The Jersey City news., 1905-09-05
German Catholic Federation
Thinks Parochial Schools
Should Get Public Money.
CATHOLICS D0UBLY TAXED
THEY CANNOT CONSCIENTIOUS
LY USE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
FEARING THE EFFECTS OF IR-
RELIGION.
Special to --rhs Jersey city vews..,

Special to '"rhs Jersey City News"s
EGG HARBoR, Sept. 5, 1so5.-Tha
Federation of German Catholic societies
which met in st. Nicholas Catholic Hals
here yesterday morning in the closing
day of the eleventh annual convention
had a very spirited session. Among a.
number of resolutions passed was one
of great Importance, dealing with the
school question, which was adopted by
a rising vote. 1t is as fo.4ows:-
Children belong to their parents, and
not, according to seciahstic teachings, to
the State. The only duty of the State
is to see that the children receive a
proper elementary education II our
other citizens elect to raise their chill
dren without any religious training, or
raise them in any other religion. that is
their privilege, but'as Catholics it is also
our privilege to give our children a re-
lgious training in accordance with our
belief, in addition to an elementary
training.
Therefore, we are prepared to have
our teachers and scholars examined by
the State, and if our schools produce the
same results as the public schools, it is
the plain duty of the State TO give US
the same remuneration as the public
schools. We submit this to all our fair
minded citizens and appeal to their sense
of justice to accord us square deal in
the same spirit as has been done in Eng
land the past six yean."
The adoption of the resolutions foAow-
ed the address of President Joseph LAM
brecht of South Orange, in the course
of which he said in part
I'VE pay for the support of the pusiic
schools to which we cannot send our chill
time we pay for the support of our pa
rochial schools. This double TAX is ur-
just. But we are asked why do you
not send your childreh TO the public
schools! The public press answers this
question almost daily.
L he enormous increase IN dishonesty.
immortality and divorces in this country
is directly traoeable to the lack OF relig-
ious training in youth. We Catholics pay
for the education of children of other de-
nominations and also for the education of
our own children. Is this just? Why
should not Catholics receive some of the
funds raised for educational purposes, f
they are willing to shoulder the respon-
sibility of educating their children and
thus relieve the state. and especially if
they educate the children as the state
requires. The American people, or at
least a majority Of them, are fair-minded,
and as soon as We convince them Of the
righteousness of our cause and as soon
as they are convinced that for lack of
youthful religious training the morality
of our country is jeopardized they will
rally to the support of the paroehiaF
schools, where morality is instilled and
fostered.
1T is, therefore, for the laity who pay
the double tax to bring this matter prop
erly before the public, to discuss the same
| carefully. earnestly and without pre1u-
dice, to the end they may find common
ground upon which to stand for the ben
eft of the country at large. 1t behoeves
us, therefore. to continue this agitation
until the fair-minded American people
will see how just our cause will right
| the wrong that exacts from us a doubla
| tax and will also right the wrong thai
] debars US from enjoying the benefits and
| privileges of our country for which We
! have always been ready in the past and
| for which we will always be ready is
| the future, TO sacrifice our lives"