THE ISSUES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2150, 16 May 1914, Page 6

THE ISSUES.

Sir,—lnferring to tfe National Schools JMenee League .iii jou.j issuo of May 4 yon say: "It is curious tlirt.t tlio opponents of fho movement should devote so mm.h of iheir attention to attacking the suggested system, when the iirnii'iiiatc issue is wluitijjer iha people shall ln> permitted tq say if they wish Di'hli? iostrliCt'ioH to be .given. , , It would smi! thai art <?inlcatgur wan liein.!; made t-j keep out of sight t'ho mtj issiift, that is, the right tho peoplfl to state I'.y inea.ns of a referendum, their wiVii fp this matter." Certain]};, Sir, the issues ,havo been confused, but. not by the Defenco Leaftue. It is tlio Bible te.g'ito that has endeavoured to cOirfovnd the issues, awl it lias succeeded in accomplishing its object- I make Urn statenicMfc -.villi soihb confidence, for I have recently' been ■Kolkutiug tiro signatures of peoplo who believe tliat questions of right and wtohj; cannot to rightly settled by appeals to popular opinio!!. I have interview ed personally upwards of ri Itun* wi;eol people, who havo tl'io IJihjc-onifl. and 1 am in a position to stale the fnliowiiva farts: — V- .Thai the majority of persons in 'vel'iiijih!!! who ham signed tlio liiblo ■card arc wot acquainted with tlio full contorts of that oartl, . .Few of thfini realise that they luivo s'igued (a) in favour of a referendum, also (b) in favour of entry by a.cerccMU'il teachers ttf religion, and also (<;) in. favour of <;oni-. pdliiiß teachers to conduct liib'lo lessans.

.2-. That the cs-nvttssers <in behalf of 'the BiWo licague seem-to have spout tiieir Imm nskwg: s, Aw you ju fevoap of Biblo i:ii schools:-? rfc-Sso sign this ear-dr" They do not appear to havo asked: '!Arc you in favour of the- Wfe ftiiduiu oil a religious question-?" Truly-, Sir. the issun has boconio csonf-us-eil. 3. That cdMeting sigiia-tnr:ea -a-gainst t-he rtfwendiiin on a- religious 'Question is very -easy work (I lirt-o in odd too-. ii-KmtS tojlefiwd 300 signatu-rfis iii thft ■space -of ten days.); pit 'tho other -hand, ii-.'js very (lifßenlt- to .persuade pcopjij -Who have signcid the. Dihlo-eari hut .who a-t'o no ioiigfer iji sympaitHy with its praiwsals, to sign- tho IJefo.ffcc-ciird, They say iboy clo hot, wish to .a.pjj'ca* in-TOnmstoirt, ' Nevcrtlieless, I \&m cel.fected thft signa-ture? of a fan' iimiir her, of -converts.

4. Thjjt a surprisingly largo nil inter ■oT peaplc .liavc noittr iheani of llm BiWe-iin-selitiols fflovom.oii.t-, ti.i.rtt not -mid tuaii in. ll>r.oo is even sKgMly iiitacsted adversely « otherwise, that Sot .one in ten kiitnys eiiwigli about lire -subject to remlor his vote or opinion of any wife whatever; ttoab thp small'iftittojfity of persons actively intere?.tod oil either side arc largely iiifliicuced by motives of prejudice.

B. That the 'Bible-ifi-schtiols ettireassers are- well acquainted . wijh thesefacts When they trfl as that this ojusm* tion shoutd be desidod hs the niaii in. the street. * , . By was of explanailoiij 1 shottld ..like-, to say .that I do ml Micro in sj.gi.iatury coUcctiug' a.s ; a mctbod of aseer;-' tainintt tho lviJl of tho people; jjut I have, been driven to it by the BibJe-iii--Scliools i/Ciigtte. If tliis fcaguo." had really, wanted to.-arrive at the wilt'of the lKoplfr,. it iVfflul.d liaVo stlit I'ouij'd iwo cards-, one for the refcrciiduiiyitoßi to sign, one for the nen-Tcfcroirfuoiitfls.; By colluctiijg ilte fefcrendiMn sigtjatjircs.only, ibo Itilik Leagne- .have created a. distorted iin.riross.Usn of the will df tho jKHple, and they now tare to jiersons like myself, who do not Mievo in sig■natilM ■collei.itjng, the uij.cOiigsiiiat task <j[ :fiuislM« Mle work -Uwt' tlio ISiUI-Q Leaauß toft- tiiiffivisliecfi of ecraiiting the hoa!Jsi;:tljey.loit.3imcti}6Wed.:('': l .HMC jotiiH! mention u t«ry .eurlous: iiiet. Miit Giieß. bnt i sfl-vcfal tiinog, have members■of oi6 13i : Wc protested to-nio-tlia.t- I ain doing Wrong in collecting: sigiHitures against tlvfcnt.'- In oflier wwcl-s, these goad do'moctats fsrvwitly' Jioiio tk-ap the. dafly of lieads. the.? l»ft nneoiiiitcd will never be wiftclc. Genjd narfow-niiiidediiess sink lower thait this? .

You Irat<? suggested Sir, tiiafc l)jr|attacking the proposals of tho BiMo League, 1:1 m Defence League line sought; ■to keei) out- of SJgta- tlio main issue, viz,, tlie retemiitliiiit. Ido iioi tliiivk Vow -oharfte is isoimd, mid for the foltrwiiig rcnSOu. T-ho rcfeteiidu.tn ean\itii be dealt with save by tho jnqniiiOrs of I'afljiiracnt. The people are not Rojng- to bo -jtsfced to dceid.o tW refefemliiM .question.) ttifij In ay be liilid to tlwMe the I3il*l.d-!ji'S.cb.Qols iiipstien. Wg ar«s at preseivt doniling Svitli the pooploj al.ut', ncioordfflgly, ;our aijtiiinoiris wntre &u -Ci 1 o RMjlo issue. Wlieu we ask po-i'sous to sigh eiir cii.rij, wo sock to fehieidatc, father llwm to eonrose. the issues.-*! aw, etc.,(3, .M. OLIJGHORN, Jfcmhcf National Schools Dofeiiet)- , Leas-He. 3fay i, 1314, [Mr. Clcßlwni .states that lie has sonatly interviewed W porsons who liu\'js signed % Eib'tevcafxl; an.d,oft tUO st-KHftth ef Ills .limited inquiries »Sr soj-ts as a "fact" that -t'lip inajority of tlio 160,009 pco]>le wlie -feigned tho card tlid net .know wbafc Hi.c;y Wdro doiftß, It is to Uc hoped tlio '•'facts" of liis associates on iho Defence Ijcag'ie jre iiioro. ■worthy of eredcnce.l