The Chautauquan, Vol. 05, June 1885, No. 9Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Philosophy
The Chautauquan, Vol. 05, June 1885, No. 9
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Chautauqua Institution -- Periodicals; Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle -- Periodicals
The only difference of opinion in regard to the question of tariff
existing between the two parties is that the liberals wish the laws of
entrance to be more moderate than the conservatives have made them, but
neither of them will adopt the cosmopolitan theories of European free
trade. The English compare protection to a bullet, Canadian tariff to
a museum of instruments of torture, and declare that in following the
example of the United States, the Dominion has forgotten the fable of the
frog which wished to become as large as an ox. The Canadians hold that
they shall do what they think best for their country, and that duties are
the taxes least inconvenient to raise; that they save national work; and
that they not only have made up the deficits of the past, but have put
into the treasury an excess, so they have been able to reduce them to the
amount of two and one-fourth millions dollars. The tariff for protection
has become a tariff for revenue.
Since 1853 especially, public instruction has made great progress.
These people who, under the patronage of the crown of England, have
realized the ideal conception of a conservative and Christian republic,
hold that public schools are among the luxuries of a young nation, and
do not hesitate to impose upon themselves heavy sacrifices, as they
believe they will result in good to their children. In the province of
Quebec alone, government expended during the year 1882-83, $350,000
for school buildings, while the contributions paid directly by the
people amounted to more than $2,000,000. In a population of 1,359,027
inhabitants, statistics show that there are 5,039 schools of different
grades; 7,211 professors and teachers, and 245,225 scholars, making an
average of one scholar for every six inhabitants. As to universities
and colleges, they do not come under the school regulations, but are
independent institutions, which, however, may receive appropriations
from the government on condition of making a report each year to the
superintendent. When in a school district there live a number of families
who profess a different religion from that of the majority, they have
the right to have for their children separate schools, under the care
of three officials, chosen by them. Thus Catholics and Protestants have
equal privileges, and everything is done to secure respect for religion,
independence to the citizen, and his active and constant interest in
educational matters. The circulars of the present superintendent, M.
Ouimet, define in clear terms the spirit of the school laws in Quebec:
“In our system of primary instruction we first teach the children the
catechism of true religion, in order that they may know how to serve
God; then the manuals of agriculture and of design, in order to put them
in condition to serve their country. _For God and country!_ Behold the
words which the Canadian legislature has inscribed on the walls of her
educational institutions. The state unites itself to the two systems of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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