New-York tribune., 1909-11-28
CLOSED 10000 SCHOOLS.


the ordeal?
CLOSED 10000 SCHOOLS.
1t is not alone that French people of
every denomination are taxed 10 sup
port an educational system of which the
chief object is the poisoning of chiIdren's
minds against Christianity Even that
could be tolerated We're the parents en-
abled to send their children to other
schools. But the government declines to
authorize educational establishments
other than its own. and closed no fewer
than twenty thousand schools maintained
by the Catholic Church. and where the
education was free OF cost
Unable TO help themselves. the French
clergy accepted with misgivings the
pledges OF neutrality at the time of the
suppression Of their free schools. But
as feared. these promises have not been
kept. and the consequence is that the
clergy have lodged a protest against the
methods adopted by the state teachers
against the doctrines enunciated by the
latter. and against their whole attitude
toward Christianity. This protest. in
the institution of legal proceedings. now
pending. against every cardinal arch
bishop and diocesan bishop in France.
But it is not only the Catholic clergy
who are arrayed against the state in
this matter of education. The Protestant
denominations are making. for the first
time in history. common cause with their
former rivals. French families of good
old HuguenOt stock are as incensed as
Roman Catholics themselves at the
latest developments of the educational
policy of the state. and French Catholics
and Protestants have been brought into
close and sympathetic contact with one
another by the wave of anti christianity.
They are united for common action
against the common danger; and the
republic now finds itself confronted not
merely by the Roman Catholic clergy
and by the Roman Catholic families. but
also by the Protestant clergy and by
the wealthy and influential Protestant
families combination which consti-
tutes a very powerful alliance
To this coalition must now be added
the Royalists. who embrace most Of
the former BonapaTtists, owing TO the
fact that neither Victor nor Louis
Napoleon is willing to raise one finger in
behalf of their cause. or even 10 give
one word of encouragement TO their ad-
herents. 1t has been the custom to
ridicule the Royahsts beca. of their
failure TO take advantage of the oppor-
tunities that have seemed TO come in
the way of the pTetender, the Duke Of
Orleans But the latter. in pursuance
of the policy of his great grandfather,
King Louis Philippe. is determined that
il he does attain supreme power In
France it shall be by the will Of the
people and by what may be described
as constitutional means. He does not
wish 10 attain the throne through the
shedding Of French blood, nor would
he stand for a coup d'etat so sanSui-
nary as that which brought the imperial
crown to Napoleon III on that fateful
December night. He firmly believes, and
there are many who share this belief,
that one of these days either the French
legislature or else some other representa-
tive French assembly will summon him
TO take possession of the throne as the
only means of halting the Socialistic.
atheistic course. with disaster at the end
upon which France is rushing.
MATTERS WHICH GIVE PAUSE.
The pretender. who has during the
last ten years led far more dignihed
life than in his stormy youth. and who
has recovered the respect and the pres
tige that he had forfeited TO a great
extent at one moment by boyish fOllies
Is compelled to await this summons, not
only by a reluctance 10 involve his
country in civil war. but also by other
important considerations. In the first
place. were he 20 embark upon any
active hostilities against the French
government he would. find practically
every country closed against him. es-
pecially those in which he now makes
his home and which accord 70 him their
hospitality. Moreover. he feels that he
cannot call upon his chief adherents.
all the old nobility. they great land
owners and his other friends 20 take
up arms in his behalf against the re-
public. since IL would be inviting them
10 risk the conhscation of thei prop
erty. the loss OF their liberty and exile
in a struggle the outcome of which
might be in doubt: for any premature
attempt TO secure the throne before the
psychological hour arrives would prob
ably result in disaster to his cause.
There is. in addition 20 the old and
new aristocracy and 10 the land owning
classes. who constitute the most infiu-
entail element OF his party. another
faction thereof who style themselves the
"Neo- -Royalists." who have as one OF
their principal leaders Leon paudet
The Neo- Royalists. who have ideals of
thair own and who propose TO substi-
tute syndicalism for parliamentarism,