Now the truth is, that what Ferrer was teaching in his schools was
really instigating the overthrow of the social order of Spain;
furthermore it was not only instigating it, but it was making it as
certain as the still coming of the daylight out of the night of the
east. But not by the teaching of riot; of the use of dagger, bomb, or
knife; but by the teaching of the same sciences which are taught in our
public schools, through a generally diffused knowledge of which the
power of Spain's despotic Church must crumble away. Likewise it was
laying the primary foundation for the overthrow of such portions of the
State organization as exist by reason of the general ignorance of the
people.
The Social Order of Spain ought to be overthrown; must be overthrown,
will be overthrown; and Ferrer was doing a mighty work in that
direction. The men who killed him knew and understood it well. And they
consciously killed him for what he really did; but they have let the
outside world suppose they did it, for what he did not do. Knowing there
are no words so hated by all governments as "sedition and rebellion,"
knowing that such words will make the most radical of governments align
itself with the most despotic at once, knowing there is nothing which so
offends the majority of conservative and peace-loving people everywhere
as the idea of violence unordered by authority, they have wilfully
created the impression that Ferrer's schools were places where children
and youths were taught to handle weapons, and to make ready for armed
attacks on the government.
They have, as I said before, created this impression in various ways;
they have pointed to the fact that the man who in 1906 made the attack
on Alfonso's life, had acted as a translator of books used by Ferrer in
his schools; they have scattered over Europe and America pictures
purporting to be reproductions of drawings in prominent wall-spaces in
his schools, recommending the violent overthrow of the government.
As to the first of these accusations, I shall consider it later in the
lecture; but as to the last, it should be enough to remind any person
with an ordinary amount of reflection, that the schools were public
places open to any one, as our schools are; and that if any such
pictures had existed, they would have been sufficient cause for
shutting up the schools and incarcerating the founder within a day
after their appearance on the walls. The Spanish Government has that
much sense of how to preserve its own existence, that it would not allow
such pictures to hang in a public place for one day. Nor would books
preaching sedition have been permitted to be published or
circulated.--All this is foolish dust sought to be thrown in foolish
eyes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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