New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-18
SCHOOLS, PUBLIC AND PARoCHIAL
Views of Correspondent on Question Of State
Support of Them.
be Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: The article in to-day's Tribune on the sub
iect OF church schools being report Of an address
by a Chicago priest who IS apparently unaware
that his Crusade" has ipso facto. settled his
standing adversely TO his claim last night, de-
serves some comment. May public school teacher
be heard the matter2 I heard the address.
To start with, the lecturer was introduced by the
pastor representing" tho Catholic Church.
Surely, this is strain the word representative
very much. since the reverend lecturer has by his
own act become decidedly grata 70 his
reigionists; all he has TO say would be exactly as
cogent and TO the point If he gave up his claim
the priestly character.
AS TO the matter Of the address: never knew
OF but one nation which could not would not
change its laws-the Modes and Persians OF ancient
times. Their laws remain, but where the Medes
and Perslans! one would suppose that our alleged
distincuvely public schools should participate in
even discussion Of il was not to be heard Of This
may, indeed, be so; but can recall not few in
were changed. Slavery, for instance. was actually
protected and provided for in the very Constitution
itself. yet a change came. Had any one said ten
years ago that We would become d world power,
subject 70 all the responsibilities Of such position.
he would have been laughed to scorn-yet we have
been several complete reversais Of policy on our
part and the country survives and, indeed, IS the
We e't Change with them. ''',' ''''''
There is no such complete divorce Of Church and
State in this land Of freedom some good folks
Union f. mat church and charitable property are
exempt from taxtion. another f. every orphan
age and home for the aged is TO some extent sup
ported by public money, the theory being that the
child or aged person would be charge on the pub
lie in any case and that therefore the public au-
thority may as well get such persons cared for
to burden itself directly with their Yet
to say that in these orphanages and reform
schools. e. the Catholic PrOtectory, the state gets
full value every dollar Il grants for the main
tenance Of the inmates None OF them Is conducted
without religious worship. yet this is not yet held
be state aid 10 religion nor IS it likely to be
Just how the request Of Catholic authorities for
q reconsideration OF the school question can be
held to be an attack the school system u Is Of
ficut for me. q school teacher. 10 see II Is fact
IN this city at least that If twenty-five persons unto
in declaring that they TO learn certain sub
iect In our night schools this held he demand
for It, and the necessary teacher is engaged Yet
Fl IS also a fact that 70GO0 $1,000 children in this
CITY and about 100000 IN the entire country
llDitedly demand a complete. not partial school-
ing and the demand is ignored. II IS difficult for
me a teacher. to think that any harm would come
10 the RepubIc by acceding to the request or the
T,arochial school authorities. who will IN event
maintain their schools and be az loyal to their
country as ST everything exactly to their Tx
ing. ROBERT j. HitEf@+'' @S'''O4 D.
New York, Feb. H. 1907