Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-03-25

iEotto Is All men are creased FRA
and equal except Roman Cathol;es
and Jews" Underneath that mn,
to there opens pathwa~ ''
and on it's wall a sign
affixed and the hand points do,.
ward Back to the Middle Ags.i.
Fear fills the air, lights and sbaSo-.
flicker dimly down the yay-the lisa,s
from the fire where John CsIr;s
burned the Unitarian Ser Verta
lights from the fire where tn. d..
old Puritan Cotton Mather hun, n.
witches Of Salem. I listen and hss,
the faint echos from the victims !,
the thumbscrew and the rack. In
tolerance never changes. It IA N.
same in Rome as in Geneva, in Ran
gor as in Salem. l turn nv ewes "a
the right and behold another hru,s
AN angel in shining garments ana
in her hand she holds a scroll. Ana
upon that scroll the words are writ.
ten, and l read, "The Constitution :,
the United States of America and ths
Constitution of the State of Mains
in is integrity undeformed." Hirb
upon he wall there Is another motif
and it reads: BE Free" and under.
meath the motto there opens a erea,
pathway and upon its wall there d
sign, a hand points down that Wav
and it says ITO liberty, equality
fraternity" Liberty as it is estah.
lished by the Constitution of Main.
today: equality as it is establishes
by the Constitution Of Maine TODAY.
fraternity as it was once understood
by someone who said: "A new com.
mandment give l unto you that W
shall love one another" Really. was
it not a deplorable oversight that he
forgot to say. Except the Catholics
and Jews"
Mr.. Speaker, madam and gentlemen
which path shall we choose? Which
shall it be? The choice is yours, the
consequences are yours, the responsi.
bility is yours. (Applause). .~ Ga
Mr.. EUSTIS of Strong: I have no
intention this morning of attempting
to make a speech. Neither can |
see any angels nor any spirit mes.
sagcs. l do however, wish to speak
for a moment in behalf of the eight
members of the Educational Commit.
tee who signed this report fought to
Pass" upon this bill.
Differing with the gentleman from
Portland. Mr.. Hale, 1 feel the discus.
sion of this matter to be based upon
two fundamental points. First, the
American principle Of the separation
of Church and State and second
upon the Importance Of our public
schools.
The total and complete separation
of Church and State has been vital
question throughout our entire his.
tory, and in Article 6 Of the original
document of the Constitution Of 17si
we find the provision that no reli.
gious test should be required as q
qualifica ton for holding public Office
or in any public trust under the
Government of the United States
This provision did not satisfy. the
people of the colonies and proved a
very difficult task to secure the rah'
fication Of the Constitution. In fac.
possibly this ratification would never
have been secured if Madison and
Hamilton had not given their word
that something would be done imme'
diately to secure and to guarantee the
complete separation Of Church and
State in America.
In keeping with this promise the
first Congress passed an amendment
and secured it's ratification. This
provided that Congress
should make no law restricting the
esta blishment of religion or prohibit
ing the free exercise thereof. TINS
passage was construed by james
in 1911, when he vetoed
message giving certain lands 10
church in Salem. Massachusetts, az
that Congress should MAKE
no law in any way affecting or re-
any religious establishment
This amendment, as inter,
preted, seemed sufficient, an.
the mplete separation u
Church and State became tns
esta blished American doctrins
1t was soon found, however, tha'
this was not sufficient, as CERTAIN
States began to appropriate various
sums for Sectarian purposes AZ.
for this reason over thirty stales
have now passed similar or hlol.
drastic amendments than the one w
are now considering.
In passing this amendment we al.
merely emphasizing the Ameficas
doctrine of the separation OF Cnul..
and State. We feel that we caniiv.
have this complete separation VIM.
it is possible under our laws 10 .aA'
money by taxation from all the pev.
pie and appropriate that money
any institution controlled by a'
particular creed. The principe m
volved is that public money rals,s
by a tax from all the people shou.
not be used for any private pu'
pose. ~.
Further, we appeal to you IN ps
half of the public schools. ice,
would be a remarka BILE step for S..
If every boy and girl In the o'a
of Maine could be required 10 Ii.
tend our public schools. Inc pun W,
school is the most democi atlc VI y
institutions. Here are founu "a
and poor alike, all mathematics .nto
all creeds; all being merged n ~.
" nat VIC al u ~ OuN W
real American boy and gill var
plause.) ,,orss
The SPEAKER: Is the i1ou''
ready for the question? -.
Mr.. MARTIN of Augusta: WEI
to say just a few words IN ea Nor
nation of my position in this mat a. =
l think that we should approach a. a.
not with any feeling of hostility ~. NJ
ward any religion toward
group of people, and I feel, my' srs
that the proponents of this pln n,cb.
sincere in not appioar rot
ing it from that angle. And W .s,
think any argument should be m sos.
that they have any feeling OIL
tility toward any religion or grouf
people. ::
Personally, I cannot and win prL
vote for the so-called BarWise
simply because. in my opil,iVSr
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