The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-21
French Government Finds That
SeculariZed Members Continue
Their Teachings.
AMENDMENT TO LAW PROPOSED
Opposition Arises. However, and
Cabinet May Find Itself Severe
ly Crippled After Approach
ing Debates.
BY ]. CoRNELY.

SPECIAL, BY CABI.E TO THE NBM YoRk
Paris. June 2O.-(Copyright, 1e13)-This
time a battle IS on and all Israel is in eX-
citment.
The difficulty is. as usual. about the con-
gregations, and we shall never get out Of it.
A certain number of male and female
teachers belonging to the congregations
that have been dissolved have secularized
themselves. which means they have de-
clared that they are no longer members
Of the congregations. They have resumed
civilian dress and have continued TO teach.
The law failed of its object and it be-
came necessary for the Government to
patch it up. 1t was proposed to add to the
law an article assinllating to the forbid
den establishments every establishment for
instruction which employs a former mem
Der of a congregation from its commune be-
fore three years have elapsed.
II people want to carry water in sieve
Il is necessary to be continually stopping
I'D the holes. In the same way, It is nee
essary to continually stop the cracks in
laws which attack peoples opinions.
TROUBLE IN COMMITTEE.
The trouble has begun over this point in
the committee dealing with the congreSa-
tons. Three of its members have refused
10 indorse the new bill. saying that they
were quite willing to legislate against the
congregations. but not against their meTn-
bers and do not want to create categorles
OF citizens deprived of rights that others
exercise Some distinguished journalists
have followed them. among others NJ Glenn
enceau. who made the uneXceptionable ar
gument that when member of a congre-
CATION has secularized himself in order TO
obey the law. no one has the right TO pun
ish him for quitting his habit. Others have
IL ,fc1,t To Oh In vi
our enemies can use later against US"
These difficulties have brought about con-
ferences with the Government, recrimina-
tons in the body of the committee of
which NJ. Brisson, the president. has given
in his resignation and even withdrawn II,
and meetings of groups in which moderate
Republicans and some Radicals led by Min
listers OF the Waldeck-Rousseau Cabinet
have declared that they do not wish to
support the Government and the COM
mittee.
SOCIALISTS FIRM.
On the other hand. the Socialists. who
, constitute the most active part of the ma
\ tority, are as one man in favor of the
tGovernrr1ea:- The mo-erates affirm that
they can form a majority without the So
cialists without the Right and without the
Rallies"
The battle will take place next week. If
the majority follows the moderates and
dpdIuOuS tDe SOCldhSts, II lHc ldii
of the Cabinet. II the Socialists win. it
means the continuance of the Cabinet,
though in a weakened condition, because
the majority will have received serious
shock. This latter outcome is the most
probable, for already a majority. almost
equal to the old one was formed Thursday
TO put on the order of the day for Monday
the report Of NJ Masse on the secularized
members of the congregations.
The second event of the week is the intro
duction of the income tax Dill, so long de-
rlanded. Here is the economic idea of 1t:
The income tax is composed of personal
tax of IL per cent on the presumed income
Of the tax payer and house tax Of per
cent on his rent. The rent itself serves to
determine the income of the tax payer. 1t
is multiplied by six. seven, eight, nine or
pen. according to locality. For example, an
original rent Of $500 pays house tax of $
and presupposes in Paris an income of 81.
400. which would pay 81 tax; that is. ses in
all
The danger OF the system is that the ma
jority of French voters. being exempt from
this tax. have an interest in bringing pres
sure to bear on Parliament to increase the
taxation and transform It into an instru-
ment of oppression in their zeal for the
interests Of the Treasury.