The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1913-05-31
Victor HasO's Opinion


Victor HuEo In relation 10 an
- effort Of the priests 20 go cen.
troll of education In France;
-Ah. ne know you We knoW the
clerical party. u IL an old party. This
a IL which has found for the truth
those two marvellous supporters ig.
porance and error This u is which
lorbids 70 science ana genius the TO
tng beyond the Miasal and which
wishes 10 cloister thought In dogmas
Every step which the Intelligence OF
Europe has taken has been IN spite
OF it. Its history is written In the his
tory OF human progress, but ~
is written on the back Of the leaf itI
IL opposed 20 Il all This Il % which
caused Prinelii 10 be scourged for hay-
ing said that the stars would not fall
This Il ls which put Campaneila seven
times 90 torture for saying that the
number OF worlds was Infinite and for
HAVING caught a glimpse al the secret
OF creation. This Il IL which pcrre
cuted Harvey for having proved the
circulation OF the blood. In the name
OF Jesus II shut up GAllleo. In tho
name OF 81. Paul Il imprisoned Chris
topher Columbus To discover n law
Of the heavens was an impicty, 10 ind
q world was hcrcsy. This Il is which
mathematical Pascal In the name OF
reiigion. Montaigne in the name Of
morality, Mollere In the name OF both
morality and religion. For a Ions
time the human conscience has revolt
ed against you and now demands Of
you. What Is Il that you wish Of mo''
For a long time already you have tried
A., - sss.os fka human NUNallnrfs
you wish 10 be the masters OF educa-
lion, and there is not a poet. not an
author, not a thinker. not philosopher
that you accept All that has been
written, found, dreamed, doduced, In
splred. imagined. invented by genius
the treasure OF civilization, the venors
able inheritance OF generations. the
common patrimony OF knowledge, you
reject. There is a book book which
Is from one end to the other an emana-
ton from above: book which 10 for
the whole world what the Koran Is
for Islamism: what the Vedas are for
INDIA book which contains all hu.
man wisdom illuminated by all divine
wisdom-a book which the veneration
Of the people call the Book-the Bible!
Well, your censure has reached even
that-unheard OF thingi Popes have
prescribed the Bible. How astonish-
ing to wise spirits; how overpowering
10 simple hearts TO see the finger OF
Rome placed upon the book Of God!
And you claim the liberty Of teaching.
Stop; be sincere; let us understand
the liberty which you claim. u 10 the
liberty Of not teaching. You wish US
10 give you the people TO instruct. Very
well. Let us see your pupils. Let us
see those you have produced. What
have you done for Italy? What have
YOU done for Spain? For centuries
You have kept in your hands, at your
discretion. at your school. these two
Eireat nations. illustriOus among the
iElustrious. What have you done for
them2 I shall tell you. Thanks to
you, Italy, whose name no man who
thinks can any longer pronounce with
out inexpressible filial emotions-Italy,
,imother OF genius and OF nations, which
f, has spread over all the universe all
I, the most brilliant marvels of poetry
and the arts, Italy-which has taught
mankind TO read-now knows not how
TO read! Yes, Italy is OF all the states
OF Europe. that where the smallest
number know how 10 read. Spain,
magnifcently endowed Spain. which
received from the Romans her first
civilization; from the Arabs her sec
ond civilization; from Providence and
In spite OF you, a world, America
Spain, thank a. YOU. yoke of stupor.
which is a " OF degradation and
decay; Spain has lost this secret pow
or which IL had from the Romans; this
genius OF Art which II had from the
Arabs: this world which Il had from
God. and In exchange for all that you
have made Il lose, Il has received
from you the lnquisltlon - the In
auisition. which certain men OF the
party try today to re-establish: which
has burned on the funeral pile mil.
lions OF men; the Inquisition. which
disinterred the dead 70 burn them as
heretics; which declared the children
of heretics infamous and incapable
OF any public honors, excepting only
those who shall have denounced their
fathers; the lnquisition. which. while
speak. still holds In the papal library
the manuscripts Of Calico sealed un.
der papal signet These are your mas
terpieces. This FIRE which we call Italy
you have extinguished. This Colossus
that we call Spain you have under
mined-the one in ashes the other in
ruins. This Is what you have done for
two great nations. What do you wish
to do for France7 Stop! you have
Just come from Romei I congratulate
you; you have had fine success there.
You come from gagging the Roman
people, and now you wish to gag the
French people. I understand. This
attempt is still more fine. but take
care. IL Is DANGEROUS. France is lion,
and il still alivei"