The Washington herald., 1912-04-09
URGE SEPARATION
CHURCH AND STATE
Continued from Page One.

with their priests nuns. and all; and
all in their church and religious garb.
The original situation was so mani
testify union OF church and state that
IL could not deCentIy bC maintained any
longer; and the administration in 1883
decided to divorce the government alb
soluteIy' from this acknowledged union
with the church. That purpose has
been steadily pursued ever since. but
has not yet been accomplished. for 1t Is
still the same union of church and
state that II was then. Indeed. the union
is closer now than IT was then. This
present issue is "A result Of the effort to
accomplish absolutely that intended and
perfectly proper enforcement.
Twenty-Five years ago next July -
FROM his place in the Senate. Senator
Dawes as chairman of the Committee
on Appropriations. said that the original
situaIium of which this to-day Is an in
Cident-the original OF this union of
church and state-was created by the
Catholic Bureau OF Missions in this city,
which. he said. had then been on the
ground here for the last five years. push
ing Catholic schools upon the govern
ment
Exercises Pushing Energy
The pushing of Catholic schools upon
the government was nothing less than
the pushing of the Catholic Church upon
the government. That same Catholic Bu-
reau of Missions is still here, and IS of
record in this case as exercising that
same pushing energy. And that is the
cause OF this situation to-day. And when
thPy are so tenacious that their garb
shall be retained in the government
schools. it is perfectly certain that they
will be no less tenacious as 10 the actual
teaching OF their doctrines there.
Senator Dawes further said that day
that the then present management was
in favor of divOrCing the government alb
solutcly from them all Iall Churchcsl. but
it found It impossible 10 do that
Commissioner Valentines order in this
case was and Is n laudable, constitu-
tional Cndeavor in accordance with acts
OF Congress. to complete the good work
that twenty-threa years ago was begun
Of divorcing the government absolutely
from the Catholic Church. Is it still
to be confessed that II is i'm 'Ossihle TO
do that Is the present administration
ready and willing to confess that it is
Impossible to do that
That. Mr.. Secretary. is the question
now before the administration Of which
you are a part: and not only before this
administration. but before this whole ma
ton; and II is Of vital interest to the
whole world
Secular Leagues Views.
HyIand C. Kirk. as president, and
John u. Bradley, as secretary. of the
Washington Secular League, which is
AFFILIATED with the American Secular
Union and Free Thought Federation. pre-
sented a statement approving Commits
sioner Valentines order.
I'VE represent a class of American cit
/
ton and consistent observance OF that
vital and immutable principle of our re-
public and OF modern civilization which
absolutely divorces religion and the
state" they asserted.
I'VE are therefore opposed to any
compromise of this principle on the
part of the Government, and we regard
the practice which now obtains in some
Government Indian schools of per-
mittinE teachers while in the perfor-
nance of their duties to make a con-
spicuous display of their religious, sec
tartan affiliation by wearing the garbs
of religious orders and religious, sec
tartan emblems as such compromise
on the part of the Government, and as
subtle infringement of the vital
principle referred to. Those persons
whose religious faith or practice does
not permit them to lay aside their re-
ligious garb when performing their
duties as teachers In Government
schools should show their loyalty TO
such faith and practice and to the prin-
cIples OF the Republic by declining to
accept such a position or by resigning
therefrom.
I'VE, therefore, heartily approve the
action of the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs in ordering the discontinuance
of the practice referred to. and respect
fully request that this action may have
the approval of yourself and the Ad-
ministration."
Henry b. F. Macfsrland, who present.
ed q legal argument on the question. de-