The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-05-03

add greatly to school population,
and infinitely more than a school
census followed by squads of
truant officers to compel parents
of poor children to send them to
school. !"
We would be surprised that
President Horn should advocate
free text books did we not know
that such a course is not uncom-
mon among certain class of edu-
Gators who know that it is an easy
and sure method of winning
popular applause From time to
time the question has been
agitated in this city and efforts
have been made to procure the
passage of measure authorizing
the giving of free text books to
the public school children. But
does President Horn realize all
that is contained in his advocacy
of free text books? Does he not
know that it is an imposition on
the public, un-American in prin-
ciple, unjust to a large and repre-
sentative body of citizens and
paves the way for abuses which
would destroy the very purpose it
is supposed to serve.
The providing of free text books
for the public school children
places an additional load upon the
shoulders of the people who are
now overburdened with taxation
to build, equip and maintain the
public schools. This load, as
everyone knows, is already heavy
enough; why, then, increase the
burden? The idea underlying this
fad is false in principle and dan
gerous in practice. Free text
books" is a misnomer. The text
books are given, free Of charge, it
is true, to the children, but they
are paid for out of the additional
tax imposed upon the public for
that purpose. It is unfair to tax
the community in order that free
text books be given to school chill
dren, the majority Of whom be-
long to families who are well able
to pay for the necessary school
supplies. If some of the pupils
who attend the public schools are
too poor to purchase text books,
it is all right to assist them; but
the wholesale distribution of free
text books makes the school a
public charity, for it means the
pauperizing Of education through
a system of state paternalism that
has a very unwholesome effect on
the social body. 1t tends to
destroy paternal responsibility
and to usurp paternal rights. 1t
destroys the stimulus of private
ownership, promotes extravaganza
and waste, favors dishonesty and
graft and adds to the high cost of
living. In fact, it has not a single
thing to recommend it to the con-
sideration of the public. Those
who advocate it are nothing more
than would-be benefactors who
'rob Peter to pay Paul"
Furthermore, this problem has
another important phase Presi.
dent Horn forgets that the public
schools are used only by portion
of the taxpayers. He does not
take into consideration the fact
that a very large number of chill
dren, for conscientious motives. do
not attend these schools. Are they,
likewise, to be the benefciaries of
this free text book system? No,
indeed; it is sop for the public
school children and for them
alone.
! The Catholic taxpayers of ST.
Paul contribute their share to-
wards the support of the public
schools and, in addition, build and
maintain their own schools. They
do this because they believe that
no matter how efficient the public
school may be, something more is
needed than a mere intellectual
training in order to mould Chris.
! tian character and make upright
and honorable citizens. For the
work which they do in supporting
parochial schools Catholics ask
no favors from their fellow
citizens. They are not clamorine
for free text books provided out
of the public treasury. Why, then
make their burden greater than il
is? Are they not already con
tributing their just share towards
the maintenance of the public
schools? Is one-half the citizens
of st. Paul to be penalized be
cause they are generous enough to
provide their own schools in addi
ton to paying their proportional
share of taxes for the public
schools? Is it not enough to have
them bear a double burden Of
taxation without placing penalty
upon them that is as unjust as il
is un-American? In this country
we believe that there should ho mr.