The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-09-27

the Liberals gained their point. The
conditions leading to the adoption of
the neutral" or secularist system Of
education in the United States and in
these colonies were pretty much the
same. Indeed, the fathers and found
ers of the system here, such as Sir
Henry Parkes, pointed to Holland as
pertinent example of the immense
advantages of system of education,
free, secular, and compulsory. Did
Sir Henry Parkes live at the present
day what would he think Of his per-
tinent example? Let us see.
Fortunately two men rose above the
political horizon who brought the
struggle for Christian Education to
successful issue. These were DR.
Schaepman and DR.. Kuyper. DR.
Schaepman was a priest of great
ability, who devoted himself to plac.
ing the Catholic party on an effective
footing. To show part of his work:
In 1868 he found only one Catholic
newspaper, the Tijd, in Holland. Att
his death in 1903 he left behind him
to carry on his work, thirteen dailies
and $50 weekly, fortnightly and
monthly periodicals! DR.. Kuyper was
editor of an influential paper. De
Standard. He was a Calvinist, but
not OF the bigoted, suspicious, always
at-War-with-the-Pope type. He DOS
sessed the intelligence and breadth of
view to see some good in the Pope
and in the Papists. He was delighted
to welcome them as friends and as
assistants in good cause. A new
Calvinistic party, called "Anti-revolu-
tionaries" had recently arisen. This
party was determined that Holland
should not be governed by French
Liberal Ni-Dieu-ni-Maitre'' (neither
God nor MASTERY principles that as it
was Christian land Christian prin-
ciples should prevail in it, and espe-
| clally in the matter of the education
of the youth of the country At the
head of this party DR.. Kuyper soon
found himself.
These two men, leaders of the Cath
olics and Calvinists, saw that their
parties agreed as to many things-and
very particularly as to the necessity
of Christian training for youth in
the schools of Christian country.
They saw, moreover, that if both par
ties laid aside their old prejudices,
silly suspicious, and antiquated antip-
athies, and formed a coalition, they
would have the country behind them.
Both men set to work in speech and
newspaper article; and so succeeded
in extinguishing the old bigotries and
exercising the old bogeys that the
combination was formed, with the re-
suit that at the general elections in
1888, the anti-clerical Liberal ministry
was defeated and a Christian Coali-
ton Ministry came into power. On
| December 8, 1889, to the great relief
of the vast majority of the people
of Holland the Law of Pacification"
was passed. law based on the recog-
milton of the rights and duties of par
ents in regard to their Children
law, consequently, granting State aid
to all voluntary schools. So moderate
lation that the Liberals did not dare
to oppose it very strenuously. 1t
should be added that the coalition min
istry has given much satisfaction, not
only as to its school legislation, but
also as to other measures of social
and political reform introduced and
passed. Such satisfaction has this
Government given that the Liberals or
anti-cIericals have recently lost much
ground; they were routed at the gen.
eral elections in June, 1909. Under
the Christian Coalition Government a
spirit of Cancellation. goodwill, and
optimism has so taken possession of
the people that it promises well for
the further advancement Of a very
industrious and progressive little
country.