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Show BONAPARTE ON PUBLIC EDUCATION. Prominent Catholic Who Is Against Agitation For Sectarian Appropriations. In his book, "The Land of the Strenuous Life" the Abbe Klein reports a visit he made to Charles J. Bonaparte. The school question was discussed in connection with the relation here in America of Church and State: I found Mr. Bonaparte in his law office, without with-out having had time to send previous notice of my visit. But as I had introductions from his sister-i sister-i 11 -law, whom I had met in Paris, and from his niece, the Countess Moltke Ilvitfcld, I was most cordially received, and felt at home at once, Mr. Bonaparte, speaking excellent French, remarked that I must, have found the Church here moi? happily situated than in France and. then, likj a loyal American citizei, he enlarged upon the good fortune of Catholics Jn the United States in enjoying en-joying so fully the blessings of liberty. I asked him how to account for the small space allotted by American newspapers to religious events in France, and for the frequent errors to be found in even these slander reports. ''It is because we cannot understand so bad a condition of things," he answered; "the situation is incredible to us." Then for a time we talked of the unfortunate intermingling in-termingling of religious and secular interests with which we are familiar in France; a confusion of two distinct spheres which both the enemies and t bo. Jrjenj of t create. Upon such matters I found Mr. Bonaparte far more than ordinarily well informed. "Hero, too," he said, "we have certain .Catho-1 .Catho-1 lies who seem disposed to bring about just such a condition as you have in France.. To the best of my power, I am resisting them." Observing my look of astonishment, he went on: "These persons are eternally criticizing the religious neutrality of our public schools; forgetting that, if these schools were, not neutral, they would be Protest ant. You ask for what these malcontents are agitating. agi-tating. They desire that the denominational schools should receive money. from the state in proportion to Ihe number of pupils educated, or in the form of a proportionate rebate in the taxes paid by the parents of such pupils.. The plan is not practical. We Catholics cannot in this matter mat-ter win public opinion to our side, because in point of fact we should be almost the only church to profit by such an arrangement, inasmuch as we ! have incomparably the greatest number of relig- j ious schools. And in this state of affairs, the giv- j ing of public money, however just the grounds for it, would seem to make us a privileged class, end ! we should incur widespread odium. Wo must con- linue to make the sacrifices involved in support-1 support-1 ing our parish schools. Indeed, there are other j claims that we could more justly urge. For example, ex-ample, in our public institutions of charity, es- j pecially orphanages, there is not always a fair I proportion of Catholic, chaplains in comparison with the number of Catholic inmates. Here is a I case where complaint would be ust; and, moreover, j it would be heeded. Xo, no, we should not eriti- i cize our lot; it is a happy one, and our effort should ! be to maintain it." j Again, let me say that I met other American Catholics who disagree with Mr. Bonaparte on the school question: and certainly it is no't for a ' stranger to enter into such a discussion. But I with France before one's eyes, one finds it hard i to understand how any Catholic can be discontent- ! ed with the freedom of America. Would that re- j ligious questions could he kept forever from the controversies of polities! |