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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 49

Leaders Change

Leaders Change.

The people will yet become disgusted with the unreasonableness and changeableness of their leaders. A few years ago they were told to stand by "the Bible in the schools;" to "strike down any one who dared raise a hand against it;" that "to die for it would be a glorious martyrdom." Secret societies were formed for its protection. Now editors and ministers frankly confess it was all a mistake; that our liberties do not depend on keeping the Bible in the schools; that to do so is illogical, wrong, unjust to Catholics, Jews, and infidels. There has been no more powerful advocate of the Bible in the schools than Dr. J. G. Holland, who, in this month's "Scribner," admits that "the compulsory reading of the Bible was to the Catholic, to the Jew, to the atheist, a grievance, a hardship, an oppression." "For ourselves," he says, "we must confess to a change of convictions on this matter. . . . If we do away with the grievance of the Catholic, we do away with his claim; and we mark out for the Catholic and Protestant alike the path of peace to walk in side by side." The doctor does not seem to understand the nature of our claim. It is not to deprive Protestants of their Bible in their schools: it is to educate Catholic children in Catholic schools with our own money, under State supervision if you please. We do not want Protestant money, nor any State money that was not taken from our purses. We want not one dollar for pope, bishop, or priest; not one cent for our church. We do not desire the doing-away of common schools : we page 46 are establishing schools all over the country on a thoroughly democratic basis. We are striving for a stretching of a hide-bound system. We wish it to be more directly under parental control, more economically managed, restricted to its proper function of elementary education, and violating no conscientious duty of parents. It is just as likely that a few years hence the people will be told that education belongs to parents, and that if the State interferes it must be in accordance with the wish of parents. When communism becomes rife and bold, property owners may be willing to discuss principles only to learn that they are reaping as they sowed. Some heads take in truth slowly, others only by trepanning.