Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-03-18
sTENOGRAPHlC PROCEEDINGS
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~ IVUU1IHI IIIV ] InOVkAUIVVO
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money derived from taxation Of all
our citizens. simply because those
schools were not under the control of
a Board Of Trustees who were all Of
one denomination, or Of which ma
jority was not Of one denomination,
would be q subterfuge unworthy OF
American citizenship.
Doubtless this amendment should
include hospitals. but to do so at this
time would, I fear, create opposition
which would prevent the accomplish
ment of anything.
ask that this Hou~c suspend judg-
ment upon what l ha>a to say until
have completed my argument. 1t Is
my purpose to be fair and just to all.
When I have finished, if there are
those who think that am wrong or
unjust to any class OF our citizens,
am willing to listen while they show
me my error.
The principle OF giving aid to these
private schools is, and always was,
wrong. Why should Mr.. Brown, who
cannot afford to send his children to
one of those private schools. be taxed
to support those schools for the BEN
eft of Mr.. Smith who can afford to
send his children to them? And Mr..
Speaker, will someone tell me why
Roman Catholics, who can receive no
money derived from taxation for the
support Of Roman Catholic private
schools, should be taxed to supply
funds for the support of private
schools carried on by Protestents? 1t
is unfortunately true. Mr.. Speaker,
that we have many who talk about
separation Of church and state VINO
prove by their acts and by their atti-
tude that deep down in their hearts
what they really do believe in IS that
the State should be separated from all
religions but their own.
Now. at the outset, desire to make
INV position clear SO that I may not
be misunderstood, and so that no
wrong impression will be drawn.
Tn discussing this question I shall
speak frankly and shall indulge in no
yelled presentation OF the case. | ap-
proach this great subject without
passion, with no feeling OF animosity,
but with a profound sense of duty to
INV country, to my state and to hu-
manity. To the best of my knowl-
edge, and to the best Of my ability, l
shall speak without favor and with
out fear.
have no unfriendly feeling toward
our Roman Catholic fellow citizens,
and I would do all in my power to
prevent them from being treated un-
Justly. If they desire to stand 10y
ally by American institutions we
should help them to do so. But to all
who would lay a hand upon American
institutions to strangle them or to de-
stroy them. who would strike down
religious liberty, who would destroy
the principle Of separation of church
and State who would destroy our
public schools, who would bestow tenn
poral power upon any religious organ
ization, whether he be an alien Pope
or a citizen, priest or lawman, say
to him, "Take of your hand"' And l
mean exactly what I say. For those
non-Roman Catholics, who from un-
worthy motives stand supine and
powerless and lift not their hand to
protect those great and vital Ameri-
can institutions, have the utmost
contempt.
There are two great subjects, great
er than all others, that make or mar
the welfare and the happiness of man.
kind. They are politics and religion.
Some day, I do not know when, but
some day, man will become a rational
being: and when that time does come
men can meet in fellowship and calm
ly discuss their honest thought. They
will then each be willing to accord to
others the rights and privileges that
they claim for themselves.
POLITICS! What wrongs are done
In thy name! We see q political par
men; its leaders corrupt and forget
full Of the rights Of man. When men
denounce their party they do not
thereby denounce and condemn the
rank and file Of that party. which is
made up Of honest men and women
who desire good and honest govern
ment. When q man has the temerity
to denounce what is done by the CEN
tralized authority Of party, he is de-
nounced as a disturber and a dema-
gogue, and they try very hard to cast
him into outer darkness. to that limbo
from which no politician is ever sup
posed to return.
RELIGION! Oh, what cruelties
have been committed In thy name! For
a thousand years Europe was dcluged
in blood because Of differences in re-
ligious belief. Finally came America
fairest and greatest Of the Republics;
the first one that ever inscribed upon
us UduucI IuO 6ACot PAAASiPiS VI N"e"
separation Of church and State. Amer
lea grew and prospered; prospered as
no nation ever prospered before. She
established a system Of free public
schools, that all her future citizens,
coming from many lands, however
poor, should receive an education that
would fit the future generations for
self-government.
In those schools mingled the chill
dren from the homes of all races and
all creeds. They met together in fell
lowship that they might obtain
patural knowledge; that they might
obtain knowledge of natural things
These children were growing up
with an increasing friendliness for
each other and better understand
ing Of each other, when someone
discovered that knowledge impaired
without superstition being instiled
1essened fear, and made them more
inclined to think.
Ignorance is the mother Of super
stition. and superstition is the
mother of fear. The voice of a for
eign potentate was raised in con-
demnation of Americas public
schools, and it's subjects were set
against them. Let me ask you what
would have happened had England
y condemned our schools and advised
all those of British blood and birth
to keep out of them and to oppose
| them" What if Germany had done
that? What if France had done it?
A storm Of Indignation would have
burst forth against foreign inter-
ference. They would have been
promptly told to attend to their own
affairs and their representatives
would have been handed their pass
ports.
Now. bear in mind that when ]
condemn Roman Catholicism, as