthou replied on the RepuDl
can side attacking the religious orders as being
the negaton of human liberty and the ahdlca-
tion Of individual personality. The congrega-
tions he said, depended on their chiefs residing
in Rome. The members had no country. BY re-
case the Republicans would refuse to consent
to slow and uncertain manner Of proceeding,
which the congregations regarded as a fororn
hope. and which the democracy would consider
to be culpa BILE weakness.
The speakers were warmly applauded by their
respective supporters and the debate was ad-
iourned until tomorrow.