Year: 1875

| portion of the public moneys for the sus-
tentaton of those institutions. This at
tempt could not have been made with any
expectation OF success. Ifa man, wearing
a sober and friendly face, should approach


his neighbor in the street, with polite re-
| quest that that neighbor should accom-


modate him by committing suicide, he
would hardly do il with the expectation Of
hearing an immediate report of pistol in
execution of his demand. The neighbor


might possibly maintain a show Of polite
ness, but he would go off wondering what
the request was made for, and what was to
come OF it. He certainly would not sup
pose that the man who made it expected
| 1t 10 be granted. He WOULD judge that this
request was the preliminary OF some other
request, or of some movement, TO which he
intended 10 bring it into relation.


This is precisely the request that the
| parochial schools have made of the public
schools. "Will you be kind enough, for
our accommodation, to commit suicide2"
The specific request of the Catholic author
| tiles Is not in this form of course, but II
just as distinctly involves the question as
if the question were distinctly stated. The
moment the public authorities recognize
the right of sect to public money, for the
special purpose of holding its children to-
gether for sectarian instructions, they de-
stroy the public schools, so far as any ac-
tion of theirs can accomplish that end. One
sect has no more rights in America than
another, and the result of consent would
be the abandonment OF the public schools,
and the transformation of our board Of Ed
ucation into a Board of Apportionment.
We have no State religion. We never
ought TO have, and we never shall have
one. Ofcourse, no exclusive rights can be
granted to any sect, and the concession of
public moneys TO Catholic schools would
be the practical recognition of every sect TO
educate its own children, in its own way
at the public expense. The logical and
practical results of such a concession are
so plain, that 1t is mere waste of type and
paper TO argue the matter at any point. 1t
is one of those things which cannot be
done, and can only be considered for the
sake of courtesy or form.


But would the Catholics be gamers, sup
posing their request were grantedf Here
we touch the motive of the whole matter.
The Catholic Church as a power, and the
Catholic people rs a portion OF the free
American nationality, are not the same.
Il is no slander, because 1t is freely con-
fesse6, hat the Church lays its controlling
hand on every COINCIDENCE and every life
within its power. 1t can hardly claim that
those within its fold are better citizeIs.
finer members of society, purer patriots, or
moro intelligent men and women than
those who belong to the different Protes-
tant communions, and have been bred in
the public schools without sectarian hands
10 shape their opinions. 1t would not be
pleasant 10 appeal 10 facts, as they stand in
this or other countries, and we do not ap-
peal to them, further than 10 declare that
in no point of advantage TO pupils has it
ever been shown that a Catholic paTochial
school is superior 10 the American public
school. 1t has never made purer men and
women, better and more loyal citizens,
more independent thinkers, sweeler COM
munities.


In nation like ours, whose welfare de-
pends in large degree upon homogeneity
of material, common sympathy where SYM
pathy is possible, and cordial federation
where 1t is not possible, it is most impor-
tant that all means should be used for
breaking down sectarian aud party preju-
dices among the young. To train children
into bigots, to make them believe that they
and only those born or gathered into the
fold where they happen 10 stand, are the
elect OF God, while all outside are heretics
or worse, is TO mako poor patriots of them
and poorer Christians. 1t matters not
whether they are Catholic or Protestant-a
training like this is simply abominable.
There is not church in America acknowl-
edging its allegiance 10 the tenets of a sect,
and interested in the maintenance and
spread of those tenets, that is fit TO be in
trusted with the education of any portion
of the American youth. We arS ashamed
TO say it, but it is true and just as true of
the Protestant as the Catholic.


Let us, rs Americans, hold one institu-
ton particularly sacred-that one in which
the children and youth of all communions,
all classes, all parties, all conditions, are
brought together, and trained to respect
for each other, sympathy with each other,
and a common love of freedom and free
institutions. To constitute and maintain
this institution is the business of the State,
and it is the duty of the State 10 say 10 all
political parties and religious sects: Glands
Off You can tako your children from
the public schools if you will, but will
not be party TO the proceeding. You can
foster partisan spirit among them and
bind them 10 your opinions, but not with
my approval. You would train subjects
for yourselves and not for me, and you
shall have no money of mine for your pur-
poses."


The Protestant, like the Catholic, is
anxious for the moral well-belng aud the
religious culture Of his child. He takes
care of these, at his church and in his
home. The Catholic can be treated in this
matter no differently from The Protestant,
and, certainly, any Protestant sect which
would build wall of prejudice around its
children for the sake of ofretaining its power,
would deserve and receive the contempt of
all just men. To do this is 10 acknowledge
the fear of defeat in an open conflict OF
opinion upon a free field. The Catholic
people are not ready for this acknowledge
ment, and cannot afford, for many reasons,
to make it, whatever the interest OF the
priesthood may be.-Dr. j. G. Holland;
Scri6nerJor July.